Seminar and workshop on assessment, examination and certification of seafarers

Different methods and procedures for the assessment, examination and certification of seafarers will be discussed during a five day seminar and workshop which is being organized by the International Maritime Organisation in collaboration with the Malta Maritime Authority. The event, the sixth in a series of regional seminars organized worldwide is being held at the Radisson SAS Bay Point Resort and was inaugurated by the Hon. Censu Galea, Minister for Transport and Communications.

The seminar aims at assisting Governments party to the 1978 STOW Convention (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers), for maritime training institutes, shipowners and seafarers to uniformly implement competence-based training and assessment programmes.

Consisting of a number of lectures, discussions and exercises on the different means of evaluation, the programme includes coverage of the related Convention requirements leading to the certification of seafarers. Participants in this event will benefit from valuable information and practice that will enable them to develop competence-based training programmes and related methods of assessment.

Amongst the topics discussed, reference will be made to such topics as Preparation of the Assessment Process which includes documentation, preparation of equipment and materials and briefing, Performance Improvement Plan, Record Keeping and Quality Assurance.

The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping 1978 STOW authorises port states to verify that all seafarers aboard a vessel are certified as required. Port States may also assess the crew's ability to maintain the watchkeeping standards when their ability is questioned due to the vessel's involvement in an accident. illegal discharges or movement in an erratic or unsafe manner.

Port states are authorised to detain a vessel if they find that the seafarers to not hold a valid or appropriate certificate or when a navigational or engineering watch arrangements do not conform with the requirements specified for the vessel by the flag State.

The seminar is being attended by 50 participants from a cross section of the maritime industries from Algeria, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libyan Arab Jamahriya, Malta, Morocco. Palestinian Authority, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey. The Seminar is being coordinated by Captain Andrew Winbow and Ms Gloria Embid Villaverde from the International Maritime Organisation. The lecturers are Mr Philip Smith and Mr Steve Chapman.