It Is Indeed a Pleasure for Me to Be with You Today and to Have the Opportunity to Address

XI International Seminar

“Quality Shipping: XXI Century Standard. Seafaring Careers: Raising the Profile”

ONGOING comprehensive review of the STCW Convention AND CODE

Ashok Mahapatra[*]

Head, Maritime Training and Human Element Section

Maritime Safety Division

International Maritime Organization

It is indeed a pleasure for me to be with you today and to have the opportunity to address what I believe has become one of the most significant events in the Russian Federationshipping industry’s conference calendar. There is no doubt in my mind that manpower, training and all of the wider issues connected with human resources in shipping will become the biggest challenge that the industry and all those connected with it will face over the coming years.

Introduction

In IMO, the role of the human element in safe ship operation has long been recognised. The first international convention on seafarer training standards – the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) – was adopted in 1978. And since then, IMO has regularly revised and updated that Convention bearing in mind the importance of the human element in safety management ashore and afloat.

By the late 1980’s, it was realised by many in the shipping industry that the training standards in the 1978 STCW Convention were not achieving their intended purpose. The main cause for this appeared to be the general lack of precision in its standards, much of the interpretation of which was left “to the satisfaction of the Administration,” which resulted in a widely varying interpretation of the standards. Regrettably, some Parties failed to effectively administer and enforce the Convention requirements and their certificates could no longer be relied upon as evidence of competence.

The loss of credibility of the Convention and political and public concern regarding human related causes of shipping disasters generated growing criticism, not only of the Convention itself, but also of IMO, which some claimed to be ineffective and unresponsive. In May 1993, the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) with extensive support from Member Governments and the shipping industry decided to give high priority to an extensive review of the STCW Convention. This process was accelerated by having consultants prepare text, under the supervision of the STW Sub-Committee and through a series of intersessional meetings. The thorough revision of the Convention which ensued, aimed to address international concerns about declining seafarer training and certification standards and poor operational management leading to accidents and pollution.

The revision of the STCW Convention in 1995 included a move towards a competence-based training and assessment (rather than one based on knowledge). The main feature of a competence-based system is the way the tasks and skills are defined, in terms of outcomes to be achieved rather than pure knowledge to be gained. One objective of the Convention review was to establish clear outcome-based standards of competence, meeting today’s industry demands. Accordingly, the skills, knowledge, understanding and abilities needed to ensure that individuals are capable of fulfilling the roles expected of them at sea have been defined and tabulated. The resulting challenge for maritime education and training is how to achieve the specified outcomes and, having hopefully achieved them, how best to assess performance to be assured that the standards are met.

Comprehensive review of the STCW Convention and Code

After more than ten years since the last major revision, it has been agreed that a further review of the STCW Convention was necessary to resolve inconsistencies and to ensure that it meets the new challenges facing the shipping industry today and in the years to come. The basic principles for this review would be to:

.1retain the structure and goals of the 1995 revision;

.2ensure that existing standards are not down scaled;

.3not to amend the articles of the Convention;

.4address inconsistencies, interpretations, outdated provisions, MSC instructions, clarifications already issued and technological advances;

.5address requirements for effective communication;

.6provide for flexibility in terms of compliance and for required levels of training, certification and watchkeeping arrangements, due to innovation in technology;

.7address the special character and circumstances of short sea shipping and the offshore industry; and

.8address security-related issues.

It has been agreed that the review would cover the following issues:

.1inclusion of new definitions;

.2enhancement of measures to prevent fraudulent practices associated with certificates of competency;

.3provision of explicit definition of near-coastal voyage and the review of the common principles governing these voyages;

.4the white-list process;

.5training requirements for personnel serving on tankers, including LNG tankers;

.6training requirements for able seafarer;

.7training and familiarization requirements for shipboard personnel with and without designated security duties;

.8for Master and deck department:

.1consideration of the need to be consistent in the display of information relating to inclusion of endorsements limitations on technological equipment, such as ARPA andGMDSS;

.2provision for familiarization training to understand the limitations of automatic systems through familiarization training and inclusion of training recommendation given by performance management guidelines within theConvention;

.3review of requirements to take into account any recent changes in equipment, technology and terminology;

.4putting emphasis on environmental awareness, in particular, the use of oily water separators; and

.5provision of guidance relating to ECDIS training and familiarization,

.9for engine department:

.1consideration of the need for including relevant competences with regard to technological development (electrical engineering and electronics) in the operation of ships;

3review of requirements to take into account any recent changes in equipment, technology and terminology; and

.4putting emphasis on environmental awareness, in particular, the use of oily water separators.

