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More
than 50 per cent of Malaysian
trained seamen have yet to secure
validation of their training as
required under the Standards,
Training, Certification &
Watchkeeping ’95 which enters into
force under an extended deadline 31
July 2002.
Despite
specific measures taken by the
Marine Department, the Central
Mercantile Marine Fund (CMFF), the
Malaysian Maritime Academy (ALAM)
and shipowners to encourage
seafarers to secure their
certification, less than 25,000 of
the 60,000 seamen registered in
Malaysia are said to have secure the
validation.
STCW
95 refers to the 1995 amendments to
the International Convention on
Standards of Training, Certification
and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW),
1978.
The
1995 amendments, which completely
revised the Convention, was schedule
to enter into force on 1 February
2002 but was extended by the
International Maritime Organisation
following appeals from member
countries which had high incidence
of seafarers complying with the
convention.
Under
the extension granted by IMO,
countries were allowed to continue
to issue, recognize and endorse
certificates which applied before 1
February 1997 in respect of
seafarers who began training or
seagoing service before 1 August
1998.
The
STCW-95 requirements are therefore
being phased in under a transitional
period until 1 July 2002.
By
31 July 2002, every master and
officer must hold a valid
certificate complying with the
regulations of STCW 95 and
endorsement issued by the flag
State.
Seafarers
must re-validate their certificate
(by the authority issuing the
original certificate) to STCW 95
standards of medical fitness and
competence.
The
updated certificate will then be
valid for service after 31 July
2002, and will be subject to
re-validation every five years.
Noting
of the lack of response from
Malaysian seafarers, CMFF in
association with the Marine
Department last year offered
financial support to seamen to
undergo the re-training at local
maritime institutions, notably at
ALAM and training providers
sanctioned by ALAM.
Meanwhile,
parallel with the entry of STCW 95
on 31 July affecting seamen,
shipowners too have a deadline to
meet on the same date.
The
International Management Code for
the Safe Operation of Ships and for
Pollution Prevention (ISM Code)
which addresses the responsibilities
of the people who manage and operate
ships and provides an international
standard for the safe management and
operation of ships and for pollution
prevention, enters into force on 1
July 2002.
On
31 July 1998, the ISM Code became
mandatory under the International
Convention for the Safety of Life at
Sea (SOLAS) and from that date it
applied to passenger ships,
including passenger high-speed
craft; and oil tankers, chemical
tankers, gas carriers, bulk carriers
and cargo high-speed craft of 500
gross tonnage and above.
Now
other cargo ships – including
general cargo ships and container
ships - and mobile offshore drilling
units of 500 gross tonnage and above
must comply, not later than 31 July
2002.
The
ISM Code requires every company to
be issued with a Document of
Compliance (DOC) to show that it
complies with the requirements of
the ISM Code.
The
DOC is issued for a period of five
years subject to an annual
verification audit.
The
DOC must be carried on board the
ship. The ISM Code also requires
every ship to be issued with a
Safety Management Certificate (SMC),
which verifies that the company and
its shipboard management operate in
accordance with the approved safety
management system.
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