As the Year of the Seafarer dawns, the professional standing of seafarer’s worldwide is set to be enhanced by the International Maritime Organisation’s STW Sub‐Committee completion of revisions to the 1995 Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Convention.

At the IMO’s official launch of the Year of the Seafarer in London last
week, Rear Admiral Peter Brady, Director General of the Maritime
Authority of Jamaica and chairman of the STW subcommittee, told
delegates: “The rapid march of technology and the changing demands of
an industry striving to be ever more competitive has meant that the
global rules governing the training and certification of today’s and
tomorrow’s seafarers had to be revised. It is therefore apt that the
revision of the 1995 STCW Convention and Code should be completed in a
year when the efforts and the professionalism of the world’s seafarers
are embraced worldwide.”

The STW Sub‐Committee members, composed of maritime professionals from
throughout the industry, fully understand the professional and social
needs of today’s seafarers. “They have the seafarers’ interests close
to their heart and this will be evident in the finished product,” said
R.Adm Brady. “As regulators of the shipping industry we have a duty to
our seafarers to prepare and train them to a high enough standard that
is commensurate with their role as a professional and highly valued
asset.”

The main revisions are currently being finalised and the revised STCW
Convention will be presented for approval to the IMO’s Diplomatic
Conference in Manila in June. Once the Convention is adopted the IMO
plans to hold a series of seminars and workshops to familiarise
seafarers with the new and amended standards.

R.Adm Brady said: “The revised STCW rules will offer all relevant
stakeholders the proper instruments by which to recruit, train and
retain their sea‐staff. At a time when the role of the seafarer is
becoming even more respected, this can only be a good thing.”

Source: Maritime Authority of Jamaica

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