.10establishment of training standards for:

.1shipboard safety representative, reflecting the requirements of the ILO Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, as instructed by MSC 81;

.2sanitation and hygiene taking into account the information provided in the ships sanitation guide developed by WHO and limited to addressing safety issues; and

.3marine environment awareness;

.11consideration of the need to address the possibility of vertical flexibility in the manning of ships;

.12for watchkeeping related issues:

.1consideration of inclusion of appropriate security-related and fatiguerelated provisions/issues;

.2provision for proper maintenance of records on hours of rest and harmonization of this regulation with the relevant provisions in the ILO Maritime Labour Convention (2006); and

.3mandatory alcohol limits during watchkeeping and other shipboard duties;

.13consequential amendments to part A and part B of the STCW Code; and

.14international standards for the qualifications and training of crew operating pleasure yachts and commercially operated yachts.

As can be seen from the above the review of the STCW Convention will cover a wide range of issues.

At its thirty-ninth session, the Sub-Committee on Standards of Training and Watchkeeping agreed that it was imperative to complete the review as soon as possible to meet the demands of an ever growing sophisticated and technologically advanced world fleet. Accordingly, the Sub-Committee informed the Maritime Safety Committee that itwas expected that STW 41 (January 2010), would not only complete the review but would also prepare the consequential amendments. Furthermore, the Sub-Committee also recommended to the Maritime Safety Committee that the amendments arising from the comprehensive review should be adopted by a Diplomatic Conference in July 2010, with an anticipated entry into force date of 1 February 2012.

In order to ensure that it keeps its commitment to not only to the Maritime Safety Committee but also to the international shipping industry, STW 39 worked very long hours of work and working in the usual spirit of IMO co-operation, prepared the preliminary draft text for:

.1chapter I – General provisions;

.2chapter II – Master and deck department;

.3chapter III – Engine department;

.4chapter IV – Radiocommunication and radio personnel;

.5chapter V – Special training requirements for personnel on certain types of ships;

.6chapter VI – Emergency, occupational safety, security, medical care and survival functions;

.7chapter VII – Alternative certifications; and

.8chapter VIII – Watchkeeping,

of the STCW Convention and the Code.

These preliminary drafts were further discussed at an intersessional meeting, held last month. STW 40 in February next year would further consider the outcome of this intersessional meeting with view to finalize the draft text of amendments at STW 41. Bearing in mind the usual spirit of co-operation during STW 39 and the intersessional meeting, I am sure that the target for completing the review and preparing the associated amendments to the STCW Convention and the Code by 2010 would be achieved.

Leadership

I wish to bring out a few other issues which I do believe are very important toward ensuring that the seafarers are competent to discharge their duties on board ships. From a legal and practical standpoint, the master must lead his team to ensure that the ship is seaworthy at all times and should apply the ISM Code in a pro-active manner. He must ensure that his officers and crew navigate and run the ship in a safe and seamanlike manner, applying best practices at all times. Many of these aspects require technical skills, but what brings them all together are people skills and, this is where leadership becomes crucial. One of the master’svirtues is his professional integrity which comes before commercial expediency. In discharging his various responsibilities, he will also be assisted by a thorough understanding of the shipping business. In short, he must be a leader and set a good example for his crew to follow.

Leadership training is essential, as the value of shipping assets, the environment in which maritime people work, the risk/reward ratios, and the expectations of the world community place ever greater demands on owners, managers and seafarers. Therefore the shipping industry must focus on the qualities of leadership which it needs to promote, and apply leadership training. This applies equally to ship-based staff and shore-based staff. It would be a good idea to provide leadership training to both sea and shore staff simultaneouslyto ensure effective communication.

