Survival at Sea Course
This course prepares you to face emergencies on the open sea. You will learn the essential techniques to stay safe, from the correct use of life-saving appliances to first aid in extreme conditions, together with the survival strategies that matter most after abandoning a vessel: protecting yourself from cold and heat, rationing water and food, signaling your position, coordinating with search and rescue services and keeping the group together until recovery.
Prior knowledge check
These are the skills this program gives you. Tick the ones you already master and we will tell you which part of the syllabus is for you.
You are starting from scratch in this subject. The program is designed precisely for that.
What is the Survival at Sea Course?
This short course takes you through every stage of a survival situation on the open sea. You will study how to assess the emergency and set vital priorities after abandoning ship, how to board and stabilize liferafts and rescue boats, how to use the survival kit and signaling and locating equipment such as flares, EPIRB and SART, how the body responds to cold, heat, dehydration and exhaustion, how to manage drinking water and emergency rations, how to read drift, currents and waves, and how to prepare the group for location and safe recovery by rescue services.
What sets this course apart: a structured, priority-based approach that turns survival into a sequence of clear decisions; a strong focus on physiology, thermal protection and hydration, which decide the outcome of long exposures; practical attention to group leadership, morale and the control of panic; realistic scenarios with feedback that build confidence; and a final project in which you design and test a complete survival strategy for a specific open-sea emergency.
Program highlights
- Initial assessment and vital priorities after abandoning ship.
- Liferafts, rescue boats, immersion suits and the survival kit, used correctly.
- Signaling and locating: flares, mirrors, lights, EPIRB, SART and portable radios.
- Thermal protection: preventing hypothermia, heatstroke and dehydration.
- Water and ration management, drift assessment and coordination with SAR services.
- Final project: a complete survival strategy for an open-sea scenario.
Syllabus of the Survival at Sea Course
5 modules. Select a module to see its content.
Fundamentals of sea survival, initial assessment of the emergency and prioritization of actions after abandoning ship
- 1.1. The concept of survival on the open sea: general principles, vital priorities and the difference between an incident, an emergency and prolonged survival
- 1.2. Initial assessment after abandonment: condition of the crew, available resources, weather, distance from traffic routes and immediate risks
- 1.3. Critical factors of the ocean environment: water temperature, waves, wind, solar radiation, currents and continuous exposure
- 1.4. Initial organization of the survivor group: leadership, assignment of tasks, operational discipline and control of panic reactions
- 1.5. Prioritizing vital needs: flotation, thermal protection, water, shelter, signaling and preservation of physical and mental energy
Life-saving appliances, emergency equipment and operational use of survival resources in liferafts, boats and personal devices
- 2.1. Types of abandonment and survival appliances: liferafts, rescue boats, lifejackets, immersion suits and complementary flotation devices
- 2.2. Boarding and stabilizing liferafts and other appliances: safe access, load distribution, balance and control of occupants
- 2.3. Emergency equipment in survival craft: water, rations, bailers, first-aid kit, paddles, knives, fishing kits and repair items
- 2.4. Using signaling and locating equipment: flares, mirrors, whistles, lights, EPIRB, SART and portable emergency radios
- 2.5. Keeping the survival craft intact: visual inspection, leak control, moisture management, ventilation and protection against deterioration
Physiological protection, thermoregulation, hydration and preservation of functional capacity during prolonged ocean exposure
- 3.1. Physiology of survival at sea: the body's response to cold, heat, dehydration, exhaustion and prolonged immobility
- 3.2. Preventing and giving initial care for hypothermia: heat loss in water and air, heat-conserving positions and protective barriers
- 3.3. Preventing hyperthermia, sunstroke and dehydration: sun protection, exposure control, ventilation and avoiding unnecessary effort
- 3.4. Managing drinking water: rationing, priorities, the risks of dehydration and critical mistakes such as drinking seawater
- 3.5. Emergency nutrition and maintaining functional capacity: use of rations, control of energy expenditure and criteria for distributing food
Survival navigation, ocean orientation, signaling and coordination with search and rescue services
- 4.1. Fundamentals of orientation on the open sea: observing the environment, relative position, shipping traffic, wave patterns and basic celestial references
- 4.2. Assessing currents, drift and the movement of the survival craft: factors of motion and their impact on location and rescue
- 4.3. Day and night signaling strategies: maximizing visibility, using signals in sequence and choosing the right moment to signal
- 4.4. Distress communication procedures: activating beacons, emergency messages, transmitting critical information and basic SAR coordination
- 4.5. Preparing the group for location and recovery: internal order, collective visibility, control of occupants and accident prevention during the rescue
Final project: designing a survival strategy, resolving a scenario and evaluating the operational response
- 5.1. Defining the survival scenario: type of casualty, number of survivors, weather conditions, available resources and main risks
- 5.2. Drawing up the initial abandonment and survival plan: group organization, use of equipment, vital priorities and stabilization of the survival craft
- 5.3. Developing the strategy for physiological preservation and resource management: water, rations, thermal protection, signaling and equipment upkeep
- 5.4. Designing the communication and coordination protocol with rescuers: activation of devices, messages, visual signals and conduct when SAR units approach
- 5.5. Assessing cumulative risks and making decisions in prolonged survival: physical deterioration, drift, weather and adaptation of the strategy
Duration and format of the Survival at Sea Course
It is 300 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.
This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the installment plan.
Academic leadership and faculty
The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programs.
Dr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Eng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Capt. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Senior Lecturer in Ship Handling, Electronic Navigation (ECDIS/Radar/ARPA) and GMDSS; STCW Compliance and Bridge Resource Management Coordinator
Dr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Eng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Eng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Eng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration CoordinatorObjectives of the Survival at Sea Course
Career opportunities after the Survival at Sea Course
Questions about the Survival at Sea Course
Raise the alarm and try to get back on board as soon as it is feasible and safe; if that is not possible, keep afloat with minimum effort, protect yourself from the cold and make yourself visible. Module 1 explains these priorities.
Flotation, signaling and drinking water. The course shows how to organize these priorities together with thermal protection and the management of the group.
Because its salt content accelerates dehydration and can lead to serious complications. Module 3 covers safe rationing of drinking water and how to make the most of the available supply.
No. Navalis teaches the subject in depth, but mandatory survival certificates for seafarers are issued by approved training centers and the competent maritime authority, and include in-water practical sessions.
Through practical exercises in each module, scenario-based case studies with feedback and a final project in which you design and evaluate a survival strategy.
Fully online, through a virtual campus available 24/7, with live sessions that are recorded, downloadable materials, discussion forums and tutorials with the teaching staff.
The course comprises 300 hours of study across 5 modules of about 60 hours each and ends with an applied project. You can progress at your own pace within the schedule set when you enroll.
More programs in Safety and survival
Admission process
No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enroll in the same session.
- Profile: aimed at merchant and fishing crews, offshore oil, gas and wind farm workers, yacht and recreational boat crews, rescue team members and ocean sailors; no specific qualification is required, although experience of the marine environment or water activities and basic swimming skills are recommended.
- Language: sufficient command of English to follow the classes and the technical documentation.
- Technical resources: a computer with a stable internet connection and an up-to-date browser to follow the classes, simulations and case studies.
- Admission: online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
- 01ApplicationYour details, background and documents.
- 02Instant reviewWe check that everything is complete and in order.
- 03EnrollmentChoose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.
Ask us before you enroll
Leave your details and admissions will write to you to answer any questions. If you are already sure, you can apply and pay in the same session.