E ECDIS Training

.1 under the provisions of the STCW Convention and Code, all officers in charge of a navigational watch on ships of 500 gross tonnage or more must have a thorough knowledge and ability to use nautical charts and nautical publications (refer STCW Code Table A-II/1);

.2 masters and officers in charge of a navigational watch (both at management and operational level) serving on ships fitted with ECDIS should as a minimum, undertake appropriate generic ECDIS training, meeting the competence requirements of the 2010 Manila Amendments to the STCW Convention and Code;

.3 the 2010 Manila Amendments to the STCW Convention and Code have reinforced ECDIS training requirements and introduced several additional specific competencies in the use of ECDIS for officers both at management and operational level serving on ECDIS-fitted ships(refer to STCW Code Tables A-II/1 and A-II/2). Training in accordance with the 2010 Manila Amendments became effective from 1 July 2013;

.4 masters and officers certificated under chapter II of the STCW Convention serving on board ships fitted with ECDIS are to be familiarized (in accordance with STCW regulation I/14) with the ship's equipment including ECDIS;

.5 STCW Convention regulation I/14, paragraph 1.5, as well as sections 6.3 and 6.5 of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code, require companies to ensure seafarers are provided with familiarization. A ship safety management system should include familiarization with the ECDIS equipment fitted, including its backup arrangements, sensors and related peripherals. ECDIS manufacturers are encouraged to provide training resources including type-specific materials. These resources may form part of the ECDIS familiarization;

.6 STCW Convention regulation I/14, paragraph 1.4, requires companies to maintain evidence of the training and ensures that it is readily accessible. For certificates of competency that have expiry dates beyond 1 January 2017, port State control authorities should accept the certificate issued as prima facie evidence that the seafarer has met the standard of competence required by the 2010 Amendments in accordance with the control provisions of article X and regulation I/4 of the STCW Convention;

.7 companies should also maintain evidence of the familiarization training in compliance with STCW Convention regulation I/14, paragraph 1.5;

.8 Administrations should inform their port State control officers of the requirements for ECDIS training as detailed in sub-paragraph 6 above; and

.9 attention is also drawn to

• - STCW.7/Circ.16 – Clarification of transitional provisions relating to the 2010 Manila Amendments to the STCW Convention and Code;

• - STCW.7/Circ.17 – Advice for port State control officers on transitional arrangements leading up to the full implementation of the requirements of the 2010 Manila Amendments to the STCW Convention and Code on 1 January 2017; and

• - STCW.7/Circ. 24/Rev.1 – Guidance for Parties, Administrations, port State control authorities, recognized organizations and other relevant parties on the requirements of the STCW Convention, 1978, as amended