International Convention on Standards of Training,
Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978
Adoption: 7 July 1978
Entry into force: 28 April
1984
The 1995 amendments, which completely revised the Convention,
entered into force on 1 February 1997. However, until 1 February 2002,
Parties may continue to issue, recognize and endorse certificates which
applied before 1 February 1997 in respect of seafarers who began training
or seagoing service before 1 August 1998. This means that the original
1978 text will continue to apply to many of the world's ships and
seafarers until the year 2002.
The 1978 STCW
Convention – Introduction
The 1978 Convention –
Chapter I: General provisions
The 1978 Convention – Chapter II:
Master-deck department
The 1978 Convention –
Chapter III: Engine department
The 1978 Convention –
Chapter IV: Radio department
The 1978 Convention –
Chapter V: Special requirements for tankers
The 1978 Convention –
Chapter VI: Proficiency in survival craftResolutions adopted by the 1978 Conference Amendment Procedure
The 1991 amendments –
GMDSS
The 1994 amendments –
tanker crews
The 1995 amendments –
major revision
Ensuring compliance
with the Convention
Port State
control
1995 amendments – chapters II, III, IV
1995 amendments -
Chapter V: Special training requirements for personnel on certain types of
ships
1995 amendments -
Chapter VI: Emergency, occupational safety, medical care and survival
functions
1995 amendments -
Chapter VII: Alternative certification
1995 amendments -
Chapter VIII: Watchkeeping
The STCW
Code
The 1997 Amendments –
training for crew on passenger ships
The 1998 Amendments –
training for crew on bulk carriers
The White
List
The
1978 STCW Convention – Introduction (1)
The 1978 STCW Convention was the first to establish
basic requirements on training, certification and watchkeeping for
seafarers on an international level. Previously the standards of training,
certification and watchkeeping of officers and ratings were established by
individual governments, usually without reference to practices in other
countries. As a result standards and procedures varied widely, even though
shipping is the most international of all industries.
The
Convention prescribes minimum standards relating to training,
certification and watchkeeping for seafarers which countries are obliged
to meet or exceed.
The Convention did not deal with manning levels:
IMO provisions in this area are covered by regulation 13 of Chapter V of
the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974,
whose requirements are backed up by resolution A.890(21) Principles of
safe manning, adopted by the IMO Assembly in 1999, which replaced an
earlier resolution A.481(XII) adopted in 1981.
The Articles of the
Convention include requirements relating to issues surrounding
certification and port State control.
One especially important
feature of the Convention is that it applies to ships of non-party States
when visiting ports of States which are Parties to the Convention. Article
X requires Parties to apply the control measures to ships of all flags to
the extent necessary to ensure that no more favorable treatment is given
to ships entitled to fly the flag of a State which is not a Party than is
given to ships entitled to fly the flag of a State that is a Party.
The difficulties which could arise for ships of States which are
not Parties to the Convention is one reason why the Convention has
received such wide acceptance. By December 2000, the STCW Convention had
135 Parties, representing 97.53 percent of world shipping tonnage.
The 1978 Convention – Chapter I (2)
The
technical provisions of the 1978 Convention are contained in an Annex,
divided into six Chapters:
The 1978 Convention - Chapter I :General
provisions (3)
Includes a list of definitions of terms used in the annex.
Regulation I/2 deals with the content of the certificate and endorsement
form. All certificates must include a translation into English, if that is
not the official language of the issuing country.
The 1978
Convention - Chapter II: Master-deck department (4)
The
Chapter establishes basic principles to be observed in keeping a
navigational watch, covering such matters as watch arrangements, fitness
for duty, navigation, navigational equipment, navigational duties and
responsibilities, the duties of the look-out, navigation with a pilot on
board and protection of the marine environment.
The regulations
include mandatory minimum requirements for certificating masters and chief
mates; for certification of officers in charge of a navigational watch;
and for certification of deck ratings forming part of a navigational watch. The regulations also include basic principles to be observed in
keeping watch in port and mandatory minimum requirements for a watch in
port on ships carrying hazardous cargo.
The 1978 Convention -
Chapter III: Engine department (5)
Includes basic principles to be observed in keeping an
engineering watch; mandatory minimum requirements for certification of
chief engineer officers and second engineer officers; mandatory minimum
requirements for certification of engineer officers in charge of a watch
in a traditionally manned engine room or designated duty officers in a
periodically unmanned engine room; requirements to ensure the continued
proficiency and updating of knowledge for engineer officers; mandatory
minimum requirements for ratings forming part of an engine room watch.
