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More requirements 
in the name of STCW ‘95

WHILE one or two advocates in the Philippines insisted passionately that meeting the minimum requirement is the only way to become globally competitive, other progressive countries like the United States of America and Canada think otherwise. The irony is, these countries are powerful and have their own shipping fleet to boast of. The Philippines supplies the world shipping with warm bodies whose quality and competitiveness remain at the minimum.

This simply means that the supplier of seafarers, whether number one or not, have to satisfy certain standards, and these standards may or may not be the minimum. Those who go beyond the minimum requirement are way ahead and probably leaps and bounds far ahead while some individuals in the Philippines are insisting on the minimum standards. Fighting for the stagnancy of the Filipino Seafarers is blinding some Filipinos that they are protecting the welfare of the Filipino seafarers.

Looking at how other powerful countries are doing their thing in the name of IMO and STCW ’95 might at least give way for others to go back to their senses. A series of new requirements such as assessment courses were developed and approved by the USCG. These new assessment courses have impacted most of the American deck officers particularly those seeking to upgrade to a chief mate or master’s license after 01 February 2002.

Generally speaking, the new standards require that mariners complete a battery of courses and assessments in navigation, ship handling, vessel loading and other skills prior to approval to take the written examination with the Coast Guard. The required courses and assessments DO NOT replace the traditional written examination. The IMO and Coast Guard have developed these assessments as prerequisites for approval to sit for the written examination for chief mate or master’s license.

Although the requirements that this program has been designed to meet are being enforced by the US Coast Guard, they were established as part of the STCW ’95 by the IMO and as such, similar requirements will be applied to officers of all nationalities, not American mariners exclusively.

The full battery of new assessment courses for second officers seeking to obtain a chief mate license or chief mate seeking to obtain a master’s license are as follows: 
l. Advanced Ship Handling (simulator), two weeks; 
2. Celestial Navigation, one week; 
3.  Advanced Meteorology, one week; 
4. Marine Propulsion Plants, one week; 
5. Advanced Navigation (simulator), three weeks; 
6. Response to Navigational Emergencies (simulator), one week;
7. Medical Training, two weeks; 
8. Cargo Operations, two weeks; 
9. Advanced Stability, one week; 
10. Watchkeeping – COLREGS (simulator), two weeks; and 
11. Ship Management, one week. 

Out of the 11 courses are simulator-based.

The estimated time is six to eight months to complete the entire battery of 
assessment courses, study for the test and complete the examination, if the assessments are taken by the deck officers consecutively.  For more details, please refer or log on to http://www.amo-union.org/newspaper/Sections/stcw/deckupgrade.htm.

While the debate is going on in the Philippines whether or not to impose new courses, more challenges are on the way particularly on methods of assessments. If the Philippines cannot re-invent the wheel, perhaps proven models of prudent practices by progressive countries can serve as guidance in decision and policy making by concerned authorities.

In the Philippines, the use of simulators for training and assessment was announced as stupid by one master mariner during the Filipino Seafarers’ National Convention last 27 to 28 September, 2002. We wonder how he will call the Americans with the above new requirements.

EDITORIAL
Numero Uno!

SOUNDING LEAD
More requirements in the name of STCW ‘95
Capt. Reynold M. Sabay

UGONG NG MAKINA AT IKOT NG ELISI
Nilunok natin, kaya nabilaukan tayo
Engr. Nelson P. Ramirez

SPIRITUAL VOYAGE
The regional consultation in Cebu
Fr. Roland Doriol, S.J.

THE LAW OF SEAFARERS
Facts and figures from the first national seafarers convention
Atty. LeonardoVinz O. Ignacio

VAST HORIZON
I’ve only just begun
C/Engr. Rodolfo B. Virtudazo

AN OPEN LETTER TO
HER EXCELLENCY, 
PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

You can now join or start any discussion on seafarer's issues anytime or anywhere you are with
Usapang Marino
(Seafarer's Forum)
at URL: http://www.ufs.ph/discus