MIN 671 (M) Amendment 1 Food safety and hygiene accepted qualifications
Updated 30 May 2022
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Part 8 of the merchant shipping (maritime labour convention) (minimum requirements for seafarers etc.) regulations 2014 (the “minimum requirements regulations”) introduce a requirement for all ship’s cooks, catering staff and other persons processing food in the galley to be suitably qualified in food hygiene or food safety in catering.
The MCA does not approve food hygiene or food safety in catering courses but accepts those accredited by the relevant awarding bodies. The qualifications and awarding bodies which are listed in this notice are those that fulfil the learning outcomes and assessment criteria set out in Annex 1 of MSN 1846 (M). Level 2 is the minimum acceptable level for ship’s cooks, catering staff and other persons processing food in the galley.
The courses which the MCA accepts for pre-qualification for issue of a ship’s cook certificate of competency are listed on the websites of the awarding bodies – see section 4 and tables 1, 2 & 3.
Tables 1,2 & 3 lists the current accepted Ofqual courses only (provided for ease of reference at the date of publication of this notice) and table 4 lists the discontinued courses but MCA will still accepted these food safety and food hygiene certificates within the certificates expiry date. For CIEH and REHIS, please visit the websites of the awarding bodies for the latest information.
The same learning outcomes (Annex 1 of MSN 1846(M)) apply for stewards, temporary support staff or other persons processing food in the galley, but these personnel are not required to hold the qualifications referred to, as it is expected that they would be working under qualified supervision.
Amendment 1 reflects updated guidance for section 3 concerning online delivery of courses.
1. Introduction
Under the Minimum Requirements Regulations all ship’s cooks are to be suitably qualified in food hygiene or food safety in catering. All catering staff and other persons processing food in the galley must be properly trained or instructed in food hygiene or food safety.
2. Training requirements for catering staff and other persons processing food in the galley (Regulation 40)
The shipowner must ensure that the ship’s cook and any other person who processes food in the galley of a sea-going United Kingdom vessel is properly trained or instructed in food and personal hygiene, as well as safe handling and storage of food onboard ship, in accordance with the learning outcomes and assessment criteria set out in Annex 1 of MSN 1846 (M). A ship’s cook must hold a qualification attesting these learning outcomes and must also complete the additional learning outcomes and assessment criteria set out in Annex 2 and the standards of training certification and watchkeeping safety courses listed in section 3 of MSN 1846 (M).
3. Online delivery of courses
As national COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, the MCA continues to only accept certificates from courses which are listed in MIN 671.
Where, due to remaining restrictions to training because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the awarding body is temporarily continuing to provide an MIN 671 listed training course via an online classroom methodology, these course certificates will also be accepted.
These courses are required to be held with suitable control measures, to ensure that they remain an accepted qualification. The MCA will only accept these online courses for use on UK registered ships and towards the issue of a ship’s cook certificate of competency for this reason. Please note that the MCA will not accept course certificates which are not listed in MIN 671.
It is the responsibility of the student/applicant, to contact the accredited course provider for a course listed in MIN 671, and to establish how the course is to be delivered. If, due to any continued COVID-19 considerations, the course is to be delivered via an online methodology, only courses delivered via a “virtual” classroom” with interaction between the lecturer and students, and appropriate oversight of examinations, will be accepted. The MCA does not accept courses which have been delivered solely by computer based training (CBT).
4. Accepted food hygiene and food safety qualifications
The qualifications and awarding bodies which the MCA accepts as meeting the learning outcomes and assessment criteria as set out in Annex 1 of Merchant Shipping Notice MSN 1846 (M) are listed on the following awarding body websites, with the Ofqual courses provided in tables 1 – 3 to this notice. Level 2 is the minimum acceptable level for ship’s cooks, catering staff and other persons processing food in the galley.
To find the latest list of accepted courses on the Ofqual register, you need to visit the Ofqual website and download the full register and review the spreadsheet titled qualifications. We have filtered this list for ease of reference but this notice is only updated yearly but available as tables 1, 2 & 3.
Qualification search criteria to be filtered within the downloadable qualifications list;
- level 2, 3 & 4
- hospitality in catering
- food safety in catering qualifications
- available to learners
See tables 1 , 2 & 3 attached to this notice.
5. CIEH and REHIS registers
- Chartered institute of environmental health (CIEH)
| CIEH | Level |
| Foundation Certificate in Food Safety | Level 2 |
| Intermediate Certificate in Food Safety | Level 3 |
CIEH regulate, approve, accredit and monitor their own food safety/ hygiene courses at levels 2 and 3, under the provisions of the CIEH Charter. These can be found on their website; https://www.cieh.org/cieh-for-business/training-programmes/food-safety-training/
The following lists the qualifications for the CIEH courses that are no longer available and were discontinued on the certification end date shown. The MCA will continue to accept these certificates issued before the certification end date shown below.
| Qualification number | CIEH qualification title | level | certification end date |
| 600/0473/3 | award in practical food safety for catering | 2 | 31 March 2017 |
| 500/5476/4 | award in food safety in catering | 2 | 23 June 2017 |
| 500/5475/2 | award in supervising food safety in catering | 3 | 23 June 2017 |
| 500/5470/3 | award in managing food safety in catering | 4 | 21 July 2017 |
- Royal environmental institute of Scotland (REHIS)
The following is a list of accepted courses. For the most up to date list, visit their website; https://www.rehis.com/community-training
| REHIS | |
| Elementary Food Hygiene | Equivalent to Level 2 |
| Intermediate Food Hygiene | Equivalent to Level 3 |
| Diploma in Advanced Food Hygiene | Equivalent to Level 4 |
6. Discontinued courses
Table 4 is a list of courses / qualifications that are no longer available. The MCA has previously recognised and accepted these certificates as fulfilling the learning outcomes and assessment criteria set out in annex 1 of MSN 1846 (M).
Applicants holding one of the certificates listed on the discontinued table 4 can use it when applying for their ship’s cook certificate of competency, provided it is issued before the certificate end date.
7. Contact information
For information relating to MCA acceptance of certificates for ship’s cooks please contact seafarers.registry@mcga.gov.uk
This guidance has been created by the seafarer safety and health branch and any enquires relating to its content should be sent to seafarersafety@mcga.gov.uk