During his opening speech at the IMO Sub- Committee on HTW
IMO Secretary General, Mr Koji Sekimizu urged maritime community to pay attention to lessons learnt from the Costa Concordia accident, during his opening address speech at IMO Sub- Committee on Human Element, Training and Watchkeeping (HTW, 1st session).
Mr Sekimizu stressed the importance of effective and uniform implementation of the STCW Convention by Parties globally, to enhance seafarers’ training standards, competency and quality to meet the expectations of the industry. He also highlighted the importance of ensuring that guidance in IMO model courses properly reflects the competencies required to be demonstrated by seafarers to meet the standards of the STCW Convention and Code.
Mr Sekimizu encouraged the Sub-Committee to validate the six updated model courses submitted to this session so that training providers are provided with necessary guidance at the earliest opportunity to develop training programmes meeting the standards in the STCW Convention and Code and, in this context, I would like to express my appreciation to the coordinators, for their contribution to the Organization’s efforts to update the model courses.
Sub-Committee on HTW should undertake a holistic review of the out-dated current guidance and develop practical and functional guidelines for future development and updating of model courses to facilitate effective implementation of the STCW Convention and Code and other related IMO instruments in the years to come.
IMO Secretary General also added ” I would like to encourage the finalization of the certification and training requirements for officers and crew serving on board ships operating in polar waters for inclusion in chapter V of the STCW Convention and Code; and facilitate the finalization of chapter 13 of the mandatory code for ships operating in polar waters.I urge the Sub-Committee to finalize training requirements related to personnel serving on ships using gases or other low flashpoint fuels. I am referring to the IGF Code for inclusion in chapter V of the STCW Convention and Code to enhance the competency and quality of seafarers on modern types of ships using gas or other low flashpoint fuels. ”
Closing his speech, IMO Secretary General urged the Sub-Committee to take note of the lessons learnt from the Costa Concordia accident and their impact on the current international regulations for the safety of passenger ships; and to address the challenges posed by the increased size of modern cruise ships and the large number of passengers on board.
| The human element is a subject which has a long history of discussion at IMO. STCW is the basic framework of IMO’s work, dealing with the human element. IMO has dealt with the role of management and established the ISM Code. A safety culture has been what we have been working for, and the Joint MSC/MEPC Working Group on the Human Element has made its contribution over the years. |
