1 The Maritime Safety Committee (the Committee),
at its seventy-seventh session (28 May to 6 June 2003), instructed
the Sub-Committee on Standards of Training and Watchkeeping (STW)
to develop training and certification requirements for company security
officers.
2 The STW Sub-Committee, at its thirty-fifth session
(26 to 30 January 2004), agreed that neither the STCW Convention nor
the STCW Code were appropriate instruments for including training
and certification requirements for company security officers. STW
35, in view of the fact that company security officers were shore-based,
invited the Committee to clarify its instruction relating to development
of training and certification requirements for company security officers.
3 The Committee, at its seventy-eighth session
(12 to 21 May 2004), advised the STW Sub-Committee that instead of
developing mandatory requirements, the Sub-Committee should develop
guidelines on training and certification requirements.
4 The STW Sub-Committee, at its thirty-sixth session
(10 to 14 January 2005), developed guidance for training and documentation
for company security officers (the Guidance).
5 The Committee, at its eightieth session (11
to 20 May 2005), approved the Guidance, as set out in annex.
6 SOLAS Contracting Governments, international
organizations and non-governmental organizations with consultative
status which encounter difficulties with the implementation of the
Guidance should bring, at the earliest opportunity, the matter to
the attention of the Committee for consideration of the issues involved
and decision on the actions to be taken.