**Executive Summary**
This Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) notice, dated April 4, 2022, outlines the requirements for maintaining Continued Professional Competence (CPC) for seafarers holding Certificates of Competency (COC). It emphasizes the importance of companies providing updates on recent changes in national and international regulations. Seafarers will be required to submit CPC certificates during COC revalidation starting April 1, 2023.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **CPC Requirements:**
* Seafarers holding COC must maintain Continued Professional Competence (CPC) as per STCW Convention.
* Certificates of Competency are re-validated based on established CPC.
* **Company Responsibilities (Rule 14(4)):**
* Shipping companies must ensure masters, officers, and radio operators are updated on recent changes in national and international regulations concerning safety of life at sea, security, and the protection of the marine environment.
* Companies must provide texts of recent changes to seafarers for updating their knowledge.
* **CPC Certification:**
* Companies providing regulatory information must issue a Certificate of Continued Professional Competence to seafarers.
* Seafarers must possess at least two such certificates within a 5-year period, covering developments in IMO, ILO, and other international maritime bodies.
* COC holders without company-issued certificates must attend at least two seminars in 5 years conducted by professional bodies.
* **COC Revalidation:**
* Starting April 1, 2023, certificates of Continuous Professional Competence must be submitted during COC revalidation.
* Shipping companies, professional bodies, maritime information service providers and MTIs providing relevant information are required to provide a certificate in the specified format (Annex).
**Impact Analysis**
**Seafarers Holding Certificates of Competency (COC)**
* **Impact:** COC holders are required to maintain and demonstrate Continued Professional Competence (CPC).
* **Action Required:** Ensure CPC is current by obtaining certificates from their company or attending seminars by approved professional bodies. Prepare to submit CPC certificates during COC revalidation from April 1, 2023, onwards.
**Shipping Companies**
* **Impact:** Companies are responsible for updating seafarers on recent changes in regulations.
* **Action Required:** Provide texts of recent regulatory changes to seafarers and issue Certificates of Continued Professional Competence.
**Professional Bodies and Maritime Information Providers**
* **Impact:** Approved bodies will be required to deliver relevant seminars.
* **Action Required:** These bodies will need to deliver relevant seminars and be able to provide certification to those attending.
Key Entities Referenced
STCW Convention: International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, which sets minimum qualification standards for masters, officers and watch personnel on seagoing merchant ships
MS STCW Rules 2014: The Merchant Shipping (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers) Rules, 2014, which incorporate the provisions of the STCW Convention into Indian law.
Certificate of Competency (COC): A certificate issued to seafarers indicating they meet the required standards of competence to perform specific duties on a ship.
Continued Professional Competence (CPC): Requirement for seafarers to maintain and update their knowledge and skills to ensure they remain competent to perform their duties, especially in light of changing regulations and technology.
Directorate General of Shipping, Mumbai: The Indian government authority responsible for regulating maritime affairs and seafarer training and certification.
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DIREGToRATE GENERAL oF sHIp-pIr*c. MUMBAI
MSN no.04 of 2022
F. No. 25-13012 /3/2022-NT-DGS Datez M.04.2022
nautical discipline - re&
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Continued Professional Competence is required to be maintained by seafarers holding Certificate
of Competency (COC) at all times. Continued Professional Competence (CPC) is established as per
(section - A-yl1) of STCW Convention. Based on the Continued Professional Competence being
established, Certificates of Competency are re-validated'as per the regulation of 1/II of the STCW
Convention and Rule 14 of MS STCW Rules 2014.
2.
The Directorate had issued clarification with regard to "Revalidation of Certificate of Competency
of nautical discipline issued under the provisions of the STCW Convention" vide NT/Exam Circular no.
01 of 2018 dated 13.02.2018 (File no. NT/COCi3(1y2018). The said circular clarified that there is no
requirement for candidates in possession of COCs issued or upgraded under STCW 2010 amendment to
mandatorily undergo a revalidation course, or Refresher and updating training course for revalidation of
Certificate of Competency as sub rule (a) of Rule 14 MS STCW 2014, places the responsibility of
providing recent changes in national & International regulations concerning safety of life at sea, security
and protection of marine environment on shipping companies. The said Rule 14(4) is as follows.
Quote '
For the purpose of updating the lvtowledge of masters, fficers and radio operators, the companies shall
ensure that the texts of recent changes in national and international regulotions concerning the safety of
life at seo, security and the protection of the marine environment are made available to ships.
Unquote
3.
As required by Rule 14(4) of the M.S STCW Rules 2014, many companies are ensuring that texts
of recent changes are provided to seafarers for updating their knowledge. However, such companies may
not be providing any document, or certificate regarding the same to the seafarers. In addition, there may
be cornpanies that may not be providing such texts to seafarers for updating their knowledge.
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gth Floor, BETA Building, l-Think Techno Campus, Kanjur Village Road, Kanjurmarg (E), Mumbai400042
micffet No.: +91122-2 575 204gl1t2lg *ffi1r"*.' +91-22-25752029€5 {-td/Emait: dgshipdgs@nic.in A{tIl{eA rebsite: www.dgshipging.gsv.inTo ensure that continued professional competences is maintained by all CoC holders of nautical
ine, all companies providing information regarding recent changes in national and international are
to issue certificate of Continued Professional Competence to the seafarer as given in the Annex.
Sea of such companies need to have at least two such certificates of Continued Professional
C year period which covers latest developments in IMO, ILO & other international
marit e bodies.
5. All CoC holders of nautical discipline not having such certificates of Continued Professional
Com from any company are required to attend at least two seminars in period of 5 years conducted
by fessional bodies like CMMI, IMEI, MTIs, INSA or other maritime information service providers on
latest changes and development in national and international regulations concerning maritime matters
IIM ILO and other international maritime bodiesl.
Shipping companies, professional bodies, maritime information service providers and MTIs
provl ing such information to mariners are required to provide a certificate in the format given in Annex
to th notice. These certificates of Continuous Professional Competence shall be required to be
subm tted during revalidation of Certificate of Competency (COC) of the Nautical discipline from
01. 023 onwards.
7. This is issued with the approval of Chief Examiner of Master and Mates and Nautical Advisor to
Go ment of India (i/c).
VW
(Capt. Manish Kumar)
Nautical Surveyor-cum-DDG (Tech)Certificate of Continued Professional Competence
Annex:
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Certificate No:
IS IS TO CERTIFY THAT [full name of candidateJ
of Birth
No. .:
der of C.D.C. ... ... . Passport No.
...
ificate of Competency/Proficiency Grade : ... ...No.
ian National Data base (INDoS No.)
the seminar on the following topics:
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is seminar meets the requirements laiddown in NT/EXAM circular No. dated
by the Directorate General of Shipping.
gnature of Candidate Name and Signature of
Authorized Person/Training-In-Charge
of Issue: