REFLECTION PAPER

(STCW- Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping)

STCW was first implemented in 1978.  Following some important

amendments over the years, notably in 1995, it came into full effect in 2002. In
June 2010, at the Diplomatic Conference in Manila, the Philippines, the latest
revision of the STCW will be debated and formalized into a document that will set
the international standards for seafaring best practice now and in the future.
STCW certification was created to promote the safety of life and property
at sea and to protect the marine environment. It establishes internationally
accepted standards of training and certification of seafarers, ensuring that the
crew is qualified and fit for duties at sea. STCW Basic Safety certificates are a
requirement for virtually all professional seafarers. The level of certification and
training you are required to have is based on the capacity in which you serve and
the type of vessel you work on.
By the concept of shipping is a truly worldwide business, with severe
requirements for standard and equitable training regardless of location or
country. Those model courses conducted by IMO are intended to provide support
and assistance. Nevertheless, each signatory part to STCW-95 is allowed to define
its own standards for the training. This has led to the unfortunate situation
around the world where there is not only differentiation in form, but also in the
content of the actual training that is being accomplished. It is possible to conclude
that the STCW regulations that were implemented were successful, as well as of
other conventions, such as MARPOL, Oil Pollution Act, and International Safety
Management Code have had a positive impact on maritime accidents frequency
and have reduced damage to the environment. But we should keep in mind that
besides these regulations, a significant contribution to maritime safety was made
by modern technical solutions and navigational aids in the same time frame.