The 1978 Convention - Chapter
IV: Radio department
(6)
Notes that mandatory provisions relating to radio
watchkeeping are set forth in the ITU Radio Regulations and safety radio
watchkeeping and maintenance provisions are included in the same
regulations and in SOLAS. The Chapter in STCW includes mandatory minimum
requirements for certification of radio officers; provisions designed to
ensure the continued proficiency and updating of knowledge of radio
officers; and minimum requirements for certification of radiotelephone
operators.
The 1978 Convention - Chapter V: Special requirements
for tankers (7)
The
Chapter was designed to ensure that officers and ratings who are to have
specific duties related to the cargo and cargo equipment of tankers shall
have completed an appropriate shore-based fire-fighting course; and have
completed either an appropriate period of shipboard service or an approved
familiarization course. Requirements are more stringent for masters and
senior officers. Attention is paid not only to safety aspects but also to
pollution prevention. The Chapter contains three regulations dealing with
oil tankers, chemical tankers and liquefied gas tankers, respectively.
The 1978 Convention - Chapter VI: Proficiency in
survival craft (8)
The
Chapter establishes requirements governing the issuing of certificates of
proficiency in survival craft. An appendix lists the minimum knowledge
required for the issue of certificates of proficiency.
Resolutions
adopted by the 1978 Conference (9)
The
1978 Conference which adopted the STCW Convention also adopted a number of
resolutions designed to back up the Convention itself. The resolutions,
which are recommendatory rather than mandatory, incorporate more details
than some of the Convention regulations.
Resolution 1 - Basic
principles to be observed in keeping a navigational watch. An annex
contains a recommendation on operational guidance for officers in charge
of a navigational watch.
Resolution 2 - Operational guidance for
engineer officers in charge of an engineering watch. An annex to the
resolution deals with engineering watch underway and at an unsheltered
anchorage.
Resolution 3 - Principles and operational guidance for
deck officers in charge of a watch in port. Detailed recommendations are
contained in an annex.
Resolution 4 - Principles and operational
guidance for engineer officers in charge of an engineering watch in port.
Recommendations are in an annex.
Resolution 5 - Basic guidelines
and operational guidance relating to safety radio watchkeeping and
maintenance for radio officers. A comprehensive annex is divided into
basic guidelines and safety radio watchkeeping and maintenance.
Resolution 6 - Basic guidelines and operational
guidance relating to safety radio watchkeeping for radio telephone
operators.
Resolution 7 - Radio operators. Four recommendations
are annexed to this resolution dealing with (i) minimum requirements for
certification of radio officers; (ii) minimum requirements to ensure the
continued proficiency and updating of knowledge for radio operators; (iii)
basic guidelines and operational guidance relating to safety radio
watchkeeping and maintenance for radio operators; and (iv) training for
radio operators.
Resolution 8 - Additional training for ratings
forming part of a navigational watch. Recommends that such ratings be
trained in use and operation of appropriate bridge equipment and basic
requirements for the prevention of pollution.
Resolution 9 -
Minimum requirements for a rating nominated as the assistant to the
engineer officer in charge of the watch. Recognizes that suitable training
arrangements are not widely available. Detailed requirements are contained
in an annex.
Resolution 10 - Training and qualifications of
officers and ratings of oil tankers. Refers to resolution 8 adopted by the
International Conference on Tanker Safety and Pollution Prevention, 1978
(TSPP), which deals with the improvement of standards of crews on tankers.
Recommendation in annex.
Resolution 11 - Training and
qualifications of officers and ratings of chemical tankers.
Resolution 12 - Training and qualifications of
masters,
officers and ratings of liquefied gas tankers.
Resolution 13 -
Training and qualifications of officers and ratings of ships carrying
dangerous and hazardous cargo other than in bulk.
Resolution 14 -
Training for radio officers. Detailed recommendations in annex.
Resolution 15 - Training for radiotelephone
operators
Resolution 16 - Technical assistance for the training and
qualifications of masters and other responsible personnel of oil, chemical
and liquefied gas tankers. Refers to requirements in several Convention
regulations and recognizes that training facilities may be limited in some
countries. Urges Governments which can provide assistance to do so.· Back
to top
Resolution 17 - Additional training for masters and chief
mates of large ships and of ships with unusual maneuvering
characteristics. Is designed to assist those moving to ships of this type
from smaller vessels, where characteristics may be quite different.
Resolution 18 - Radar simulator training. Recommends
that such training be given to all masters and deck officers.
Resolution 19 - Training of seafarers in personal
survival techniques. A recommendation is annexed.
Resolution 20 -
Training in the use of collision avoidance aids.
Resolution 21 -
International Certificate of Competency. Invites IMO to develop a standard
form and title for this certificate.
Resolution 22 - Human
relationships. Emphasizes the importance to safety of good human
relationships between seafarers on board.
