Liberia: Key requirements for security related familiarization training

All persons employed or engaged in any capacity on board a ship required to comply with the ISPS Code shall receive security familiarization training from the Ship Security Officer (SSO) or an equally qualified individual before being assigned any shipboard duties.

In this regard, the Liberia Ship Registry (the Administration) has issued a note on the security-related training required by the 2010 Manila amendments to the STCW Convention, which have been effective since January 2012.

The training should emphasize ship-specific security issues:
• Reporting a security incident, including a piracy or armed robbery threat or attack;
• Procedures to follow when the seafarer recognizes a security threat; and
• Participation in exercises for security-related emergency and contingency procedures.

Certification is not required from the Administration. Evidence of this training shall be entered into the seafarer’s official training record or the ship’s training record/log.

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Security Awareness Training

Seafarers employed or engaged in any capacity on board a ship that must comply with the ISPS Code, shall complete security-awareness training meeting the competence standards given in table A-VI/6-4 of the STCW Code. Seafarers shall have a certificate of proficiency (COP) issued by a white-listed country or approved training within a white-listed country to the satisfaction of this Administration.

The Administration will make available a Special Qualification Certificate (SQC) for those seafarers who wish to apply for the Liberian certificate and who provide evidence of competence. The SQC will be available as an endorsement or a certificate depending on how the training was gained.

Since this training is required by STCW Regulation VI/6 proof of competence shall be required to be uploaded into SEA System when the application is made for a new or renewed Liberian Book in additionto Basic Training, STCW Regulation VI/1.

Seafarers with designated security duties:

All Seafarers that are designated to perform security-related duties, including anti-piracy and anti-armed robbery-related activities, shall be appropriately trained and be competent to perform onboard security duties meeting the competence standards.

Seafarers shall have a certificate of proficiency (COP) issued by a white-listed country or approved training within a white-listed country to the satisfaction of this Administration.

Although not mandatory, the Administration will make available an SQC for those seafarers who can provide evidence of competency and who wish to apply for the Liberian certificate. This will be available as an endorsement or a certificate, depending on how the training was gained.

The Administration will recognize a COP issued for security awareness training or for seafarers with designed security duties that have been issued by another Administration in accordance with the STCW Convention.