The U.S. and international system of maritime safety and environmental regulation has been extraordinarily successful in improving maritime safety in general and protecting the environment. However, the 1995 amendments to the International Convention on Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW-95) impose heavy training burdens on the mariner, maritime education and training institutions and the industry as a whole. The system makes it nearly impossible for an unlicensed mariner to become a licensed officer on their own. Also, the time and cost involved in maintaining unlicensed and licensed qualifications is a significant deterrent to recruiting and retention of mariners. An additional area of concern is the proliferation of state and local safety and environmental regulatory regimes that overlap the international and U.S. systems. The Regulatory Burden/STCW 95 & Training Working Group was formed as a result of the Maritime Careers conference held at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, New York on 23-24 May 2001 to address issues in this area.
[Click here] to enter the Regulatory Burden/STCW 95 & Training Discussion Board.
[Click here] to link to the STCW Strawman Policy letter web site.
Action Plan - STCW 95 Group (Richard Plant):
Goal – To rationalize and harmonize STCW to the licensing system by sector to enhance our ability to recruit and retain mariners.
Steps--
Purpose
Who to involve – Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, National Maritime Center, industry sectors, educators and mariners.
Challenge – To improve the process to make the application of STCW consistent, reasonable and practical.
Action Plan - Training Group (Andrew McGovern):
Goal – To meet training needs and requirements for all mariners for entry level, new hire, and continuing education. This training must be practical, achievable, clearly defined and consistent with United States and international standards.
Steps--
- Increase industry input to USCG to streamline and standardize licensing and certification.
- MERPAC establish a QAT.
- Develop sector training consortium
- Organize sector task force to identify training needs.
- Develop standard curriculum, competencies, objectives, performance standard and assessment criteria.
- Integrate with existing regulations.
- Make decision on training provider.
- Create an industry wide mariners guide to career paths.
- Request SOCP get involved
- Request MERPAC consider issue
- Develop a standard personnel management and human relations course for senior officers.
- Discuss with USCG
Summary of the SOCP's Meeting Minutes from the STCW-95 Working Group on October 17, 2001.
The Co-Chairmen for the Regulatory Burden/STCW 95 & Training Working Group is as follows:
Co-Chairmen - Joe Cox, President, Chamber of Shipping of America, Phone:
202-775-4399, Fax: 202-659-3795
Co-Chairmen - Glen Paine, MITAGS, Phone:
410-859-5700, Fax: 410-859-5181
Members of the Regulatory Burden/STCW 95 & Training Working Group are as follows:
RADM
M. J. Bresnahan, Mass Maritime
Academy, Phone: 508-830-5001/5002, Fax: 508-830-5004
Dave Connolly, Sailors' Union of the Pacific, Phone: 414-777-3400,
Fax: 415-777-5088
CAPT Ernie Fink, USCG NMC, Phone:
202-493-1001
Diane Goncalves, Transportation Institute, Phone: 301-423-3335,
Fax: 301-423-0634
Gerald Hoffman, Seabulk Offshore, LTD.,
Phone; 337-234-4111, Fax: 337-234-3442
Maurice Kelleher, ABS, Phone: 281-877-6145
Edward V.
Kelly, AMO, Phone: 202-479-1166, Fax: 202-628-1077
CAPT Lee
Kincaid, MEBA Engineering
School, Phone: 410-822-5228, Fax: 410-822-5227
Jeff
Parker, Allied Transportation Co.,
Phone: 757-545-7301 x208, Fax: 757-545-5692
Brian Peter, USCG
(G-MSO-1), Phone: 202-267-0213, Fax: 202-267-4570
Richard Plant, IOMM&P, Phone: 410-850-8700 X36, Fax: 410-859-5181
Scott Rainey, American pilots' Assoc., Phone:
202-484-0700, Fax: 202-484-9320
John Sabella, John Sabella & Associates,
Inc., Phone: 206-217-8626, Fax: 206-217-0899
Deborah Skoruppa, AHL Shipping, Phone:
504-522-3300, Fax: 504-522-5400
David Sloane, Maersk, Ltd., Phone: 757-852-3218,
Fax: 757-852-2207
Perry Stutman, USCG-NMC, Phone:
202-493-1024, Fax: 202-493-1062
Greg Szczurek,
Houston Marine, Phone:
800-947-7737, Fax: 504-721-4451
Captain Larry Wade, Maine Maritime Academy, Phone:
207-326-2425, Fax: 207-326-2131
Listed below are links to the five other Mariner Recruitment and Retention working group web pages:
[Click here] to return to the Mariner Recruitment and Retention Web Page.