An article caught my eye recently about the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) auditing training centres in the Philippines for International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) compliance. I read beyond the headlines as, in the past, I have trained many seafarers from The Philippines and found them to be the most diligent, polite and well-trained students. I also wondered why EMSA was auditing training organisations outside of Europe which then intrigued me to look further into ‘who governs what’.

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) sits at the top of the tree, or mast if you prefer. From the mid-19^th century, treaties were agreed between countries with several maritime nations proposing the establishment of a permanent international body to promote maritime safety effectively. Three years after the establishment of the United Nations (1945), IMO was created during a conference in Geneva with a slightly lengthier name of Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization, or IMCO. In 1982 this was shortened to what we refer to today as IMO.

Its brief was clear and text within Article 1 (a) sets out “to encourage and facilitate the general adoption of the highest practicable standards in matters concerning maritime safety, efficiency of navigation and prevention and control of marine pollution from ships”.

The first task was to adopt and update the existing International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), arguably the most important of all treaties dealing with maritime safety. The very first version of SOLAS was adopted in 1914 in response to the Titanic disaster. The 1960 version was considered a monumental step forward in modernising regulations and reflected technical developments within the industry.

In the 1970s, IMO initiated a global search and rescue system, establishing agreements for international mobile satellites and, in 1988, the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) was adopted. Becoming fully operational in 1999, mariners anywhere in the world are virtually guaranteed assistance.

Standards for training, certification and watchkeeping were continually developed, with revisions in 1995 to the original 1978 convention. In 1997, IMO gave itself powers to check Government actions with parties required to submit information to IMO regarding compliance with the Convention. A major revision took place in the following decade resulting in the 2010 update and including the Manila Amendments to the STCW Convention and Code.

The IMO maintains a ‘white list’ of member states who confirm to the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) they follow the relevant provisions of STCW. Certificates issued by, or on behalf of, countries on the list are conforming to STCW. It’s a demanding and challenging task requiring not only to report on national laws, training requirements, standards and systems in place, but also to ensure that all elements meet the Convention requirements and could pass the scrutiny of persons with detailed knowledge of such requirements.

As per MSC.1/CIRC.1163/REV.11, 129 countries were listed. I read on, however, and see that 75 countries may be facing ‘the chop’ for alleged non-compliance? Referring to the original article that caught my eye, whilst I haven’t, as yet, discovered why a European body is investigating The Philippines, it is written that The Philippines may not be included on the revised list. As the largest supplier of seafarers in the world, this alleged exclusion could arguably create chaos in the seafaring market and deprive 375,000 nationals of their livelihood.

A flag State Party that is on the White List may, as a matter of policy, elect not to accept seafarers with certificates issued by non-White List countries for service on its ships. Reports from last spring state that other nations who may lose their place on the list include the United Kingdom, South Africa, Norway, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland.

It is believed that the IMO has agreed to reconsider its process and this news story will be monitored and reported back here in The Islander.

Linda Revill

Independent Yachting Consultant and Writer