IMO: SUBCOMMITTEE ON STANDARDS OF TRAINING AND WATCHKEEPING

UNCLAS LONDON 000705 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EWWT AORC ASEC UK SUBJECT: IMO: SUBCOMMITTEE ON STANDARDS OF TRAINING AND WATCHKEEPING - REPORT OF THE 40TH SESSION, LONDON, FEBRUARY 2 - 6, 2009. ¶1. SUMMARY: The 40th session of the IMO Standards of Training and Watchkeeping (STW) Sub-Committee (S/C) met in London from 2-6 February 2009, chaired by Rear Admiral Peter Brady (Jamaica). The session was attended by delegations from 90 member states, 2 associate members, 1 United Nations specialized agency, observers from 4 inter-governmental organizations, and observers from 22 non-governmental organizations. Two working groups (WG) were formed to address agenda item 7, the comprehensive review of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW Convention) and Seafarers' Training Certification and Watchkeeping Code (STCW Code). One WG was formed to address agenda item 8: review of the principles for establishing the safe manning levels of ships. The S/C addressed all of the agenda items during the meeting. USDEL objectives were achieved. Accomplishments and outcomes of particular interest include the following: ¶A. Agenda item 7 - Comprehensive review of the STCW Convention and STCW Code. The S/C discussed the proposed amendments to the Convention and Code emanating from the September 2008 intersessional working group, and further developed preliminary revised draft text. The S/C endorsed the preliminary revised draft text of Chapters II, III, IV, V, VI, VII and VIII. The S/C considered the need to convene an intersessional meeting for the comprehensive review of the STCW Convention and the STCW Code, prior to STW 41, but was unable to agree on the timing. The S/C agreed to develop terms of reference for the intersessional meeting and forward them to the 86th session of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 86) for a final decision on the need of such meeting and the timing. ¶B. Agenda item 8 - Review of the principles for establishing the safe manning levels of ships. The S/C endorsed the preliminary draft amendments to Resolution A.890(21) and agreed to request MSC to forward the draft amendments to the Sub-Committee on Safety of Navigation (NAV). END SUMMARY. Validation of Model Training Courses -------------- ¶2. Agenda item 3 - The S/C agreed on amendments to the model course on operational use of Automatic Identification Systems (AIS). The S/C agreed on the list of IMO model courses related to the STCW Convention that should be reviewed in light of the ongoing comprehensive review of the STCW Convention and Code. Unlawful Practices Associated with Certificates of Competency -------------- -------------- ¶3. Agenda item 4 - The S/C noted the information provided by the Secretariat detailing the reports on fraudulent certificates for the year 2007. The S/C focused its discussion to the sharing of information in a prompt manner. Training of Seafarer Safety Representatives -------------- ¶4. Agenda item 5 - The S/C agreed to await the outcome of the Joint MSC/MEPC working group on the human element relating to amendments to the International Safety Management Code (ISM Code) before developing training requirements for a ship's safety representative. Comprehensive review of the STCW Convention and STCW Code -------------- -------------- ¶5. Agenda item 7 - Due to time constraints, the S/C was unable to fully consider all of the issues. Issues of interest follow. ¶A. Seafarers' awareness of counter-piracy measures. The S/C agreed that there was an urgent need to include appropriate provisions in the STCW Convention to ensure that seafarers are properly educated and trained to face situations whereby their ship is under attack by pirates. The issue will be discussed further during STW 41. ¶B. Chapter I - General Provisions. Due to time constraints, the WG only considered the proposals for amendments to Regulation I/9 (Medical Standards). Delegations raised concerns with the International Maritime Health Association's proposal for assessment of minimum entry level and in-service physical abilities for seafarers. The seafarer organizations raised concerns with the application of a standard that would be solely based on "sudden incapacitation" of a seafarer while at sea. ¶C. Chapter II - Master and Deck Department. The WG agreed: (1) to include mandatory training requirements for basic marine environment awareness for an officer in charge of a navigational watch (OICNW); (2) to include VTS reporting-related training for OICNW and management level personnel; (3) to include Electronic Chart Display Information System (ECDIS) training for OICNW and management level personnel; and (4) to simplify the training requirements for celestial navigation. ¶D. Chapter III - Engine Department. The WG agreed: (1) to include additional training requirements for steam-powered ships for management level personnel;(2) to include mandatory training requirements for basic marine environment awareness for an officer in charge of a engineering watch (OICEW); (3) to replace the 30 months training requirement for OICEW with a competence-based standard; (4) to further discuss increasing the propulsion power restriction in the near-coastal provisions. ¶E. Chapter V - The S/C agreed: (1) to establish a correspondence group, under the coordination by Norway, to develop guidance for personnel operating in Arctic and Antarctic ice-covered waters for consideration at STW 41; (2) to include guidance for dynamic positioning systems and invited members to submit proposals. The WG agreed that it was premature to develop mandatory training requirements for offshore supply vessels, and instead agreed to consider guidance at the next meeting. The WG agreed to re-format the tables of competence for tankers for consistency and clarity. ¶F. Chapter VI - The WG prepared draft amendments relating to fire-fighting training for personnel serving on board tankers for further consideration at the next meeting. ¶G. Chapter VIII - Watchkeeping. The WG developed draft text in order to harmonize the STCW Convention with the ILO Maritime Labor Convention 2006. The WG agreed to omit social issues unrelated to safety, but significant disagreement remains concerning the proposed derogation clauses. The WG agreed to include requirements for mandatory alcohol limits, but raised concerns with respect to the enforcement of these requirements. Review of the principles for establishing the safe manning levels of ships -------------- -------------- ¶6. Agenda item 8 - The S/C developed draft amendments to Resolution A.890(21) including a manning framework based on four main steps: submission from the company based on the nature of the operation and a task analysis of the functions; evaluation by the Administration against the relevant national and international requirements; maintenance of minimum safe manning; and compliance monitoring. Mandatory requirements for determining safe manning -------------- -------------- ¶7. Agenda item 10 -. The S/C agreed to defer further discussions to STW 41. Measures to improve training on board -------------- ¶8. Agenda item 11 - The S/C considered the MSC tasking to consider measures to improve training on board, particularly India's proposal to include additional berthing spaces for trainees. The majority of the delegations were sympathetic to the problem but were not in favor of a prescriptive path. The majority supported a recommendatory approach with incentives for shipping companies. The S/C agreed that such a provision cannot be included within the STCW Convention, but that an alternative approach could be to adopt a resolution, at the Diplomatic Conference to be convened, to adopt the amendments emanating from the comprehensive review of the STCW Convention and Code. The resolution would urge members to encourage shipowners to ensure that adequate certified accommodation for trainees was available on board ships, in particular new-built ships. Election of the Chairman and Date/Location of Next Meeting -------------- -------------- ¶9. Agenda item 12 - The S/C unanimously re-elected Rear Admiral Peter Brady (Jamaica) as Chairman and Mr. A. H. El-Kayssi (Lebanon) as Vice-Chairman, both for the calendar year 2009. The 41st session of the Sub-Committee on Standards of Training and Watchkeeping is tentatively scheduled for 11 to 15 January 2010 at the IMO Headquarters in London, United Kingdom. LEBARON