IFSMA Monthly Logs

During January 2007 IFSMA attended the 38^th meeting of the Sub-Committee on Standards of Training and Watchkeeping (STW):

The Secretary General attended as deputy chairman of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners new Education and Training Committee which was formally the Apprentices Committee on January 26th

Sub-Committee on Standards of Training and Watchkeeping (STW): 22^nd to 26^th January 2007.

In his opening address the Secretary General of IMO reflected on the tragic and heavy loss of life following the foundering of two ferries in Indonesia. He stressed that this tragedy should act as a catalyst for all concerned to strengthen their resolve to ensure that ships were only allowed to sail after all the measures for a safe passage were met and that commercial considerations were never given precedence over safety.

The key points discussed at the meeting from IFSMA’s view point were as follows:

Validation of Model Training Courses

The sub-committee referred the following six model training courses to the Drafting group:

• Skipper of a fishing vessel
• Chief and 2^nd Engineer officer of fishing vessel
• Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch of fishing vessel
• Liquefied petroleum gas cargo and handling simulator
• Liquefied natural gas cargo and ballast handling simulator and
• Chemical cargo and ballast handling simulator.

The above model courses were validated and the Secretariat was instructed to publish them.

Unlawful Practices Associated with Certificates of Competency

The United Kingdom provided information on a report on the investigation they conducted on the types of fraud associated with Certificates of Competency, and also how fraud might be effectively identified and prevented. Latvia has also initiated a research project on the problems of fraudulent certificates to address awareness of the situation. Although over six thousand visits to the IMO website on verifying certificates had been recorded, few countries appear to report to the IMO instances where the use of fraudulent certificates had been discovered,

Measures to Enhance Maritime Security.

The sub-committee agreed that there should be a three tiered approach to security training for ships’ crew which should be included in Chapter VI of the STW Convention in addition to the adopted standards VI/5 for Ship Security Officer.

• Basic security-related awareness training, (new sections A.VI/2-1 and A. VI/2-2), for all seafarers employed or engaged in any capacity onboard ship.
• Mandatory minimum requirement for seafarers with designated security duties, (new section A.VI/6 ), and
• Security familiarization training, (new section VI/1). This training is to be carried out by the ship’s security officer for all those with designated security duties.

It was also agreed that the best approach would be for all seafarers that do not have specific security duties to receive basic training for security awareness. However it was further agreed that SSO’s will not be required to qualify as instructors, supervisors or auditors in accordance with the provisions of regulation 1/6 and section A I/6

Education and Training Requirements for Fatigue Prevention, Mitigation and Management

After a lot of debate, the Sub-Committee agreed to have a holistic approach towards addressing fatigue, and to consider in future all issues relating to fatigue under two  work programme items; Review of the principles for establishing the safe manning levels of ships and comprehensive review of the STCW convention, rather than duplicated consideration of a further item on the programme.

Development of Competency for Ratings.

The working group spent considerable time and effort in developing and concluding the requirements for competencies for able seafarers deck (A.II/5) and engine,(A.III/5), under the STCW Convention.  However the Sub-Committee will have to await the review of STCW Convention before seeking the adoption of these amendments by the Maritime Safety Committee.

Comprehensive Review of the STCW Convention and the STCW Code.

This agenda item took up considerable time at the Sub-Committee meeting  and it was finally agreed that any item for review must fall within the following eight  principles:

• Retain the structure and goals of the 1995 revision,
• Do not down scale existing standards,
• Do not amend the articles of the convention,
• Address inconsistencies, interpretations, outdated provisions, MSC instructions, clarifications already issued and technological advances,
• Address requirements for effective communication,
• Provide flexibility in terms of compliance and for required levels of training and certification and watch-keeping arrangements due to innovation in technology,
• Address special character and circumstances of short sea shipping and the off shore industry, and
• Address security related issues.

IFSMA was particularly concerned on two items;

• that there was need for clarifications as to what the acceptable minimum time that could be constituted as a period of rest should be, and
• that the Master should not be considered a watchkeeping officer when deciding the composition of the navigating watch.

It was pleasing therefore that the Sub Committee agreed to having the hours of work and rest provisions in Chapter VIII reviewed, with a view to harmonizing with the ILO 180 Convention, including the mandatory recording of hours.          

Review of the Principles of Safe Manning

The Sub Committee concluded that Resolution A.890 (21) as amended, should be reviewed and the need for revisions to be identified, however the Sub-Committee was against legislation that gave prescriptive manning levels based on  all types and size of ship.  There was support for  IFSMA’s proposal that goal-based standards to be developed on the basis of A.890 in deciding safe manning levels on ships.

IFSMA’s submission for all ships to have a minimum of a Master and two mates was rejected. It remains an issue in the review of the Convention based on the premise that the Master should not be considered a watch-keeper when deciding the composition of the navigational watch.

Conclusion

This meeting was very well attended with the temporary venue overflowing. I would like to thank the 7 members of the IFSMA team (including two from the Nautical Institute) for their support and contributions to the working and drafting groups as well as in plenary. There is still a lot of work to do.

Rodger MacDonald
Secretary General