Published on: 03 March 2021
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) held its 7th session of the Sub-Committee on Human Element Training and Watchkeeping (HTW) virtually between 15 -19 February 2021.
An ICOMIA representative attends these meetings and has now released a report highlighting the key points that affect our members, in particular in the superyacht industry.
This report and its supporting documents is available to British Marine members to download from the British Marine website here.
The principle items of interest to the superyacht industry discussed in the meeting are:
Validation of model training courses postponed to HTW 8
Due to the pandemic and the limited time available during the virtual session, the Sub-Committee postponed the validation of the following model courses to HTW 8:
- New model course on Passenger safety, cargo safety and hull integrity training.
- Revised model course 2.03 on Advanced training in fire-fighting.
- Revised model course 1.22 on Bridge resource management.
- New model course on Engine-room resource management.
The following model courses are initially planned for validation at HTW 8:
- Revised model course 3.25 on Security awareness training for all port facility personnel.
- Revised model course 3.26 on Security training for seafarers with designated security duties.
- Revised model course 3.27 on Security awareness training for all seafarers.
The Sub-Committee endorsed the revision of the following model courses with a view to validation at HTW 9:
- 1.23 on Proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats other than fast rescue boats.
- 1.24 on Proficiency in fast rescue boats.
- 1.20 on Fire prevention and fire-fighting.
The purpose of IMO model courses is to assist administrations and training providers in the development of training programmes that assist in the effective implementation of international shipping legislation.
Guidelines for the impact of the pandemic on seafarer certification and training to be developed
The Sub-Committee agreed the following:
- To develop guidance to harmonise, as far as possible, the measures to be adopted by flag and port states in addressing the certification and training issues.
- The establishment of a correspondence group with the following terms of reference:
1. Identify the main challenges faced by STCW Parties with regard to:
a. issuance and renewal of certificates/documents, endorsements and extensions of validity; and
b. the provision of continued professional competence through refresher training.
2. In order to facilitate the harmonisation of national interim measures related to certification and training of seafarers as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, to be applied by STCW Parties in the short term, prepare guidance containing a relevant set of measures and solutions, taking into account the national measures adopted by STCW Parties beyond the regime established in the 1978 STCW Convention and communicated by the Secretary-General in various circular letters.
3. Consider possible adverse effects of the measures adopted, as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, from the flag and port state’s perspective, and advise the Committee; accordingly, and
4. Submit a report to MSC 104.
Electronic crew certification work ongoing:
Electronic certificates and documents of seafarers – The correspondence group that was established at HTW 6 submitted its report in attached document HTW 7/9. The group presented draft amendments to the STCW Convention and Code as well as draft guidelines on the use of electronic certificates and documents of seafarers.
Following the discussion of the correspondence group’s report, the Sub-Committee agreed that further work was required and agreed to establish a new correspondence group with a view to finalising the draft STCW amendments and guidelines and to submit their report to HTW8. In light of this, the target completion year for this output has been extended to 2022.
Please note the full report is available to download from the link given above, the report has embedded pdf supporting documents with the full details from the HTW meeting. To access the embedded reports, members need to download the report and enable editing on the word document and then click on the embedded pdfs.