The Seychelles Maritime and Safety Administration (SMSA) issues to Seychellois seafarers certificate of competency (CoC) as the Seychelles Maritime Academy (SMA) provides a new sector of internationally recognised certified maritime studies for the purpose.
USCG published a proposal in the Federal Register to increase from 3 years to 7 years the period within which qualifying sea service aboard vessels of the uniformed services can be used to satisfy the requirement for recent sea service to qualify for a Merchant Mariner Credential with a national officer endorsement.
The US Coast Guard Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance published a new policy letter to provide guidelines to District Commanders, Sector Commanders, and Officers in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI) when considering requests for vessels to participate in hurricane relief efforts.
The US Coast Guard announced in the Federal Register the availability of the Merchant Mariner Medical Manual, Commandant Instruction Manual, to assist the industry in evaluating a mariner applicant’s physical and medical status, to meet the requirements of the merchant mariner medical certificate.
China Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) and Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to cooperate in the issuance, use and acceptance of Electronic Certificates to facilitate port clearance and Port State control inspections.
Starting from 1st September, seafarers on Danish ships no longer need to hold Danish health certificates, the Danish Maritime Authority announced, in line with a changing scheme for medical examinations of seafarers and fishermen. Instead, the certificate must follow international rules.
USCG issued a bulletin informing that Merchant mariner credentials and medical certificates which expired in December 2018, January 2019, February 2019, March 2019, April 2019, May 2019, June 2019, or July 2019 will remain valid only until 31 August. No further credential extensions are authorized.
With respect to masters, the STCW Convention clarifies which requirements concerning previous certificate & seagoing service, education & training and age should be met for masters serving on ships of 3,000 gt or 500 — 3,000 gt or less than 500 gt and the table in the end summarizes all mentioned requirements.
According to STCW Convention, ratings must meet minimum standards of medical fitness, minimum age (if designated with watchkeeping duties), competence (if designated with watchkeeping duties), and seagoing service time (if designated with watch- keeping duties).
According to the STCW Convention, officers must hold a valid certificate of competence to ensure they meet the minimum requirements of competence, seagoing service time, medical fitness and age. Also, ancillary certificates are required such as radar or ARPA, GMDSS, and those referring to safety duties onboard specific types of ships.