Resolution 23 - Promotion
of technical co-operation. Records appreciation of IMO's work in assisting
developing countries to establish maritime training facilities in
conformity with global standards of training and invites the organization
to intensify its efforts with a view to promoting universal acceptance and
implementation of the STCW Convention.
Amendment Procedure (10)
Amendments to the 1978 STCW Convention's
technical Annex may be adopted by a Conference of STCW Parties or by IMO's
Maritime Safety Committee, expanded to include all Contracting Parties,
some of whom may not be members of the Organization.
Amendments to
the STCW Annex will normally enter into force one and a half years after
being communicated to all Parties unless, in the meantime, they are
rejected by one-third of the Parties or by Parties whose combined fleets
represent 50 per cent of world tonnage.
The 1991
amendments(11)
Adoption: 22 May 1991
Entry into force: 1 December
1992
The amendments were mostly concerned with additional
requirements made necessary by the implementation of the Global Maritime
Distress and Safety System (GMDSS).
The 1994 amendments(12)
Adoption: 25 May 1994
Entry into force: 1
January 1996
The amendments replaced Chapter V on special training
for crews on tankers.
The 1995 amendments (13)
Adoption: 7 July 1995
Entry into force: 1
February 1997
The 1995 amendments, adopted by a Conference,
represented a major revision of the Convention, in response to a
recognized need to bring the Convention up to date and to respond to
critics who pointed out the many vague phrases, such as "to the
satisfaction of the Administration", which resulted in different
interpretations being made.
Others complained that the Convention
was never uniformly applied and did not impose any strict obligations on
Parties regarding implementation. The 1995 amendments entered into force
on 1 February 1997. However, until 1 February 2002, Parties may continue
to issue, recognize and endorse certificates which applied before that
date in respect of seafarers who began training or seagoing service before
1 August 1998.
One of the major features of the revision was the
division of the technical annex into regulations, divided into Chapters as
before, and a new STCW Code, to which many technical regulations have been
transferred. Part A of the Code is mandatory while Part B is recommended.
Dividing the regulations up in this way makes administration
easier and it also makes the task of revising and updating them more
simple: for procedural and legal reasons there is no need to call a full
conference to make changes to Codes.
Some of the most important
amendments adopted by the Conference concern Chapter I - General
Provisions. They include the following:
Ensuring compliance with
the Convention(16)
Parties to the Convention are required to provide detailed
information to IMO concerning administrative measures taken to ensure
compliance with the Convention. This represented the first time that IMO
had been called upon to act in relation to compliance and implementation -
generally, implementation is down to the flag States, while port State
control also acts to ensure compliance. Under Chapter I, regulation I/7 of
the revised Convention, Parties are required to provide detailed
information to IMO concerning administrative measures taken to ensure
compliance with the Convention, education and training courses,
certification procedures and other factors relevant to implementation.
By 1 August 1998 - the deadline for submission of
information established in section A-I/7 of the STCW Code - 82 out of the
133 STCW Parties had communicated information on compliance with the
requirements of the revised Convention. The 82 Parties which met the
deadline represent well over 90% of the world's ships and seafarers.
The information is reviewed by panels of competent
persons, nominated by Parties to the STCW Convention, who report on their
findings to the IMO Secretary-General, who, in turn, reports to the
Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) on the Parties which fully comply. The MSC
then produces a list of Parties in compliance with the 1995 amendments.
The first list of countries was approved by the MSC at
its 73rd session held from 27 November to 6 December 2000 – it included 71
countries and one Associate Member of IMO.
Port State
control(17)
The
revised Chapter I includes enhanced procedures concerning the exercise of
port State to allow intervention in the case of deficiencies deemed to
pose a danger to persons, property or the environment (regulation I/4).
This can take place if certificates are not in order or if the ship is
involved in a collision or grounding, if there is an illegal discharge of
substances (causing pollution) or if the ship is manoeuvred in an erratic
or unsafe manner, etc.
Other regulations in chapter I
include:
Measures are introduced for watchkeeping personnel to
prevent fatigue.
Parties are required to establish procedures for
investigating acts by persons to whom they have issued certificates that
endanger safety or the environment. Penalties and other disciplinary
measures must be prescribed and enforced where the Convention is not
complied with.
Technical innovations, such as the use of simulators
for training and assessment purposes have been recognized. Simulators are
mandatory for training in the use of radar and automatic radar plotting
aids (regulation I/12 and section A-I/12 of the STCW Code).
Parties
are required to ensure that training, certification and other procedures
are continuously monitored by means of a quality standards system
(regulation I/8).
