Tag: training

Current UK law that prohibits private maritime security companies from training with firearms The current UK law that prohibits private maritime security companies from training with firearms in the UK contradicts the International Code of Conduct and could encourage firms to cut corners.Maritime Asset Security and Training director Phillip Cable said the firearms issue was a difficult one to overcome. The ICOC includes an obligation that men deployed in complex environments are trained with the weapons they are going to use and also have refresher training."The private maritime security industry is growing and is fairly new and international in nature. There is currently little formal regulation. The ICOC has been drafted by the Swiss and it is good, but there are questions over how far it understands the space we operate in," he said. "Thirty years in the British army may provide great experience, but it doesn't mean someone will be experienced with the right type of weapons."In the UK, firearms commonly used by PMSCs are prohibited. There has been a change in UK law that allows security companies to apply for permission to purchase, possess and export firearms. However, they are not allowed to train with these firearms. Mr ...

EU foreign ministers will discuss the idea at a meeting on 23 March The European Union is considering sending security experts to Niger to help combat a growing threat from al Qaeda and regional instability after the rebellion that toppled the Libyan government, EU diplomats said.EU foreign ministers will discuss the idea at a meeting on 23 March, diplomats said. If the plan is approved, it could see a small mission deployed to train local police and security officials in the coming months."Our objective is to support local governments in the region in ensuring better security," said one diplomat. "The aim is to get something operational this year."Western concerns over instability in the southern Sahara have grown in recent months, with a spate of kidnappings of Westerners by al Qaeda's North African wing, and expectations of deepening food shortages later this year.Since the end of the Libyan rebellion which ousted Muammar Gaddafi, an influx of arms and nomadic ex-fighters into the region has raised concern that Islamist groups may exploit lawlessness and expand their influence.Security experts say international support in counter-terrorism is urgently needed in a remote region that has long been a safe haven for smugglers and rebels, and ...

Filipino seafarers remitted $4.34 billion in 201 In a bid to keep the country from losing European Union accreditation of Filipino seamen, two maritime education groups have rushed to the side of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), which is engaged in a court battle with Philippine Maritime Institute (PMI).The Philippine Association of Maritime Training Centers Inc. (PAMTCI) and the Philippine Association of Maritime Institutions (PAMI) expressed in a manifesto their support to the CHED moves to close down maritime schools with deficient programs. PMI is one of these schools.They said Filipino seafarers remitted $4.34 billion in 2011 and urge the government and private sector to keep the country's niche as the "world's number one seafaring nation"."Our seafarers sent more money to their families during the year that land-based workers abroad," the PAMTCI and PAMI said.European inspectors hereAn inspection team of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) is in the country to check on the status of actions taken to address deficiencies it found in April 2010.The CHED had said in a joint statement with the Maritime Training Council of the Department of Labor and Employment that "PMI had been operating with several gross deficiencies, particularly on program administration, faculty, ...

MAN Admits 450 Cadets, Nigeria's only government-owned maritime academy, the Maritime Academy of Nigeria of Nigeria (MAN) Oron, Akwa Ibom State has released its 2012 admission list. It has also started using the newly installed stimulator in the training of cadets in the academy.Details of the prospective candidates, made available to THISDAY, indicated that a total of 450 cadets are expected to arrive at the Oron institution on April 15, to start registration the following day. Lectures are expected to commence on April 17."Upon their arrival, all new cadets are expected to report to the Regimental Unit Commander (RUC) for registration formalities, accommodation and other instructions", the statement added.It also warned that any new cadet who "fails to report after the expiration of one month from the date of resumption would be considered as having forfeited his/her admission."A breakdown of the admission list shows that Maritime Transport and Business Studies have the highest number of cadets. It has total number of 154 cadets while Nautical Sciences has 78. Others are Marine Engineering 136, Electrical and Electronics Engineering 46 and Boat/Ship Building Technology 36.Similarly, out of the 78 students that were admitted for Nautical Sciences, 15 are from the host state, ...

Due to the lack of provision for training, education and safety for shipping workers Unions and MPs are putting urgent training and safety issues surrounding the nation's maritime industry back on the agenda "big time" this week.They are worried that the lack of provision for training, education and safety for shipping workers will result in a huge crisis in recruitment.Nautilus International union spokesman Andrew Linington told the Morning Star yesterday: "They are back on the agenda big time because there are so many burning issues."Nautilus and the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union are holding talks on Wednesday to look at areas for mutual collaboration in the fight. The next day a working group of interested MPs will meet Shipping Minister Mike Penning.One of them, Hull East Labour MP Karl Turner, wrote in the latest RMT News that the group was already backing the union's efforts to apply the national minimum wage to British-flagged vessels in our territorial waters.The group "was set up at the end of the last Labour government and the minister is trying to kick this into the long grass. We won't let him." He added: "We need more jobs from the maritime sector, not just in ...

