STCW Requirement for ROV Personnel

[Roy Simson]

I wonder how many of you got this email today not sure if its a mandatory requirement world wide or just Norway and the North Sea I have seen this requirement kicking around for a few years so its nothing new unless all Rov Personnel must have a STCW cert to work on a vessel in Norway or any part of the North Sea . so a new 5 day STCW course is going to cost you over £1100 and it don’t stop there because if you do wind farm work your need a GWO 5 day course yes about the same price as the STCW course £1100 at this rate I can see free lance Rov personnel becoming extinct due to the amount of certs to keep up to date .

I’m afraid there is no cross-recognition between OPITO (for the Oil & Gas Offshore Industry) , MCA (STCW) (for the Maritime Industry) and GWO ( for the Global Wind Organisation industry )

Anyway It is the requirement re the STCW course

We at OffshoreCourses.no are sending you this email to inform you about a very important course which shipping agencies are more and more asking for. For those of you who still does not have Secutiry Awareness or Security Duties, Please read below.

Why everyone working onboard a vessel should take the Security Awareness and Security Duties course?
The STCW convention and codes as amended by the Manila Amendments (2010) has certain mandatory requirements regarding security training of seafarers. These regulations which came into force on 1st January 2010, requires all ship board personnel to carry out ship security training.
More and more Norwegian ship owners are requesting that all seafarers have the highest certificate in this matter (Proficiency in Security Duties) disregarding if they have or not security duties as part of their job description. So if you have Security Awareness this is a good opportunity to upgrade your certificate and increase your chances to get a new job.

So what does this means?
According to the The STCW Convention and Code as amended by the STCW Manila Amendment 2010, all seafarers on board ships t0 which the ISPS code applies must carry the PDSD certificate. In addition to the Ship Security Officer (SSO) training, which is mandatory for ship personnel responsible for ship security, new security trainings have been made compulsory for all personnel employed or engaged on board ships.

The Proficiency in Designed Security Duties Training
In addition to the existing Ship Security Officer (SSO) training (which is unchanged), amendements to the STCW convention brings in three new levels of security training:
Security Related Familiarization
Proficiency in security awareness
Proficiency in designated security duties

Security Related Familiarization
Prior to assigning duties to shipboard personnel, it is the duty of the ship security officer (SSO) or any equivalently qualified person to provide security related familiarization training to them. The security familiarization should ensure that the seafarers are able to
Report a security incident, including a piracy or armed robbery threat or attack
Know the procedures to follow when they recognize a security threat
Take part in security related emergency and contingency procedure

Proficiency in Security Awareness (PSA)
It is now mandatory for all seafarers engaged or employed in any capacity of ships under ISPS code to take security awareness training to acquire the STCW certificate of proficiency in security awareness. On completion of this training, a seafarer will be able to
Contribute to the enhancement of maritime security through heightened awareness
Recognize security threats
Understand the needs for, and methods for maintaining security awareness and vigilance

Proficiency in Designated Security Duties (PDSD)
Training in designated must be undertanken by seafarers engaged on ships which are required to comply with the provisions of the ISPS code, which have designated duties under the ship security plan. On acquiring an STCW certificate of proficiency in designated security duties, a seafarer will be able to:
Maintain the conditions set out in the ship security plan
Recognize security risk and threats
Undertake regular security inspection
Properly use security equipment and systems

How Do I Get a Proficiency in Designated Security Duties (PDSD) Certificate?
Just go to the following link and book the course. The course is available in Norwegian and English

[Glevum]

Do you have it in writing that you need to do the full 5 day STCW course?

I have the STCW PST cert which is a one day course and I have never been asked for other STCW certs.

If you sign on as ship crew then the STCW PST and ENG1 medical normally suffice.

The PST course is one day and is fairly cheap. I would not bother with the week course.

I think there is a push by the IMO to get everyone working on a ship to be signed on as ship’s crew. This is where the requirement for the STCW PST plus ENG1 came from.

[Ray Shields]

I thought we were normally Supernumeraries onboard a ship and not crew or classed seafarers.

Otherwise the passengers on cruise ships will all need this before they say lol!

Ive given up trying to figure out what piece of paper is needed to do what now.

Also a previous thread on same subject http://www.rovworld.com/ftopict-8115.html

And some info from the MCA who consider us "special personnel" whilst onboard a ship and accepting our oil and gas certification https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/300011/sps-code-mgn.pdf

[Roy Simson]

With the price of oil dropping lower every day I see no point in doing any more courses but the basic OPITO requirements + MIST , All mine are good to 2019 I think the only cert that will needs to be done again is my HV cert in 2017

If you look at the format for all theses courses there very much the same thing just take a look at the Petans web site http://www.petans.co.uk/ I think they will start a GWO course next year but prices for them all is about the £1100 GBP mark that’s for a full 5 day course .

