Seaman's Book / Discharge Book: Complete Guide (2026)

A seaman's book is an official identity and service record document, issued by a maritime administration, that specifically records a seafarer's employment history at sea — vessel names, ranks held, dates of service, and, historically, the physical discharge stamp from each vessel at the end of a period of service, which is where the "discharge book" name comes from.

It serves two distinct functions: as an identity document specifically recognised in a maritime and port context (sometimes permitting entry for crew changes in situations where a standard visa process would otherwise apply), and as an official, continuous record of sea service that can be independently verified — distinct from a CV's self-reported employment history, which carries less formal weight on its own.

A passport is a general national identity document for international travel, issued by a national government and unrelated to maritime employment specifically. A seaman's book is a maritime-specific document, issued by a maritime administration (which may or may not be the same country as a seafarer's passport), that has no general travel function outside a maritime and port context.

Seafarers need both documents for different purposes — a passport for general international travel and, in most cases, visa requirements at ports of call, and a seaman's book specifically for the maritime employment and identity functions it serves, including in specific circumstances where its recognition under international maritime conventions provides an alternative or supplement to standard visa processes for crew changes.

A certificate of competency or STCW certificate confirms a seafarer has passed specific examinations and training, qualifying them for a specific rank or specific safety training — a qualification document, not a service record. A seaman's book, by contrast, records the actual employment history and sea service itself, regardless of what certification the seafarer holds.

Both are typically required together when applying for a position — a company needs to see both that a candidate is certified for the rank (via certificates of competency) and has a genuine, verifiable service history (via the seaman's book), since the two documents answer genuinely different questions about a candidate.

The specific application process varies by issuing country, but generally requires proof of maritime training or intent to work at sea (often an STCW Basic Safety Training certificate as a minimum), a valid passport, a medical certificate confirming fitness for sea service, and the relevant application form and fee submitted to the national maritime administration or a designated issuing authority.

First-time applicants — particularly cadets and new entrants — should generally apply for a seaman's book early in the certification process, alongside STCW Basic Training and the initial medical certificate, since some early sea time or cadet placements may specifically require it before a first assignment can begin.

A lost or stolen seaman's book should be reported to the issuing authority as soon as possible, following that authority's specific replacement process — this typically requires a police report or similar documentation of the loss, particularly if lost or stolen while abroad, alongside the standard application requirements for a new book.

A seaman's book that's simply full of stamped entries, or significantly damaged through normal wear over years of use, follows a renewal or replacement process with the issuing authority — this is a routine administrative matter for an experienced seafarer with a long service history, not something requiring the same urgency as a genuinely lost document.

Seafarers working internationally should keep both a physical copy safeguarded and, where the issuing administration supports it, be aware of any digital or online verification system available, since some maritime administrations have moved toward digital verification alongside or instead of purely physical stamped records.