ECDIS Generic and Type Specific training UK based ECDIS training and consultancy company ECDIS Ltd are pleased to announce the opening of their new purpose built state of the art training facility near Southampton in the UK. The larger facility means that ECDIS Ltd has the ability to provide an increased supply of multiple approved Generic and Type Specific training on a number of the leading manufacturer's software every week of the year. ECDIS Ltd is renowned for providing the most comprehensive approved ECDIS training to be found anywhere in the world.Their generic ECDIS courses have been developed for use on the leading manufacturer's equipment, are approved by Flag State and are delivered by navigators experienced in using ECDIS at sea. Their Type Specific training is available on the leading brands and is accredited by the Nautical Institute, a world first. Mark Broster, Managing Director of ECDIS Ltd, says, "This is a substantial milestone for ECDIS Ltd. We have not only pooled together the brightest experts in ECDIS, but we have a 4500 square foot facility that houses the leading manufacturer's equipment. We are training multiple approved IMO 1.27 Generic and Type ECDIS Ltd's new state of the art facility ...

Marine training programme DVD-video film y for an emergency at sea John Sabella & Associates has released a second edition of its 'Conducting Onboard Drills' marine training programme DVD-video film.Explaining the new film, the company said that no one is ever 100% ready for an emergency at sea. Emergency situations always develop unexpectedly and every situation is unique.Nearly all vessel casualties are the result of human error. In a crisis, making good decisions is the only thing that stands between the vessel and catastrophe, but fear and confusion can easily overwhelm good judgment.Two steps, preparation and practice, are vital for ensuring that the crew makes the best possible decisions under pressure. The alternatives to preparation and practice are chaos and panic.Completely revised in 2012, the second edition was filmed at sea on board vessels ranging from Bering Sea fishing vessels, to oil tankers and LNGCs operating in Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf of Mexico waters.It describes the importance of crew preparation and practice in responding to potential emergencies, the role of the skipper, or leader, mechanisms for developing emergency plans and detailed procedures for conducting abandon ship and fire drills.The programme is a versatile and effective educational tool that can be ...

A new training programme on PSC Despite the crucial importance of Port State Control to the wellbeing of the seafarer, the vessel and the environment, it is often viewed as a necessary evil by many seafarers. Yet a knowledge of policies and procedures, and a properly prepared ship and crew, can ensure a satisfactory outcome for all parties.To address this issue Videotel, the world's largest multi-media producer of high quality maritime safety training software and US-based Maritime Training Services (MTS) who produce and distribute maritime training materials that address key safety, regulatory, and operational issues facing the industry, have combined their joint expertise to produce a new training programme on US Port State Control.The concept for the creation of the new programme was inspired by personal experience. Matt Gasparich, Managing Director at Maritime Training Services says, "Recently our film crew rode from Vancouver to Seattle on board a container ship and personally experienced the US Port State process. We compared it with our original programme produced in 1996 and instantly knew this was the time to update it."At the same time in London, Videotel's CEO, Nigel Cleave, was thinking along similar lines. "We were delighted to have the opportunity to ...

Seafarers' certificates according to Directive 2008/106/EC On 9 February, the European Commission implemented a decision to recognise seafarers' certificates from Ghana and Uruguay and EU Member States may therefore now decide whether to endorse seafarers' certificates obtained in these third countries.Cyprus had requested the recognition of certificates issued by Ghana in May 2005 and Spain had requested the recognition of Uruguayan certificates in February 2006.According to Directive 2008/106/EC on the minimum level of training for seafarers, Member States may decide to endorse seafarers' appropriate certificates issued by third countries, provided that the third country concerned is recognised by the Commission. Those third countries have to meet all the requirements of the IMO STCW Convention (1978) as revised in 1995.As part of the recognition procedure the European Maritime Safety Agency inspected training facilities in Ghana and Uruguay. Based on the Agency's report, these countries corrected certain previously identified deficiencies in relation to training standards. While minor shortcomings remain, the Commission maintains that they do not warrant calling into question the overall level of compliance of Ghana and Uruguay with STCW.With regard to Ghana, the first shortcoming concerns the fact that it does not fully ensure that seagoing service carried out in ...

Ocean Safety training for ICE-SAR and Sonar in cold Icelandic waters Ocean Safety, has just completed a chilly training session to safety authorities in Iceland in conjunction with the company's Iceland service agent Sónar EHF, to demonstrate vital life saving equipment manufactured by the company. Andy Bracewell, Export Manager at Ocean Safety, led a team which demonstrated the capabilities of the Kannad SafeLink R10 AIS Survivor Recovery System (SRS) to service technicians at Sónar EHF, based in Reykjavík.Also present at the demonstration were senior personnel from ICE-SAR (full name Slysavarnafélagið Landsbjörg), the Icelandic sea survival and safety authority. The main objective was to demonstrate how the indispensible R10, which works by sending a message to nearby AIS receivers in the event of an emergency, can be fitted to the Ocean Safety Kru range of lifejackets, including the Kru Falcon, manufactured for demanding conditions.25 members of the Icelandic Fishing and Rescue departments also attended the Ocean Safety demonstration, which took place on board the Saebjorg training vessel in Reykjavík harbour in very difficult weather conditions. An actual in-water scenario was carried out in the icy waters when Sónar's Gudmunder Bragason donned his survival suit complete with Ocean Safety Kru Professional lifejacket ...