Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using STEP-UP Maritime Academy's website, platform, courses, or digital tools (collectively, the "Services"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, do not use our Services.

These Terms apply to all users, including visitors, registered users, and purchasers. We reserve the right to update these Terms at any time. Continued use of the Services after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms.

2. About STEP-UP Maritime Academy

STEP-UP Maritime Academy is an international online maritime training platform founded and operated by Captain Paul A. Malinao, a Licensed Master Mariner. The platform is operated under Tradewind Philippines, registered in the Philippines.

Our platform provides digital maritime competency training courses, interactive simulators, and educational tools designed for seafarers at all levels.

3. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years of age to purchase or subscribe to our paid Services. By using the Services, you represent and warrant that:

• You are at least 18 years old, or have parental/guardian consent.
• You have the legal authority to agree to these Terms.
• All information you provide is accurate and truthful.
• You will use the Services only for lawful maritime educational purposes.

4. Products and Services

Digital Courses (One-Time Purchase)

Our courses — including Bridge Foundations, 3rd Mate Training System, Advanced Watchkeeping System, and Bridge Jumpstart Program — are delivered entirely online. Upon successful payment, you receive 2 years access to the purchased course content.

Simulator Subscriptions (Monthly Recurring)

Simulator Pass Basic ($5/month) and Simulator Pass Full ($15/month) are recurring subscriptions. Access continues as long as the subscription remains active and in good standing.

Content Delivery

All content is delivered via our web-based platform at academy.step-upmasterclass.com. No physical goods are shipped. All materials are original content authored by our instructors.

5. Payment and Billing

All payments are processed securely through Lemon Squeezy, our authorized payment processor. All prices are listed in US Dollars (USD).

• One-time purchases are charged once at the time of purchase.
• Monthly subscriptions are billed automatically on the same date each month.
• You authorize us to charge your selected payment method for all fees incurred.
• Subscription prices may be updated with 30 days advance notice.

For billing support, contact us at: plmalinao@gmail.com

6. Access and License

Upon successful payment, we grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, personal license to access and use the purchased course content or active subscription features for your own personal maritime training purposes.

This license does not permit you to:

• Share, resell, sublicense, or distribute any course content to others.
• Use course content for commercial purposes or instructor-led training without written permission.
• Record, download, or reproduce platform content outside of the platform.
• Share login credentials with other users.

7. User Responsibilities

You agree to use the Services responsibly. You must not:

• Attempt to hack, exploit, or disrupt platform operations.
• Upload or share harmful, offensive, or illegal content.
• Misrepresent your identity or qualifications.
• Use automated bots or scrapers on the platform.
• Circumvent any access controls or paywalls.

Violation of these responsibilities may result in immediate account termination without refund.

8. Intellectual Property

All course materials, simulators, videos, text, graphics, tools, and software on this platform are the exclusive intellectual property of STEP-UP Maritime Academy / Captain Paul A. Malinao / Tradewind Philippines. All rights are reserved.

You may not reproduce, republish, distribute, or create derivative works from any platform content without prior written consent from the owner.

9. Disclaimers

Our Services are provided "as is" and "as available." We make no warranties, express or implied, regarding:

• The accuracy or completeness of course content.
• Uninterrupted or error-free platform access.
• Guaranteed pass rates on any maritime licensing examinations.
• Fitness for any specific regulatory or certification purpose.

STEP-UP Maritime Academy is an educational training platform. It is not a substitute for mandatory STCW training, flag state approvals, or official examination preparation from accredited institutions.

10. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, STEP-UP Maritime Academy, its founders, officers, and operators shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of or inability to use the Services.

Our total cumulative liability for any claim related to these Terms or our Services shall not exceed the total amount you paid us in the 12 months preceding the claim.

11. Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account at any time for violation of these Terms, fraudulent activity, or any conduct we determine to be harmful to the platform or its users.

You may cancel your subscription at any time through your account settings or by contacting support. Upon cancellation, access continues until the end of the current billing period.

12. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of the Philippines. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the Philippines.

For international users, we comply with applicable consumer protection regulations in your jurisdiction to the extent required by law.

13. Contact Information

For questions regarding these Terms of Service, please contact us: