Among a range of issues discussed during IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee 97th Session (MSC 97), concern was raised towards the implementation of the STCW Convention.
MSC 97 discussed about the deadline problems, given that a number of Administrations may not be in a position to issue STCW certificates in accordance with the requirement of the Convention by 1 January 2017.
As the end of the transitional provisions of the 2010 Manila Amendments to the STCW Convention is approaching, the IMO MSC 97 agreed to issue a MSC circular providing advice to port State control authorities and recognised organisations for a practical and pragmatic approach for a period of 6 months (i.e. until 1 July 2017) to be taken during inspections in cases where seafarers had not been issued with certificates in compliance with the 2010 Manila Amendments.
The IMO circular will include advice to Flag States, Port States, Class and other Recognised Organisations (RO). In particular, Flag Administrations will be recommended to inform Class and other ROs issuing ISM certificates before 1 July 2017, that it will be sufficient to inform them when assessing compliance with the ISM Code, if a seafarer’s documentation has not been issued in accordance with the 2010 Manila Amendments to the Convention.
Is this just about issuing of CoC certificates, or about seafarers who still do not comply to the STCW 2010 requirements, in other words, those seafarers who still did not update and completed the required STCW 2010 courses?