IMMARBE Requirements against the Manila Amendments to the STCW Convention and Code and MSM Certificate

04 October 2016  |  C16027

The Technical and the Seafarers Department of IMMARBE, in pursuit of giving complete implementation of the provisions of the Manila Amendments to the STCW Convention have updated their Circulars.

NOTICE TO
Ship Owners / Managers / Operators  | Ship Masters  | Deputy Registrars

Ship Security Officers (SSO)

All Belizean flag flying vessels engaged on international voyages in which the ISPS Code applies, must have on board one (1) Ship Security Officer (SSO) and such shall be a management level officer. It is highly recommended that this duty be executed by the Master, Chief Officer, Chief Engineer or Second Engineer, who shall hold a valid SSO Certificate of Proficiency (CoP‐STCW Reg. V1/5) issued by, or on behalf of, any credible Administration in accordance with STCW Convention and code. If the person designated is not the Master, it must be understood that the Master still holds overall responsibility for the security of the ship which cannot be

relinquished. All SSOs on board Belize Vessels are requested to maintain regular communication with the CSO in order to comply with the measures established in the Ship Security Plan.

IMMARBE has no requirement for an endorsement attesting the recognition of a Certificate of Proficiency (CoP) for Ship Security Officer (SSO) providing that the SSO holds a valid CoP (STCW Reg. V1/5) issued by, or on behalf of, another Administration (Member Party of STCW Convention) in accordance with STCW Convention and Code.

Managers or Company Security Officer (CSO) are required to submit a copy of Certificate of Proficiency (CoP) as SSO issued by, or on behalf of, another Administration (Member Party of STCW Convention) prior the SSO boarding a Belize Flag vessel through Deputy Registrars to IMMARBE.

The above come in force as of September 01, 2016. Except in cases where Certificate of Proficiency CoP are currently being processed, the above shall take effect subsequent to the issuance of that Certificate of Proficiency CoP.

Certificate of Proficiency (CoP) for Ratings

As of September 1, 2016 IMMARBE has no requirement for an endorsement attesting the recognition of a Certificate of Proficiency (CoP) for Ratings (Deck and Engine) provided Ratings shall hold a valid Certificate of Proficiency (CoP) issued by, or on behalf of, another Administration (Member Party of STCW Convention) in accordance with STCW Convention and code.

Except in cases where Certificate of Proficiency CoP are currently being processed, the above shall take effect subsequent to the issuance of the endorsement of that Certificate of Proficiency CoP.

New grades of Able Seafarer Deck (AS(D)) and Able Seafarer Engine (AS(E))

Every Seafarer who performs any functions specified in table A‐II/5 (contribute to anchoring and mooring, cargo handling and etc.) or A‐III/5 (contribute to fueling and oil transfer, ballast, operation of equipment and machinery, shipboard maintenance and etc.) shall hold a Certificate of Proficiency (CoP), as applicable.

The Amended STCW Convention will be fully implemented on January 01, 2017 and Owners/Managers shall ensure the manning scales in their Minimum Safe Manning (MSM) Certificates are in compliance with the STCW Convention and the IMO Assembly Resolution A.1047(27). The existing MSM Certificates issued by IMMARBE do not include the scale on AS(D) and AS(E), and as such do not meet the requirements of the amended STCW Convention.

Therefore, the current MSM Certificates onboard Belize Flag Vessels will only be invalid as of December 31, 2016.

According to Regulation II/5.6 and III/5.4 of the STCW Convention, qualified watch‐keeping ratings, i.e. holding CoPs in respect of Regulation II/4 or III/4, may be considered to have met the respective requirements of Regulation II/5 and III/5 respectively if they have served in relevant capacities in their corresponding department for a period of not less than 12 months within the last 60 months preceding the entry into force of the Regulation II/5 and III/5. However, some of Administrations may not adopt the regulations to issue CoPs for them. Ship Operators may have difficulties in employing sufficient AS(D) and AS(E) to work on board. In this regard, IMMARBE Seafarer’s Department will, on a temporary basis, accept a limited number of competent ratings who have not yet received their CoPs.

As a temporary measure, a minimum number of one (1) AS(D) and one (1) AS(E) are required, and the differences may be substituted by corresponding ratings holding CoPs of Ratings forming part of a navigational watch (RW(D)) or Ratings forming part of an engineering watch (RW(E)) with relevant capacities as required in the abovementioned paragraph. Required number of Ratings are listed below in Table 1.

* Ratings acquire 12‐months experience in relevant capacities while holding certificate of proficiency of RW(D) (II/4)

** Ratings acquire 12‐months experience in relevant capacities while holding certificate of proficiency of RW(E) (III/4)

Owners/Managers must apply through their responsible Deputy Registrar office for a revised MSM Certificate along with the crew list prior to January 1, 2017. In the event that IMMARBE Technical Department is not satisfied with the proposed crew complement forwarded by Deputy Registrar on behalf of Owners/Managers, a counter‐proposal will be made by IMMARBE Technical Department.