West Nautical have provided guidance to their managed fleet with regards the need for all seafarers to have documentary evidence that certain STCW courses have been completed or updated in the last 5 years.

Details:

Due to changes brought about through the updating of STCW with the Manila Amendments in 2010, which come into force as of 1st January 2017, every seafarer must have documentary evidence that they have either completed the following training courses or updated their training within the last 5 years:

1. Proficiency in Personal Survival Techniques (PST), or the pre 31 January 2000 equivalent Basic Sea Survival;

2. Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats other than Fast Rescue Boats (PSC & RB), or the pre 31 January 2000 equivalent Proficiency in Survival Craft or Lifeboatman’s Certificate – if relevant to their job role;

3. Proficiency in Fast Rescue Boats (PFRB) – if relevant to their job role;

4. Proficiency in Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting (FP & FF), or the pre 31 January 2000 equivalent MNTB 2 Day Fire Fighting Course;

5. Proficiency in Advanced Fire Fighting (AFF), or the pre 31 January 2000 equivalent MNTB 4 Day Fire Fighting Course – if relevant to their job role.

In order to join a refresher course, documentary evidence of having completed the full course previously must be shown.

Course Lengths:

Note that holding the Proficiency in Advanced Fire Fighting does not remove the obligation to update the Proficiency in Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting Certificate every 5 years.

If an individual does not have the Fast Rescue Boat certificate, there is no requirement for this training to be carried out.

Medical Training:

The updating of Proficiency in Medical First Aid is not currently required under the STCW Code and therefore no refresher training is required. However, there is a requirement for the Captain and any person designated to take charge of medical care and medicines on board, to hold a Proficiency in Medical Care certificate or an Updated Proficiency in Medical Care certificate, issued within the preceding 5 years.

Guidance:

It is essential that all seafarers, whether working on-board a Private or Commercially Registered yacht of any size over 24m, have completed refresher training of the courses detailed above by the 31st December 2016 to ensure that they remain qualified.

If documentary evidence can not be provided to show that the full course has previously been completed, the seafarer must complete the full course again.

Further information can be found in MSN 1865 (M) from the MCA - Seafarer Training and Certification Guidance: UK Requirements for Emergency, Occupational Safety, Medical Care and Survival Functions.

For more information, please contact our Yacht Management department on management@westnautical.com 

by West Nautical