Resolution
MSC.67(68)
Adoption of Amendments to the Seafarers' Training, Certification and
Watchkeeping (STCW) Code
(adopted
on 4 June 1997)
THE MARITIME
SAFETY COMMITTEE,
RECALLING
Article 28(b) of the Convention on the International Maritime .Organization
concerning the functions of the Committee,
RECALLING
FURTHER article XII and regulation I/1.2.3 of the International Convention on
Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW),
1978, hereinafter referred to as "the Convention", concerning the
procedures for amending Part A of the Seafarers' Training, Certification and
Watchkeeping (STCW) Code,
HAVING
CONSIDERED resolution 5 of the 1995 Conference of Parties to the 1978 STCW
Convention and relevant provisions addressing the training of personnel on
ro-ro passenger ships in crisis management and human behaviour,
HAVING
ALSO CONSIDERED, at its sixty-eighth session, amendments to Part A of the STCW
Code proposed and circulated in accordance with article XII(1)(a)(i) of the
Convention.
1.
ADOPTS, in accordance with article XII(1)(a)(iv) of the Convention, amendments
to the STCW Code, the text of which is set out in the Annex to the present
Resolution;
2.
DETERMINES, in accordance with article XII(1)(a)(vii)2 of the Convention, that
the said amendments to the STCW Code shall be deemed to have been accepted on 1
July 1998, unless, prior to that date more than one third of Parties or Parties
the combined merchant fleets of which constitute not less than 50% of the gross
tonnage of the world's merchant shipping of ships of 100 gross register tons or
more, have notified their objections to the amendments;
3.
INVITES Parties to the STCW Convention to note that, in accordance with article
XII(1)(a)(viii) of the Convention, the annexed amendments to the STCW Code
shall enter into force on 1 January 1999 upon their acceptance in accordance
with paragraph 2 above;
4.
REQUESTS the Secretary-General, in conformity with article XII(1)(a)(v) of the
Convention, to transmit certified copies of the present Resolution and the text
of the amendments contained in the Annex to all Parties to the Convention;
5.
FURTHER REQUESTS the Secretary-General to transmit copies of this Resolution
and its Annex to Members of the Organization, which are not Parties to the
Convention.
Annex.
AMENDMENTS TO THE STCW CODE
Section
A-V/2.
Mandatory minimum requirements for the training and qualifications of masters,
officers, ratings and other personnel on ro-ro passenger ships
1.
Section A-V/2, paragraph 5 - "Crisis management and human behaviour
training" is replaced by the following:
"5
Masters, chief mates, chief engineer officers, second engineer officers and any
person having responsibility for the safety of passengers in emergency
situations shall:
.1 have
successfully completed the approved crisis management and human behaviour
training, required by regulation V/2, paragraph 8, in accordance with their
capacity, duties and responsibilities as set out in table A-V/2; and
.2 be required
to provide evidence that the required standard of competence has been achieved
in accordance with the methods and the criteria for evaluating competence
tabulated in columns 3 and 4 of table A-V/2".
2.
The following new table A-V/2 is inserted at the end of section A-V/2:
"Table A-V/2
Specification of minimum standard of competence in crisis
management and human behaviour
Table A-V/2
page 1 of 4
|
Column 1 |
Column 2 |
|
Column 4 |
|
COMPETENCE |
KNOWLEDGE, UNDERSTANDING AND PROFICIENCY |
|
CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING COMPETENCE |
|
Organize
shipboard emergency procedures |
Knowledge of:
.1 the general design and
layout of the ship; .2 safety regulations; .3 emergency plans and
procedures. The
importance of the principles for the development of ship specific emergency
procedures including: .1 the need for pre-planning
and drills of shipboard emergency procedures; .2 the need for all personnel
to be aware of and adhere to pre-planned emergency procedures as carefully as
possible in the event of an emergency situation. |
|
The shipboard
emergency procedures ensure a state of readiness to respond to emergency
situations |
|
Optimize the
use of resources |
Ability to
optimize the use of resources, taking into account: .1 the possibility that
resources available in an emergency may be limited; and .2 the need to make full use
of personnel and equipment immediately available and, if necessary, to
improvise. Ability to
organize realistic drills to maintain a state of readiness, taking into
account lessons learnt from previous accidents involving passenger ships;
debriefing after drills. |
|
Contingency
plans optimize the use of available resources. Allocation of
tasks and responsibilities reflects the known competence of individuals. Roles and
responsibilities of teams and individuals are clearly defined. |
Table A-V/2
page 2 of 4
|
Column 1 |
Column 2 |
Column 3 |
Column 4 |
|
COMPETENCE |
KNOWLEDGE, UNDERSTANDING AND PROFICIENCY |
METHODS FOR DEMONSTRATING COMPETENCE |
CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING COMPETENCE |
|
Control
response to emergencies |
Ability to
make an initial assessment and provide an effective response to emergency
situations in accordance with established emergency procedures. Leadership
skills Ability to
lead and direct others in emergency situations, including the need: .1 to set an example during
emergency situations; .2 to focus decision making,
given the need to act quickly in an emergency; .3 to motivate, encourage and
reassure passengers and other personnel. Stress
handling Ability to
identify the development of symptoms of excessive personal stress and those
of other members of the ship's emergency team. Understanding
that stress generated by emergency situations can affect the performance of
individuals and their ability to act on instructions and follow procedures |
