The Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) implements the government's maritime safety policy in the UK and works to prevent the loss of life on the coast and at sea.

They provide a 24-hour maritime search and rescue service around the UK coast and in the international search and rescue region through HM Coastguard, and inspect and survey ships to ensure that they are meeting UK and international safety rules. They also provide certification to seafarers, register vessels and respond to pollution from shipping and offshore installations. The publications from MCA include record books, health and safety guidance and mandatory documents for all ships.

Explore our Marine Shipping Catalogue opens in new tab(PDF 1.71MB).

Ship Captain's Medical Guide: 24th edition

Provides assistance and direction for crew members when it becomes necessary for them to assess and treat trauma and medical illness.

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Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seafarers (COSWP) - 2025 Edition

This is guidance on improving health and safety on board vessels and articulates how statutory obligations should be fulfilled on board all UK ships, other than fishing vessels and pleasure craft.

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Maritime Seafarers Posters

A pack of three A3 posters for displaying onboard ships and vessels. Contains posters on Tiredness and Fatigue at Sea, Mental Wellbeing at Sea and Personal Hygiene at Sea.

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Key titles

Wellbeing at sea: A guide for organisations

Practical guidance for optimal care of seafarers, ultimately improving seafarer wellbeing and, in turn, business efficiency onboard vessels.

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Wellbeing at sea: A pocket guide for seafarers

An essential resource to offer support to seafarers to promote a state of healthy wellbeing at sea.

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Merchant Shipping Notices, Marine Guidance Notes & Marine Information Notes

These notices publicise important safety, pollution prevention and other relevant information to the shipping and fishing industries.

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Being Human in Safety-Critical Organisations

Integrates recent thinking from psychology, resilience engineering, complexity theory and cybernetics.

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Behaving Safely - A practical guide for risky work

Insights and practical guidance about what makes you safe and what you can do to make things safer as you go about your everyday tasks.

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The workboat code: the safety of small workboats and pilot boats a code of practice Edition 2

Applies to small workboats that operate to sea, and to pilot boats of any size operating either at sea or in categorised (i.e. inland) waters.

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SOLAS

SOLAS - Consolidated 2020 edition in effect from 1 January 2020

SOLAS, which covers a wide range of measures designed to improve the safety of shipping.

Available formats:

SOLAS No. 1 A3 poster product imageSOLAS No. 1 A3 poster

£4.30 (£5.16 inc. VAT)

SOLAS No. 2 pack of 10 A5 cards product imageSOLAS No. 2 pack of 10 A5 cards

£29.75 (£35.70 inc. VAT)

SOLAS No. 1 + SOLAS No.2 value pack product imageSOLAS No. 1 + SOLAS No.2 value pack

£24.60 (£29.52 inc. VAT)

Safety of Navigation: Implementing SOLAS product imageSafety of Navigation: Implementing SOLAS

£75.00

Record Books

MCA Ballast Water Record Log Book product imageMCA Ballast Water Record Log Book

£8.20 (£9.84 inc. VAT)

Marine Fuel Sulphur Record Book product imageMarine Fuel Sulphur Record Book

£5.35 (£6.42 inc. VAT)

Oil Record Book (Part I) product imageOil Record Book (Part I)

£5.35 (£6.42 inc. VAT)

Oil Record Book (Part II) product imageOil Record Book (Part II)

£5.35 (£6.42 inc. VAT)

Garbage Record Book product imageGarbage Record Book

£13.35 (£16.02 inc. VAT)