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the existing standards; (3) not to amend the Articles of the Convention; (4) address inconsistencies, interpretations, outdated provisions, MSC instructions, clarifications already issued and technological advances; (5) address requirements for effective communication; (6) provide for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