INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION (IMO): REPORT OF THE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LONDON 000434

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE PLEASE PASS TO IO/OIC FOR M. MORRISSEY

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: IMO AORC ASEC UK
SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION (IMO): REPORT OF THE
THIRTY-EIGHTH SESSION OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE (S/C) ON STANDARDS OF
TRAINING AND WATCHKEEPING (STW),LONDON,
JANUARY 22-26, 2007.


1. SUMMARY: The 38th session of the IMO STW S/C met in London 22-26
January 2007, chaired by Rear Admiral Peter Brady (Jamaica). The
session was attended by delegations from 79 member states, 2
associate members, and 22 observers from inter-governmental
organizations and non-governmental organizations. Working groups
(WG) and Drafting groups (DG) were formed to address several of the
agenda items. USDEL objectives were achieved. Accomplishments and
outcomes of particular interest include the following:

A. The S/C, under Agenda item 6, developed security-related
training and security-related familiarization requirements for
shipboard personnel with and without designated security duties for
inclusion into the STCW Convention and Code. The S/C agreed that
the draft requirements will enter into force with the amendments
generated by the Comprehensive Review of the STCW Convention and
Code. Furthermore, the S/C agreed to re-examine the draft
requirements during the Comprehensive Review of the STCW Convention
and Code in order to avoid inconsistencies. Furthermore, the S/C
agreed that pending the eventual entry into force of these
requirements, the newly developed training requirements should be
disseminated at this time in the form of an MSC Circular, in order
to positively enhance maritime security. In addition, the S/C
agreed that the required review of the STCW Convention and Code
(particularly Chapters I and VIII),to include therein appropriate
security-related provisions, should be included in the Comprehensive
Review.

B. The S/C, under Agenda item 12, held lengthy discussions on the
Comprehensive review of the STCW Convention and Code, and agreed on
a set of eight (8) principles for the review: (1) retain the
structure and goals of the 1995 revisions to the STCW Convention and
Code; (2) not to downscale the existing standards; (3) not to amend
the Articles of the Convention; (4) address inconsistencies,
interpretations, outdated provisions, MSC instructions,
clarifications already issued and technological advances; (5)
address requirements for effective communication; (6) provide for
flexibility in terms of compliance and for required levels of
training and certification and watchkeeping arrangements due to
innovation in technology; (7) address special character and
circumstances of short sea shipping and offshore industry; and (8)
address security-related issues. Following the agreed principles,
the S/C developed the list of issues for consideration during the
review, for the Committee's approval. Furthermore, the S/C agreed
that the list of issues does not imply that amendments will be
necessary.

C. The S/C, under Agenda item 13, agreed that resolution A.890(21),
as amended, Principles of Safe Manning, should be reviewed to
identify the possible need for revisions in a comprehensive manner.
The US, supported by others, proposed that a holistic approach to
manning, which evaluates the full spectrum of physiological,
psychological, environmental and other influences to shipboard
personnel, is the desired process to determine proper manning vice
prescriptive and restrictive manning scales. The S/C agreed on
criteria for consideration during the review and agreed to establish
a correspondence group under the chairmanship of the United States.
END SUMMARY.


2. The S/C addressed all of the agenda items during the meeting.
Agenda items of interest follow.


3. Agenda item 3 - Validation of Model Training Courses.
The S/C validated the following model courses: Liquefied petroleum
gas (LPG) cargo and ballast handling simulator, Liquefied natural
gas tanker (LNG) cargo and ballast handling simulator, and Chemical
cargo and ballast handling simulator.


4. Agenda item 4 - Unlawful practices associated with certificates
of competency. The S/C agreed to revise the IMO reporting format,
relating to reporting of fraudulent certificates detected, in order
to assist in focusing the efforts on the prevalent types of fraud.


5. Agenda item 5 - Passenger Ship Safety. The S/C agreed that
review of training requirements relating to recovery techniques
could be undertaken together with the Comprehensive Review of the
STCW Convention and Code.


6. Agenda item 7 - Education and Training requirements for Fatigue
Prevention, Mitigation and Management. The S/C agreed to consider
all issues relating to fatigue under the following S/C's work
program items: review of the principles of safe manning levels of
ships; and/or Comprehensive Review of the STCW Convention and Code.



7. Agenda item 8 - Development of training requirements for the
control and management of ship's ballast water and sediments. The
IMO Secretariat reported on the status of the Model Course for

LONDON 00000434 002 OF 002


shipboard ballast water management developed by India. The Model
course had been forwarded to the validation panel and the
Secretariat for comments, and these comments were passed on to India

SIPDIS
for incorporation into the final version. The S/C instructed the
IMO Secretariat to publish the model courses as soon as possible
after receiving the final version.


8. Agenda item 9 - Development of competences for ratings.
The S/C agreed on draft amendments for "able seafarer deck" and
"able seafarer engine," for inclusion into the STCW Convention and
Code. Furthermore, the S/C agreed that the proposed amendments
should be adopted after the Comprehensive Review of the STCW
Convention and Code, so as to avoid inconsistencies.

A. The S/C agreed that seagoing service for certification under the
new proposed regulations, able seafarer deck and engine, should be
considered after a seafarer has met the certification requirements
for ratings forming part of a navigational or engineering watch as
appropriate. Seagoing service in any capacity in the deck or engine
department counts towards the required seagoing service for able
seafarer deck or engine as appropriate.

B. The S/C agreed that the appropriate seagoing service for able
seafarer deck should be not less than 18 months or not less than 12
months with approved training, and that the appropriate seagoing
service for able seafarer engine should be not less than 12 months
or not less than 6 months with approved training.

C. The S/C agreed to include various grandfathering provisions to
allow existing able seamen to be certified as able seafarer deck,
and to allow existing equivalent engine ratings, such as QMED in the
United States, to be certified as able seafarer engine.

D. The S/C did not agree to provide flexibility to modify the
competence requirements, taking into consideration types of ships
and/or operating areas, in order to issue restricted able seafarer
certificates. The S/C agreed that such flexibility would restrict
seafarers' transfer to other types of ships and/or to other
operating areas without undergoing further training and/or
assessment.

E. The S/C agreed to address the issue of general purpose ratings
during the Comprehensive Review.


9. Agenda item 10. Casualty Analysis. The S/C discussed the
Inter-Industry Working Group's study on incidents of explosions on
chemical and product tankers. The S/C endorsed the outcome of the
MSC/MEPC Human Element working group, including the need to review
and strengthen requirements leading to dangerous cargo endorsements,
and the need to review industry procedures and guidelines. There
were no casualty analysis reports for consideration at this
meeting.


10. Agenda item 11 - Identification of areas in chapter VI of the
STCW Code where training cannot be conducted on board. The S/C
agreed to include this issue under the comprehensive review of the
STCW Convention and Code.


11. Agenda item 15 - The S/C unanimously re-elected Rear Admiral
Peter Brady (Jamaica) as Chairman and Mr. A. H. Kayssi (Lebanon) as
Vice-Chairman, both for the calendar year 2008.


12. The thirty-ninth session of STW is tentatively scheduled for 4
to 8 February 2008.

TUTTLE