Ref. T2/4.1.3 MSC/Circ.1030
29 May 2002
Guidance for port State control officers on issues related to certificates of competency
1 TheMaritimeSafetyCommittee,atitsseventy-fifthsession(15to24May2002),notedthat, during inspections, some port State control officers were requiring documentary evidence of successfulcompletionofshort-coursetrainingmeetingtherequirementsinregulationsVI/1,VI/2, VI/3andVI/4fromseafarersholdingcertificatesofcompetencyissuedunderregulationsII/1,II/2, II/3, III/1, III/2, III/3, and VII/2 of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, (STCW) 1978, as amended, even though the Conventionincludesthistrainingasapre-requisitefortheissueofthesecertificatesofcompetency.
2 TheCommitteeagreedthatcertificatesofcompetencyissuedincompliancewithregulations II/1,II/2,II/3,III/1,III/2,III/3andVII/2oftheSTCWConvention1978,asamended,alsoincluded thefollowingcompetencyrequirementsofchapterVIoftheSTCWConvention:proficiencyin survivalcraftandrescueboatsotherthanfastrescueboats(regulationVI/2,paragraph1),trainingin advanced fire fighting (regulation VI/3), and medical first aid (regulation VI/4, paragraph 1).
3 The Committee further agreed that it was therefore not necessary for the holders of certificatesofcompetencytocarryadditionaldocumentaryevidenceinrespectofthosecompetences of chapter VI listed in paragraph 2 above.
4 MemberGovernmentsareinvitedtobringthisinformationtotheattentionofallconcerned, especially port State control officers.