Every master, officer and radio operator are
required at intervals not exceeding five years to meet the fitness
standards and the levels of professional competence contained in Section
A-I/11 of the STCW Code. In order to assess the need for revalidation of
certificates after 1 February 2002, Parties must compare the standards of
competence previously required with those specified in the appropriate
certificate in part A of the STCW Code. If necessary, the holders of
certificates may be required to undergo training or refresher courses
(regulation I/11).
Chapter II: Master and deck department(18)
The Chapter was revised and
updated.
Chapter III: Engine department
The Chapter was revised
and updated.
Chapter IV: Radio communication and radio
personnel
The Chapter was revised and updated.
Chapter V:
Special training requirements for personnel on certain types of ships
(19)
Special requirements were introduced concerning
the training and qualifications of personnel on board ro-ro passenger
ships. Previously the only special requirements in the Convention
concerned crews on tankers. This change was made in response to proposals
made by the Panel of Experts set up to look into ro-ro safety following
the capsize and sinking of the ferry Estonia in September 1994. Crews on
ro-ro ferries have to receive training in technical aspects and also in
crowd and crisis management and human behavior.
Chapter VI:
Emergency, occupational safety, medical care and survival
functions(20)
The
Chapter incorporates the previous Chapter VI: Proficiency in survival
craft and includes mandatory minimum requirements for familiarization,
basic safety training and instruction for all seafarers; mandatory minimum
requirements for the issue of certificates of proficiency in survival
craft, rescue boats and fast rescue boats; mandatory minimum requirements
for training in advanced firefighting; and mandatory minimum requirements
relating to medical first aid and medical care.
Chapter VII:
Alternative certification (21)
Regulations regarding alternative certification (also known as
the functional approach) are included in a new Chapter VII. This involves
enabling crews to gain training and certification in various departments
of seafaring rather than being confined to one branch (such as deck or
engine room) for their entire career. Although it is a relatively new
concept, the 1995 Conference was anxious not to prevent its development.
At the same time, the new Chapter is intended to ensure that safety and
the environment are not threatened in any way. The use of equivalent
educational and training arrangements is permitted under article
IX.
Chapter VIII: Watchkeeping(22)
Measures were introduced for watchkeeping personnel to prevent
fatigue. Administrations are required to establish and enforce rest
periods for watchkeeping personnel and to ensure that watch systems are so
arranged that the efficiency of watchkeeping personnel is not impaired by
fatigue.
The STCW Code(23)
The
regulations contained in the Convention are supported by sections in the
STCW Code. Generally speaking, the Convention contains basic requirements
which are then enlarged upon and explained in the Code.
Part A of
the Code is mandatory. The minimum standards of competence required for
seagoing personnel are given in detail in a series of tables. Chapter II
of the Code, for example, deals with standards regarding the master and
deck department.
Part B of the Code contains recommended guidance
which is intended to help Parties implement the Convention. The measures
suggested are not mandatory and the examples given are only intended to
illustrate how certain Convention requirements may be complied with.
However, the recommendations in general represent an approach that has
been harmonized by discussions within IMO and consultation with other
international organizations.
The 1997 Amendments(24)
Adoption: June 1997
Entry into force: 1
January 1999
The amendments concern training for personnel on
passenger ships. The amendments include an additional Regulation V/3 in
Chapter V on Mandatory minimum requirements for the training and
qualifications of masters, officers, ratings and other personnel on
passenger ships other than ro-ro passenger ships. Related additions are
also made to the STCW Code, covering Crowd management training;
Familiarization training; Safety training for personnel providing direct
service to passengers in passenger spaces; Passenger safety; and Crisis
management and human behavior training.
The 1998
Amendments(25)
Adoption: 9 December 1998
Entry into force: 1 January 2003
(under tacit acceptance)
Amendments to the STCW Code are aimed at
improving minimum standards of competence of crews, in particular relating
to cargo securing, loading and unloading on bulk carriers, since these
procedures have the potential to put undue stresses on the ship's
structure. The amendments concern sections A-II/1 and A-II/2 under "Cargo
handling and stowage at the operational and management levels".
The
White List(26)
The
first so-called “White List” of countries deemed to be giving “full and
complete effect” to the revised STCW Convention (STCW 95) was published by
IMO following the 73rd session of the Organization’s Maritime Safety
Committee (MSC), meeting from 27 November to 6 December 2000.
It
is expected that ships flying flags of countries that are not on the White
List will be increasingly targeted by Port State Control inspectors. 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. If it does accept such seafarers, they
will be required by 1 February 2002 also to have an endorsement, issued by
the flag state, to show that their certificate is recognized by the flag
state.
By 1 February 2002, masters and officers should hold STCW 95
certificates or endorsements issued by the flag State. Certificates issued
and endorsed under the provisions of the 1978 STCW Convention will be
valid until their expiry date.
The list will be kept under review
and may be added to as other countries meet the criteria for inclusion.
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