|
The
Malaysian Shipowners’
Association has expressed concern
over reports that only about 10
per cent of Malaysian seafarers
have undergone the mandatory STCW
’95 upgrade to enable them to
continue to serve on board ships
after February 1, 2002.
Its
chairman Datuk Mohd Ali Hj Yasin
said it had been brought to public
knowledge by the Ministry of
Transport recently that only 772
seafarers (the estimated total of
60,000) have so far complied with
the new regulations.
“This,
in effect, means an average of 250
seafarers a year secured the
upgrading in the last three years,
or so since notice was given of
the new elements in the
STCW’95,” he said.
Ali’s
concern which was carried in the
Association’s newsletter,
Shipmonitor, said: “We are
somewhat concerned, and anxious
that with only a few more months
left for the deadline, it may be
difficult for all the remaining
seafarers to be assessed for the
upgrading course in time.”
He
added it could potentially leave a
large number of local seafarers,
serving on board Malaysian and
non-Malaysian vessels in a lurch,
and unemployable.
“The
concern is especially for those
Malaysian seamen now serving on
board foreign ships who are unable
to return home to sit for the
upgrading as required under the
STCW’95,” he said.
With
the ruling on the new Standards,
Training, Certification and
Watchkeeping entering into force
on 1 February 2002, it would
deemed to have been the
responsibility of the national
administrations to have acted with
a sense of urgency and
seriousness, Ali noted.
|
