Coast Guard urges ship security officers to carry proof of qualification

Coast Guard urges ship security officers to carry proof of qualification

STCW requirement takes effect Jan. 1

The U.S. Coast Guard issued a notice urging designated ship security officers to carry proof of their qualifications as such to meet a requirement of the STCW Convention that will take effect Jan. 1, 2008.

According to the Coast Guard bulletin: "The mandatory requirements for ship security officers (SSO) contained in the STCW Convention will come into force Jan. 1, 2008. The requirements also provide transitional provisions that can be applied until July 1, 2009. The United States intends to continue our existing practice for SSOs. We urge vessel owners and operators who operate vessels on foreign trade to ensure that SSOs carry proof of their qualifications. Examples of documents that will be accepted as meeting the requirements of the STCW Convention are: course completion certificate (in accordance with the MTSA regulations and the ISPS Code; and/or in accordance with the International Maritime Organization's SSO model courses) from a course provider; company letter/certificate attesting to the qualifications (in accordance with the MTSA regulations and ISPS Code)."

The STCW Convention applies to all ocean going vessels of 500 gross tons or greater and will be enforced internationally, said Coast Guard Transportation Specialist Mayte Medina.

The Coast Guard asks that vessel security officers working aboard all affected vessels operating in both U.S. domestic and international trades carry proof of their qualifications, Medina said.

According to the bulletin: the Coast Guard has "determined that our existing regulations, 33 CFR 104.215, are substantially equivalent to the STCW requirements. To continue to meet our Convention responsibilities, we will seek to amend 33 CFR 104.215 in order to include a license endorsement provision and transitional provisions. Once the regulations are published, all U.S. mariners will be required to carry an endorsement on their license. Per the Convention requirements, the cut-off date for obtaining the license endorsement using our existing practice (transitional provisions) will be July 1, 2009. We will inform Port State Control officials worldwide of this arrangement."

For more information, contact Medina at (202) 372-1406 or by e-mail at mayte.medina2@uscg.mil.

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