COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE STCW CONVENTION AND CODE Chapters IV, V and VII Basic Intro MERPAC meeting – April 2008 Stephen Hubchen

Areas addressed in working group 2 Chapter IV RADIOCOMMUNICATION AND RADIO PERSONNEL GMDSS Radio Operators Chapter V SPECIAL TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR PERSONNEL ON CERTAIN TYPES OF SHIPS Training for operation of electrical power plant above 1,000 Volts Training requirements for RO/RO passenger ships and non-RO/RO passenger ships Oil Tankers Chemical Tankers LNG Tankers Chapter VII ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION Able Seafarers Deck Able Seafarers Engine

Chapter IV Radiocommunication and Radio Personnel – GMDSS Radio Operators No MERPAC Recommendation other than insertion of reference to MSC.1/circ.1208 regarding additional Company responsibility Iran proposal STW 39/7/4 Inclusion of familiarization training as guidance in Section B-1/14 (Company Responsibility) Outdated provisions deleted Remove inconstancies in text GMDSS Radio Personnel versus GMDSS Radio Operators Fairly broad support US Supported changes Favor term “Operators” over “Personnel” and replace text in Chapt IV Find out about MSC.1/circ.1208 Fam training for GMDSS was recommended in STW 38 Follow examples of STW 37 re free fall lifeboat training Place guidance in B-1/14 rather than in regulation IV, requiring companies to insure GMDSS fam as appropriate. Will be considered by the WG that is considering Chap I in when finalizing.

Chapter VII Alternative Certification MERPAC Recommendation was no changes to Reg VII. Concerns about reduced standards Concerns about de-skilling of seafarers Concerns about resulting confusion Proposal from Iran and Austria (EU) Able seafarer deck & Able seafarer engine “support level” US position – voice concerns as a port state US does not issue Alt Certs Concerns as a port state Sea time is a concern. Result – Annex 7 (Convention), Annex 8 (Code) Amend Regulations VII/1 and VII/2 and Sections A-VII/1 and A-VII/2 Sea time (in the Code) was major issue. Iran proposal Austria proposal “Able seafarer deck” “Able seafarer engine” We wanted to limit the sea time reduction requirements for alternative certs such that the time required was not (too much) less than the amount required if one obtained a separate cert for each rating (the old fashioned way) Certainly some common skills in the two certs will allow some overlap of time - but not too much. Iran 39/7/4 - not less than 6 months, including at least 2 mths performing E/R duties supervised by a qualified engineer and, where the function of navigation is required, a period of at least 2 mths doing watchkeeping duties supervised by a deck officer at least 18 mths seagoing service at the support lvl related to the functions to be shown in the certificate, of which at least 12 mths served performing function specified in table A-II/4 and at least 6 mths shall be served performing functions specified in table A-III/4. Austria (EU) 39/7/10 - seagoing service of no less than 12 mths, include a period of at least six mths performing E/R duties under an engineer officer and, where the function in the deck department is required, a period of at least six mths performing bridge watchkeeping duties under a qualified bridge watchkeeping officer;

Chapter V – Combining V/2 and V/3 Training requirements for RO/RO passenger ships and non-RO/RO passenger ships – MERPAC opposed to combining the two regulations US expressed concern regarding mariner’s need to undergo unnecessary training Outcome V/2 and V/3 were merged, but retained technical differences between the passenger and ro-ro passenger ship requirements Philippines 39/7/28 Australia 39/7/37

New regulation A/4 and new section A/4 Chapter V/4 (new) –Training for operation of electrical power plants above 1,000 Volts Bulgaria proposal New regulation A/4 and new section A/4 Agreed that non-mandatory minimum training requirements be placed in section B, chapter V of Code Submitted by Bulgaria, France, Poland, and the United Kingdom proposed to add a new regulation V/4 to the convention and a new section A-V/4 to the code providing for mandatory minimum requirements for the training of engineering personnel having management responsibilities for the operation of electrical power plant above 1,000 V Issue of whether this involves a type of “ship” or type of “power plant” and thus not appropriate in Chap V

Chapter V/1 – Mandatory Minimum for Tankers Tanker Types Oil Chemical LNG/LPG - LG US proposal Combined Standard of Competence tables for Oil and Chem Tankers Familiarization Cert Separate Tables for PIC of Oil and Chem Cert LNG tables for Fam and PIC Cert

Chapter V/1 Continued Outcome Two levels – Basic familiarization and PIC Removed Adv Fire Fighting for familiarization competency Basic familiarization comp for Settled on 3 months minimum sea service for PIC Wants anyone “assigned specific duties and responsibilities related to cargo or cargo equipment” to be required to hold Fam cert. Did not get to LNG table but will re-visit as LG Will want to combine LNG and LPG to one competency “LG” Some wanted to have everyone aboard to be required some basic knowledge of LG – did not get there Will consider UK proposal for a reduction in required sea service for training and certification of officers two familiarization training requirements, one for oil and chemical tankers and another for liquefied gas tankers - did not get to our LPG tables but noted they will have to incorporate LNG separate requirements for cargo system related personnel (upper level/PIC) serving on oil tankers on chemical tankers on liquefied gas (LG) tankers – this may be a concern. Minimum times to qualify Sea time versus actual tanker ops We want to require actual load/discharges

Concerns US Concerns Awareness of National Laws/codes Merging Standards for LNG and LPG operators Appropriate sea service with required load/discharges

QUESTIONS?