Circular

1 The Maritime Safety Committee, at its ninety-seventh session (21 to 25 November 2016), adopted the following amendments to part B of the STCW Code.

2 Having adopted, by resolutions MSC.416(97) and MSC.417(97) amendments to the STCW Convention and part A of the STCW Code, the Committee decided that the amendments to part B of the STCW Code will become effective on the same date, namely, 1 July 2018.

3 In section B-I/2, table B-I/2 is replaced with the following:

"Table B-I/2
List of certificates or documentary evidence required under the STCW Convention
The list below identifies all certificates or documentary evidence described in the Convention which authorize the holder to serve in certain functions on board ships. The certificates are subject to the requirements of regulation I/2 regarding language and their availability in original form.
The list also references the relevant regulations and the requirements for endorsement, registration and revalidation.

Regulations	Type of certificate and brief description	Endorsement attesting recognition ofa certificate¹	Registration required²	Revalidation ofcertificate³
II/1,II/2, II/3, III/1, III/2, III/3, III/6, IV/2, VII/2	Certificate of Competency–For masters, officers and GMDSS radio operators	Yes	Yes	Yes
II/4,III/4, VII/2	Certificate of Proficiency – For ratings duly certified to be a part of a navigational or engine-room watch	No	Yes	No
II/5,III/5, III/7, VII/2	Certificate of Proficiency – For ratings duly certified as able seafarer deck, able seafarer engine or electro-technical rating	No	Yes	No
V/1-1, V/1-2	Certificate of Proficiency or endorsement to a Certificate of Competency – For masters and officers on oil, chemical or liquefied gas tankers	Yes	Yes	Yes
V/1-1, V/1-2	Certificate of Proficiency – For ratings on oil, chemical or liquefied gas tankers	No	Yes	No
V/2	Documentary evidence – Training for masters, officers, ratings and other personnel serving on passenger ships	No	No	No⁴
V/3	Certificate of Proficiency – training for masters, officers, ratings and other personnel on ships subject to the IGF Code	No	Yes	Yes⁸
V/4	Certificate of Proficiency – for masters and officers on ships operating in polar waters	No	Yes	Yes
VI/1	Certificate of Proficiency⁵ –Basic training	No	Yes	Yes⁶
VI/2	Certificate of Proficiency⁵ –Survival craft, rescue boats and fast rescue boats	No	Yes	Yes⁶
VI/3	Certificate of Proficiency⁵ –Advanced firefighting	No	Yes	Yes⁶
VI/4	Certificate of Proficiency⁵ –Medical first aid and medical care	No	Yes	No
VI/5	Certificate of Proficiency – Ship security officer	No	Yes	No
VI/6	Certificate of Proficiency⁷ – Security awareness training or security training for seafarers with designated security duties	No	Yes	No

Notes:
- ¹ Endorsement attesting recognition of a certificate means endorsement in accordance with regulation I/2, paragraph 7.
- ² Registration required means as part of register or registers in accordance with regulation I/2, paragraph 14.
- ³ Revalidation of a certificate means establishing continued professional competence in accordance with regulation I/11 or maintaining the required standards of competence in accordance with sections A-V/3 and A-VI/1 to A-VI/3, as applicable.
- ⁴ As required by regulation V/2, paragraph 4 seafarers who have completed training in "crowd management", "crisis management and human behaviour" or "passenger safety, cargo safety and hull integrity" shall, at intervals not exceeding five years, undertake appropriate refresher training or to provide evidence of having achieved the required standards of competence within the previous five years.
- ⁵ The certificates of competency issued in accordance with regulations II/1, II/2, II/3, III/1, III/2, III/3, III/6 and VII/2 include the proficiency requirements in "basic training", "survival craft and rescue boats other than fast rescue boats", "advanced firefighting" and "medical first aid" therefore, holders of mentioned certificates of competency are not required to carry Certificates of Proficiency in respect of those competences of chapter VI.
- ⁶ In accordance with sections A-VI/1, A-VI/2 and A-VI/3, seafarers shall provide evidence of having maintained the required standards of competence every five years.
- ⁷ Where security awareness training or training in designated security duties is not included in the qualification for the certificate to be issued.
- ⁸ In accordance with regulation V/3, seafarers shall, at intervals not exceeding five years, undertake appropriate refresher training or be required to provide evidence of having achieved the required standard of competence within the previous five years."

4 In section B-I/14, after existing paragraph 2, the following new paragraph 3 is added and the remaining paragraphs are renumbered accordingly:

"3 The familiarization training required by paragraph 4 of section A-I/14 should at least ensure attainment of the abilities that are appropriate to the capacity to be filled and the duties and responsibilities to be taken up, as follows:
Design and operational limitations
.1 Ability to properly understand and observe any operational limitations imposed on the ship, and to understand and apply performance restrictions, including speed limitations in adverse weather, which are intended to maintain the safety of life, ship and cargo.
Legislation, codes and agreements affecting passenger ships
.2 Ability to understand and apply international and national requirements for passenger ships relevant to the ship concerned and the duties to be performed."