The Coast Guard announced in the Federal Register the availability of the CG-MMC policy letter No. 02-18 titled “Guidelines for Qualifications of Personnel for Issuing STCW Endorsements for Basic and Advanced Polar Code Operations.” This provides guidance for the issuance of Merchant Mariner Credential endorsements in accordance with STCW Convention as amended, for Basic and Advanced Polar Code Operations.
The policy is effective as of 22 June, but the USCG requests public comments on it. Comments and related material must be received by the Coast Guard on or before 20 September 2018.
IMO adopted the Polar Code to address safety and environmental requirements for ships and the level of training required for deck officers serving on them. The Polar Code came into force on 1 January 2017.
STCW Convention and Code is the instrument that provides the international standards for seafarer training. Amendments to the STCW Convention and Code were developed to define the training requirements supporting the implementation of the Polar Code.
These amendments provide minimum standards of competence, sea service and training requirements for certification at the basic and advanced levels and they also contain transitional provisions for mariners with experience operating in polar waters to meet the new requirements. These amendments enter into force on 1 July 2018. After this date, deck officers on ships operating in polar waters will be required to have a Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) endorsement in Basic or Advanced Polar Code operations.
To address the gap between the time the Polar Code entered into force (January 2017) and the time the supporting STCW amendments enter into force (July 2018), the Coast Guard provided CG-OES Policy Letter No. 01-16, “Guidelines for Training of Personnel on Ships Subject to the Polar Code”.
CG-OES Policy Letter No. 01-16 was an interim measure to ensure there would be sufficiently trained US mariners by the time the Polar Code entered into force. The USCG did not issue endorsements to mariners who completed training in accordance with this policy.
As STCW amendments are coming into force, USCG will issue STCW endorsements in Basic and Advanced Polar Code Operations to mariners who have voluntarily fulfilled the STCW requirements and who request the endorsement.
CG-MMC policy letter No. 02-18 provides information on how to request the endorsement. These endorsements are not currently mandated by Coast Guard regulation; however, since the United States is signatory to the STCW Convention, vessel owners and operators should be aware that their vessels are subject to foreign PSC actions including detention if mariners are not compliant with the STCW Convention and Code, USCG noted.
The policy letter is effective today, and the National Maritime Center is now accepting applications for Polar Code Operations endorsements. We request public comments on the policy letter, including the instructions for requesting endorsements, so that we may improve the letter if needed.
