Nick Gooding attended the Sub-Committee meeting on Human Element, Training and Watchkeeping on behalf of IUMI. The main points of interest are summarised below.

IMO Fatigue Guidelines

Good progress was made with the comprehensive review of the IMO Guidelines on Fatigue annexed to guidance on fatigue mitigation and management, which was issued in a Maritime Safety Committee Circular in 2001.

A working group met during the week and reviewed the draft revised introduction and several updated modules. Because of the amount of work still to do it was agreed that more time was needed to complete the task. The work will continue and will be considered further at the next meeting of the Sub-Committee.  

Comprehensive review of STCW-F continued


The comprehensive review of the 1995 International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel (STCW-F), which provides training requirements for crews on board fishing vessels over 24 metres in length, continued. The review aims to update and revise the treaty, taking into account the unique nature of the fishing industry, the fishing working environment and the need to prevent damage to the marine environment.

A correspondence group was established to further the work ahead of HTW 5.

The review of the STCW-F Convention is especially important since this is the only IMO instrument currently in force for the fishing industry. The review is expected to encourage wider support for ratification of the Convention.

Interim Guidance for STCW implementation approved.

The Sub-Committee approved a circular giving advice related to the implementation of the 2010 Manila amendments to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW). The circular clarifies the requirements related to the provision of documentary evidence for Port State Control officers and other third-party inspection regimes as well as clarifying the training requirements for Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS), required under the STCW Convention.