Some may think that leadership need only be applied by the master or chief engineer and that earlier leadership training is merely preparation for these ultimate positions of responsibility. However, anyone on board a ship may be called upon to be a leader in certain situations. There are some courses that involve leadership - such as fire-fighting, crisis management and bridge team management - but few of these overtly explore the underlying principles of leadership. This is a gap that must be filled to improve the safety and efficiency of shipping.

This is of particular importance in view of the increasing attempts by some administrations to criminalise the crew for inadvertent actions or incidents specifically in marine pollution incidents in recent years. Seafarers must be aware of their role in shipping, the legal and liability issues involved particularly their personal liability and their rights and obligations, which should be part of their leadership training.

Leadership qualities are of course also very important when it comes to future career aspects, in particular in shore-based positions. A well trained, skilled, experienced and up-to-date retrained candidate would be needed and welcome in many of the shore positions which require sea going experience and expertise.

Manpower shortage

Although the wide and effective implementation of the STCW Convention can ensure that seafarers are properly educated and trained to meet the needs of safe navigation, their supply in sufficient numbers continues to cause concern, in particular when set against the recent, unprecedented rise in orders for new buildings. Once delivered, these increasingly sophisticated ships will be entrusted to seafarers who need to be competent in all respects to sail them in a safe,environmentally-sound and efficient manner. The BIMCO/ISF manpower study of 2005 estimated a shortfall of 10,000 officers or a 2% of the total workforce and projected this shortfall to increase to 27,000 or about 6% of the total workforce. The study of course did not take into account the recent unprecedented rise in orders for new buildings. And this is where the problem starts.

The apparent reluctance of young people to join the ranks, take on higher duties or, even more importantly, to remain in service, coupled with recent unhelpful legislation and practices, which have the potential to discourage them to do so, continues to be a challenge for all of us. Therefore, being conscious of the vital service that seafarersrender to an industry that has a good track record and a good story to tell – one that contributes significantly to global and sustainable prosperity by carrying the overwhelming majority of world trade safely, securely, efficiently and at a fraction of the environmental impact of other modes of transport –we should not miss a single opportunity to raise the profile of shipping as a vibrant industry, which, in keeping with its corporate social responsibilities, provides rewarding, stimulating and long-term career prospects. In so doing, we should focus not only on ensuring that politicians and the general public are better informed of shipping’s great valueto the international community, but also on promoting a career at sea and the variety of opportunities it offers, amongthe children and young people in schools and universities all over the world. We must also draw their attention to the fact that without shipping one half of the world would starve and the other half would freeze.

As the centre of gravity of the labour market has been shifting from traditional maritime countries in western Europe, Japan and north America to the Far East, Indian sub-continent and eastern Europe, The Russian Federation is well placed to fill the gap. However, taking into account the negative image of shipping being projected, this would indeed be a challenge. Therefore, the focus of recruitment of future seafarers needs to move away from the traditional urban areas towards the hinterland. I think there needs to be a concerted effort by all of us here, using all available means including the electronic media to project this positive image of shipping as responsible and environmentally conscious industry which provides stimulating and long term career prospects to young people.

Conclusion

To conclude: seafaring can be a lonely profession. The work is demanding and occasionally dangerous and the hours are long.

On board ship, the human element can provide a weather eye for difficulties ahead, a calm, unruffled response to situations as they develop and those indefinable qualities known as good seamanship; or it can be frail, lacking in competence, ability and concentration. People remain a basic component with all their strengths and weaknesses, which can both cause or prevent a disaster.

In today’s world, a seafarer might be regarded primarily either as an asset or as an operating cost; it depends largely on the shipowner’s point of view. But those at the quality end of the market will clearly put the emphasis on the benefits to be gained from employing seafarers who are properly educated, properly trained and, by being also properly qualified in all respects, have the competence to manage today’s increasingly sophisticated ships efficiently, securely and safely. They are the nucleus of a vibrant and dynamic industry the world could not do without.

I thank you, once again, for the opportunity to address this august gathering today in St. Petersburg. It is a most commendable initiative and congratulations are in order. It has been an honour to be with you today, and I wish you all, Ladies and Gentlemen, every success for what promises to be a thought-provoking and lively conference.

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[*] The views expressed in this paper are those of the author and may not reflect the views of the Organization or its Secretariat.