A Shipping Crew PEME is an employer-specific pre-employment medical examination used by shipping companies, ship managers, crewing agencies and maritime employers to assess whether a seafarer meets their medical requirements before joining a vessel.
A PEME is not automatically the same as an ENG1 medical. Depending on the employer, a seafarer may require an ENG1 or recognised equivalent medical certificate as well as a separate company PEME.
Written and medically reviewed by Dr Farah MacDonald | MCA Approved Doctor & Occupational Health Physician | Updated September 2026
Shipping crew may require different medical assessments depending on the employer, vessel, role and destination. A company PEME is usually employer-specific and may be required in addition to an ENG1 or other recognised statutory seafarer medical certificate.
PEME stands for Pre-Employment Medical Examination.
In the maritime sector, a PEME is commonly requested by a shipping company, ship manager, crewing agency or other employer before a crew member joins a vessel.
Its purpose is to establish whether the worker meets the medical requirements specified by that particular employer or deployment.
Unlike a standardised statutory certificate, the content of a PEME can vary considerably. One employer may require a medical examination and basic laboratory tests, while another may specify ECG, audiometry, spirometry, drug and alcohol testing, chest imaging or additional blood investigations.
No.
An ENG1 is a statutory seafarer medical fitness certificate issued by an MCA Approved Doctor in accordance with the UK seafarer medical-certification system.
A Shipping Crew PEME is usually an additional employer-specific assessment designed around the shipping company’s own medical requirements.
An ENG1 therefore does not necessarily replace a company PEME, and a company PEME does not necessarily replace an ENG1.
Employer-specific PEMEs may be requested for personnel working across the maritime sector, including:
Requirements depend on the employer and role rather than simply the job title.
Shipping companies operate internationally and may apply medical requirements based on their own risk-management procedures, insurer requirements, vessel operations, destination countries or company policies.
Different employers may therefore request different combinations of tests even for workers performing similar jobs.
This is why Marina Medicals reviews the actual employer or crewing-company paperwork rather than applying the same fixed PEME package to every seafarer.
The exact examination depends on the employer’s requirements. A maritime PEME may include a combination of:
Not every worker requires every test. Additional investigations should be undertaken according to the employer’s specification and relevant clinical indications.
Shipping-company PEMEs may include blood and urine investigations specified by the employer or crewing agency.
Requirements vary, but may include tests such as full blood count, kidney or liver function, glucose testing, urinalysis or infectious-disease screening where relevant to the employer or destination.
There is no universal blood-test panel for every maritime PEME. Marina Medicals reviews the employer’s paperwork first so that only the required investigations are arranged.
An ECG is not required for every Shipping Crew PEME.
Some employers request a resting ECG routinely, while others require it only according to age, role, medical history or company policy.
Where an ECG is required, it can be undertaken as part of the coordinated PEME appointment at Marina Medicals.
Audiometry and spirometry may form part of a maritime PEME where specified by the employer.
Hearing assessment can be relevant where workers need to communicate reliably in noisy environments and respond to alarms or emergency instructions.
Spirometry may be required where respiratory fitness is relevant to the role, or where the employer’s medical protocol specifically includes lung-function testing.
Some shipping companies and crewing agencies require drug and alcohol screening before mobilisation.
This is usually an employer or company-policy requirement rather than an automatic component of every PEME.
Marina Medicals can provide workplace drug and alcohol testing alongside the medical where this is specified.
A chest X-ray is not routinely required for every Shipping Crew PEME.
It may, however, be requested by a particular employer, destination country or medical protocol.
Where imaging is required, Marina Medicals can advise what is needed and coordinate the medical documentation once the result is available.
Marina Medicals can provide workplace drug and alcohol testing alongside the medical where this is specified.
Having a medical condition does not automatically mean that you cannot pass a company PEME.
The examining doctor considers the condition, treatment, stability, risk of deterioration or sudden incapacity, and the demands of the proposed maritime role.
In some cases, further information from a GP or specialist may be required before the employer’s medical form can be completed.
Bringing recent relevant medical information to the appointment can help avoid unnecessary delay.
The appointment length depends on the number of tests required.
A straightforward medical may be completed relatively quickly, while a comprehensive PEME involving ECG, audiometry, spirometry, laboratory testing or drug and alcohol screening may require a longer appointment.
Complex PEMEs at Marina Medicals are commonly allocated up to 90 minutes so that the examination, testing and documentation can be coordinated properly.
Yes, where both are required they can often be arranged during the same visit.
The ENG1 and employer PEME remain separate assessments, but completing them together can reduce repeat appointments and help streamline mobilisation.
Tell Marina Medicals in advance if you require both so that sufficient appointment time and any additional testing can be arranged.
The cost of a Shipping Crew PEME depends on the employer’s required tests and documentation.
A straightforward medical costs less than a comprehensive PEME involving laboratory testing, ECG, audiometry, spirometry, drug and alcohol screening or imaging.
Typical comprehensive PEMEs at Marina Medicals are around £500, but the exact fee is confirmed after review of the employer or crewing-company requirements.
There are no set-up or retainer fees for individual assessments. Where companies send crew regularly, Marina Medicals can also provide a coordinated employer pathway.
Sometimes. An ENG1 is a statutory seafarer medical certificate for relevant UK seafarers, while a PEME is usually an employer-specific assessment. Your company may require both. The MCA confirms that ENG1s must be issued by an MCA Approved Doctor.
Yes, where both are required they can often be arranged together, provided Marina Medicals receives the employer’s PEME requirements in advance.
No. Requirements vary between shipping companies, ship managers and crewing agencies, so the employer’s actual form or joining instructions should be reviewed before testing is arranged.
It depends on the number of tests. Comprehensive assessments may take up to around 90 minutes, with laboratory or imaging results completed separately where required.
Yes. A medical condition does not automatically prevent clearance. The doctor assesses stability, treatment, functional impact and the demands of the proposed role, and may request additional medical evidence where necessary.
Some overseas seafarer medical certificates are recognised as equivalent to an ENG1 for service on UK ships, but only certificates issued under approved national systems are accepted. The MCA publishes the current list of recognised countries.
They may. Cruise operators and crewing agencies can impose company-specific medical requirements in addition to statutory seafarer certification, depending on the role and company policy.
References:
Marina Medicals provides doctor-led Shipping Crew PEMEs in Cardiff for seafarers, maritime workers, ship managers and crewing agencies.
Assessments can be tailored to employer-specific requirements and may include medical examination, ECG, audiometry, spirometry, blood and urine testing, drug and alcohol screening and completion of company medical forms.
Where required, an ENG1 and employer PEME can often be coordinated during the same visit.
Marina Medicals is led by an MCA Approved Doctor and is also listed by the MCA as a company-approved doctor for Svitzer in Pembrokeshire.
Please email your employer, crewing-company or mobilisation medical requirements before booking. Marina Medicals will review the documentation, confirm the investigations required, advise the appointment length and provide the correct fee before the assessment is arranged.