I think over the past year or so I have seen a few jobs in the north sea were the requirement was that you had to have a full STCW cert ( 5 day ) From reading more from the email from Offshorecourses.Norway it sounds more like a there trying to say its a " Mandatory requirement "

" The STCW convention and codes as amended by the Manila Amendments (2010) has certain mandatory requirements regarding security training of seafarers. These regulations which came into force on 1st January 2010, requires all ship board personnel to carry out ship security training.
More and more Norwegian ship owners are requesting that all seafarers have the highest certificate in this matter (Proficiency in Security Duties) disregarding if they have or not security duties as part of their job description. So if you have Security Awareness this is a good opportunity to upgrade your certificate and increase your chances to get a new job. "

I think at the end of the day its all down to what the client will accept + wont accept but I see very little point in doing the same course 3 times all because there is no cross-recognition between OPITO (for the Oil & Gas Offshore Industry) , the MCA (STCW) (for the Maritime Industry) and GWO ( for the Global Wind Organisation industry )

Glevum I will try and find the jobs and post them so you can see what I mean but it clearly states OPITO certs will not be accepted they required a full 5 day STCW course to be done .

Ray I feel the same way just when you think you have all the required certs someone seems to bring some other extra requirement like these Competence assessment requirements , I see that on the MTCS web site there requirements have changed for Competence Renewal, Now you must :-
1. Submit a witness statement for the grade at which they want to re-certify. The witness statement must be completed by a line manager or equivalent.
2. Submit valid survival and medical certificates for the region of the world in which they work.

Dont forget the payment for £350

MTCS stipulate that personnel who wish to re-certify at a specific grade, must have been actively working at this grade, during the previous 12 months.

If you wish to be Competence assessed go to your current or past employer who is a IMCA member and they will do it for " FREE " It clearly states that in the IMCA Guidelines . Assessments should be done in house by Managers or Supervisors . + has nothing to do with Rov training schools since how can they assess you if they dont know you ?

As for the future I see very much the same in 2017 maybe if we are lucky 2018 .

[deepseacon]

GWO / RUK Survival expiry is listed as 2 years. it can cost 1500GBP if done separately as most place it runs 6.5 days. or 6 days if done one time

I have held STCW95 and Bosiet over the years its been use full with ENG1 and OGUK now plus Norwegian.

To top that up with the GWO which expires in 2 years although I am not sure if its all of the modules but 2 of them do for sure.

The point where health and safety is not understood these days is you need a GWO on some jobs doing the same work a bosiet will do on others and STCW95 on others but your duties are always the same ploughing and trenching the seabed for example or doing a survey working with Subsea Vehicles you could even be on the same charter vessel during the year doing the work on the same vehicle needing 3 different safety certs from 3 different clients classing there work as different in the same waters.

I have not been able to be put forward quite a few times by not having the GWO for work I do with my bosiet and SCTW95 and my work scope would of been the same.

while others may need other certs for there duties the client just turns around and says everyone needs that without the understanding of skills / Safety used in other marine based projects and similar offshore industry.

[Andy Shiers]

Does that mean …………. If you do the course ………… You can blow up shit and stuff plus cap Asshole Clients in the ass when they piss you off ? ……………… I’m game ! 😀

[subman]

As a Freelancer for many years and with the current recession I cannot see how any free lance can keep up with the current cost on these certs . OPITO , STCW and GWO Refresher courses not forgetting MIST and your HV cert as they need to be re-done every 2 – 4 years . Very soon it will be the start of a new year and I can see many Rov guys calling it a day as most have a mortgage and a family to support .

I am sure the trainings schools with think of something like MTCS has with Certificate of Competence Renewal " MTCS stipulate that personnel who wish to re-certify at a specific grade, must have been actively working at this grade, during the previous 12 months " Since many Rov guys have not worked in the past 12 months can you Imagine how much this little scheme could be worth most of the Senior Rov guys on this site will tell you its just guide lines . Once the clients have been sold the idea give it a few years and the clients will require it . The training schools will just tell you all this is due to the clients being supplied with non competent personnel however the truth of the matter is the client did not want to pay the going rate for experienced personnel and we all know pay peanuts your get monkeys . One of the worse agency’s for this was IVoffshore they would send out inexperienced personnel and within a few days the guys were kicked off . So the clients need to audit them self as for agency’s they should ask for 3 working references before they add the persons details to there data base .

However for this we need the price of oil to rise and that may not happen for many years , So I wonder what new scheme someone will think of next ?

[Author]

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