Important updates and discussion points raised for deck and engineering
At this year’s Monaco Yacht Show, from 23rd-26th September, the PYA hosted its biggest programme of events to date. Offering something for every department onboard, the well-attended seminars and workshops were once again a popular contribution to the show. In addition to the Headline Sea Changes seminar for deck and engineering, which took place at the prestigious International Hydrographic Organization building on the port of Monaco, the PYA was also asked to run various events as part of the official Monaco Yacht Show Captain and Crew Lounge in the Société Nautique, including the Interior and Chefs Sea Changes Forum.
In this article, we highlight some of the key points raised in the headline seminar by the esteemed panel of speakers invited by the PYA.
Engineering updates from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA)
At the engineering seminar on Thursday 24th September, the PYA welcomed Roger Towner from the MCA to bring us up to date with the latest news in the sector. He confirmed that the new MSN 1859, issued early this year by MCA, is up to date, and contains only a few changes relating to Yacht Engineering Certificates.
The Manila Amendments, which are now in force, will take effect on 01/01/17. Failure by an Engineer to complete a High Voltage course by that date will lead a negative endorsement of the holder’s CoC, limiting it to yachts of less than 1000 Kw.
The Y1, Y2, Y3 and Y4 system of certification will remain in place, but a new alternative route is now opening for Engineers’ certification. It will apply to tugs, fishing vessels, work boats, large yachts and some coasting vessels, allowing transfer between the sectors. Details are to be released soon, and the arrangements will come into force next year. Transfer arrangements for the present Y qualifications have yet to worked out.
There will be no yacht version of the ETO certificate. If the position of ETO is created on board, the position must be included on the Safe Manning Document and the incumbent must hold a ETO CoC. The ETO and Watchkeeping Engineer are two separate CoCs.
All Engineer officers require a Medical First Aid certificate.
Deck updates from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA)
In the last 12 months, MSN 1858 has introduced some changes in deck qualifications for yacht crew. MSN 1856 has done the same for Merchant Navy crew.
As from the beginning of 2017, non-possession of an ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems) qualification will lead to a negative endorsement on a deck CoC, which would disqualify the holder from service on an ECDIS equipped vessel.
All officer candidates will be required to have completed their Efficient Deckhand (EDH) certification more than 18 months before issuance of a CoC. This has come about at industry request, because academic qualifications have tended to supercede practical skills.
Celestial navigation will be an exam requirement and is valid for one year only. A prep course will not be mandatory but it is advised.
The former allowance of up to 14 days stand-by time at the end of a voyage will be changed, due to abuse of the system in the past. In the future, stand-by time may not exceed the number of days on the previous voyage.
A Medical Care Certificate must be on board and in date for the Master and Medical Officer under EU Flag law.
General crew updates from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA)
HELM training
The MCA put Manila 2010 into the HELM O and HELM M requirements for UK CoCs only, meaning these apply only to UK certification.
STCW refresher training
As from the beginning of 2017, STCW refresher training will be introduced for PST (Personal Survival Techniques), PSC and RB (Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats), basic fire prevention and firefighting and advanced firefighting, as well as fast rescue craft where applicable.
There will be a risk of detention by Port State Control or UK Flag State Control if CoCs are not physically on board and up-to-date.
Regarding STCW refresher courses, there are two options; a 2 and ½ day course or a 3 and ½ day course. The former allows self-certification, but although STCW does allow some drills to be done at sea, some aspects of safety drills such as launching, inflating and boarding a liferaft are generally impracticable on board. The MCA does not have the resources to check on self-certification, so it is left to one’s conscience.
Deck updates from the Royal Yachting Association (RYA)
Richard Falk from the RYA took to the panel to bring the audience up to date with the latest from the Royal Yachting Association.
The RYA Tender Operator Course, which was introduced last year at the industry’s request, has already had over 250 candidates. This is an excellent course which more crew should be encouraged to take.
The RYA, in conjunction with the PYA has just put together the voluntary “Code of Practice For Water Sports Onboard Superyachts”. Whilst not mandatory, this comprehensive document, based on many years of collective experience, is intended to provide guidance for onboard procedures, leading to better protection for owners and guests with regard to watersports. Preventable deaths are still occurring, as illustrated by recent incidents. Kill cords are too often ignored or forgotten, even by expert and professional tender operators.
The newly published code can be downloaded on both the RYA and the PYA websites free of charge.
The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore is a pre-requisite for an OOW CoC. The requirement for 1250 sea miles is a problem for many candidates. It was noted that Deep Sea cadets are not required to have 1250 sea miles sea service in small boats.
Nonetheless the requirement will remain, as the RYA does hold a practical exam.
However, there is an alternative, which is the Yachtmaster Coastal. This requires only 800 miles, of which 200 miles can be logged in boats of less than 24 metres LOA. The 5-day practical course counts as 100 miles per day. The other 100 miles can be accumulated in yacht tenders if properly logged and recorded. The limitation to this route is that it cannot be extended to the 200 Tonne Coastal Yachtmaster.
The latest issues for yacht security
The PYA invited Richard Skinner from the security company Allmode to bring address the current yacht security climate.
Richard noted that most of the Mediterranean littoral is a high risk area for terrorism. What if the scenario if the Tunisia terrorist attack of June 2015 were to be repeated in a marina environment? Besides terrorism, threats to safe navigation include the current wave of migration and associated organized crime.
Somali piracy has been almost eradicated by the use of armed guards on transiting ships but there has been a recent increase in criminal attacks on vessels in SE Asia.
Other security topics to be aware of are crew safety ashore; cyber security; and the advent of drones.
The recommendations given to yacht Captains and crew were:
- Train beyond compliance
- Seek expert advice
- Increase situational awareness
- Plan and prepare effectively
If you would like to receive a copy of the full minutes of the PYA Headline Sea Changes Seminar for deck and engineering, or have questions on anything regarding these points, please contact the PYA on info@pya.org .
The PYA would like to thank its kind sponsors for supporting the Headline Sea Changes Seminar – Yachtneeds, Other Angle Yachting, MYBA, Clipper Telemed+, Diageo Worldclass, Bluewater and JPMA.
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