Assessment of
evidence obtained from approved training, practical demonstration and
shipboard training and drills of emergency procedures |
Procedures
and actions are in accordance with established principles and plans for
crisis management on board. Objectives
and strategy are appropriate to the nature of the emergency, take account of
contingencies and make optimum use of available resources. Actions of
crew members contribute to maintaining order and control |
Table A-V/2
page 3 of 4
|
Column 1 |
Column 2 |
Column 3 |
Column 4 |
|
COMPETENCE |
KNOWLEDGE, UNDERSTANDING AND PROFICIENCY |
METHODS FOR DEMONSTRATING COMPETENCE |
CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING COMPETENCE |
|
Control
passengers and other personnel during emergency situations |
Human
behaviour and responses Ability to
control passengers and other personnel in emergency situations, including: .1 awareness of the general
reaction patterns of passengers and other personnel in emergency situations,
including the possibility that: .1 generally it takes some
time before people accept the fact that there is an emergency situation; and .2 some people may panic and
not behave with a normal level of rationality, that their ability to
comprehend may be impaired and they may not be as responsive to instructions
as in non-emergency situations; .2 awareness that passengers
and other personnel may, inter alia: .1 start looking for
relatives, friends and/or their belongings as a first reaction when something
goes wrong; .2 seek safety in their cabins
or in other places on-board where they think that they can escape danger; .3 tent to move to the upper
side when the ship is listing; .3 appreciation of the
possible problem of panic resulting from separating families. |
Assessment of
evidence obtained from approved training, practical demonstration and
shipboard training and drills of emergency procedures' |
Actions of
crew members contribute to maintaining order and control |
Table A-V/2
page 4 of 4
|
Column 1 |
Column 2 |
Column 3 |
Column 4 |
|
COMPETENCE |
KNOWLEDGE, UNDERSTANDING AND PROFICIENCY |
METHODS FOR DEMONSTRATING COMPETENCE |
CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING COMPETENCE |
|
Establish and
maintain effective communications |
Ability to
establish and maintain effective communications, including: .1 the importance of clear and
concise instructions and reports; and .2 the need to encourage an
exchange of information with, and feedback from, passengers and other
personnel. Ability to
provide relevant information to passengers and other personnel during an
emergency situation, to keep them appraised of the overall situation and to
communicate any action required of them, taking into account: .1 the language or languages
appropriate to the principal nationalities of passengers and other personnel
carried on the particular route; .2 the possible need to
communicate during an emergency by some other means such as by demonstration,
or by hand signals or calling attention to the location of instructions,
muster stations, life-saving devices or evacuations routes, when oral
communication is impractical; .3 the language in which
emergency announcements may be broadcast during and emergency or drill to
convey critical guidance to passengers and to facilitate crew members in
assisting passengers. |
Assessment of
evidence obtained from approved training, exercises and practical
demonstration |
Information
from all available sources is obtained, evaluated and confirmed as quickly as
possible and reviewed throughout the emergency. Information
given to individuals, emergency response teams and passengers is accurate,
relevant and timely. Information
keeps passengers informed as to the nature of the emergency and the actions
required of them |
"
3.
The following new section A-V/3 is added after existing section A-V/2:
"Section A-V/3.
Mandatory minimum requirements for the training and qualifications of masters,
officers, ratings and other personnel on passenger ships other than ro-ro
passenger ships
Crowd management training.
1. The crowd management training required by regulation V/3,
paragraph 4 for personnel designated on muster lists to assist passengers in
emergency situations shall include, but not necessarily be limited to:
.1 awareness of
life-saving appliances and control plans including:
.1 knowledge of
muster lists and emergency instructions;
.2 knowledge of
the emergency exits; and
.3 restrictions
on the use of elevators;
.2 the ability
to assist passengers en route to muster and embarkation stations including:
.1 the ability
to give clear reassuring orders;
.2 the control
of passengers in corridors, staircase and passage ways;
.3 maintaining
escape routes clear of obstructions;
.4 methods
available for evacuation of disabled persons and persons needing special
assistance; and
.5 search of
accommodation spaces;
.3 mustering
procedures including:
.1 the importance
of keeping order;
.2 the ability
to use procedures for reducing and avoiding panic;
.3 the ability
to use, where appropriate, passenger lists for evacuation counts; and
.4 the ability
to ensure that the passengers are suitably clothed and have donned their
life-jackets correctly.
Familiarization training.
2. The familiarization training required by regulation V/3,
paragraph 5 shall at least ensure attainment of the abilities that are
appropriate to the capacity to be filled and the duties and responsibilities to
be taken up, as follows:
Design and operational limitations.
Ability to properly understand and observe any operational
limitations imposed on the ship and to understand and apply performance
restrictions, including speed limitations in adverse weather, which are
intended to maintain the safety of life and the ship.
3. The additional safety training required by regulation V/3,
paragraph 6, shall at least ensure attainment of the abilities as