The annex of this document has been consolidated into STCW Convention
RECALLING Article 28(b) of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization
concerning the functions of the Committee,
RECALLING ALSO Article XII of the International Convention on Standards of Training,
Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978 ("the Convention"), concerning the
procedures for amending the Convention,
RECALLING FURTHER that the Committee, by resolution MSC.386(94), adopted, inter alia, the new chapter XIV of the International
Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974, as amended,
ALSO RECALLING that the Committee, by resolution MSC.385(94), adopted the International Code for Ships Operating in Polar
Waters (Polar Code), which will take effect on 1 January 2017 upon entry into force
of the new chapter XIV of the SOLAS Convention,
NOTING that there will be a transitional period between the entry into force of the Polar Code and
the amendments to the STCW Convention, and that section B-V/g of the STCW Code
provides guidance regarding the training of masters and officers for ships operating in
polar waters which should be applied by Administrations during the transitional period,
ALSO RECALLING that the Committee, at its ninety-sixth session, decided to provide the
Member States with a single resolution of amendments to the Convention, including those
related to the Polar Code and to passenger ship-specific training and certification,
HAVING CONSIDERED, at its ninety-seventh session, amendments to the Convention proposed and
circulated in accordance with Article XII(1)(a)(i) thereof,
1 ADOPTS, in accordance with Article XII(1)(a)(iv) of the Convention, amendments to the
Convention, the text of which is set out in the annex to the present resolution;
2 DETERMINES, in accordance with Article XII(1)(a)(vii)(2) of the Convention, that the said
amendments shall be deemed to have been accepted on 1 January 2018, unless, prior to that
date, more than one third of Parties or Parties the combined merchant fleets of which
constitute not less than 50% of the gross tonnage of the world's merchant shipping of ships
of 100 gross register tons or more, have notified the Secretary-General of the Organization
of their objections to the amendments;
3 INVITES Parties to note that, in accordance with Article XII(1)(a)(ix) of the Convention,
that the amendments annexed hereto shall enter into force on 1 July 2018 upon their
acceptance, in accordance with paragraph 2 above;
4 URGES Parties to implement the amendments to regulation I/1.1, regulation I/11 and
regulation V/4 at an early stage;
5 INVITES Parties to recognize seafarers' certificates issued by a Party at an early stage,
in accordance with paragraph 4 above, and prior to the entry into force of amendments to
regulation V/4;
6 REQUESTS the Secretary-General, for the purposes of Article XII(1)(a)(v) of the
Convention, to transmit certified copies of the present resolution and the text of the
amendments contained in the annex to all Parties to the Convention;
7 REQUESTS ALSO the Secretary-General to transmit copies of this resolution and its annex
to Members of the Organization, which are not Parties to the Convention.