 The STCW Convention was originally implemented back in 1978 and came into full effect in the year 2002, after several important amendments to its content, notably in 1995. The present training package is looking at the background and importance of the convention, considering the effect of some revisions addressing operational life and affecting literally all maritime specialists at sea and ashore.
It covers the newly introduced certification and refresher training. The authors have also focused on the safety matters with the particular emphasis made on the critical importance of professional leadership, ship security, armed robbery, international maritime piracy, polar navigation, cruise shipping and many other important aspects. The content of the training also covers the importance of recognizing the Port State and demand for the proper record keeping.
The training program contains key interviews with the leading representatives of the shipping industry, ship owners and operators, port state authorities and other professionals sharing their experience. The training is perfectly structured and contains numerous live examples. The package contains of this video and accompanying training booklet and we recommend you to use both resources for better learning results.
 This part of the ECDIS Video Guides series is devoted to the SAM Electronics ChartPilot 1100 system. The set consists of seven separate video lessons supplemented with the document providing necessary information about using the Admiralty VCS, standing for the vector chart service, with SAM ECDIS. Note that the provisions and content of the publication are based on the 6.14 version.
The User Guide traditionally covers such important aspects as the data management and UPN, data and permits, public key, installation of the permits, system checks, troubleshooting etc. The other parts of the training video series are also available here and address such systems as Kongsberg K-Bridge, JRC-JAN-701B-901B-2000, OSI ECPINS, eGlobe G2, Furuno FEA2X07 and FMD 3X00, PC Maritime NavMaster, Kelvin Hughes MantaDigital, Raytheon Anschutz, and Maris ECDIS 900.
All training modules have more or less similar structure and consist of several videos accompanies with one or two documents, such as the user or installation guides. The files will provide useful on board ships with the ECDIS system installed as well as when used for the education purposes by the students or for self-training.
 Wherever people are, they all have to eat, and you as a caterer have a task of feeding them. It is the aim of the present training video to ensure that the food you produce, prepare and serve is not only attractive and appetizing but also safe and clean. In fact, the caterer is handling a time bomb which could explode at any moment.
Some people have low standards of personal hygiene and this may eventually have quite serious negative consequences if such people get involved in preparation of the food at any given stage, or serving it. In short, the main idea of the authors of this video film was to demonstrate the importance of hygiene and all other matter directly affecting the quality of the prepared food from the safety and cleanliness point of view.
We all understand how critical it can be for the crew members consuming the food not meeting the applicable standards. Different sorts of diseases and poisoning is obviously not what you would want to happen on board you ship. Where food is concerned, what might seem innocent enough, can be potentially lethal. Use this video as a supplementary material for the training you have on board. Though it is not dealing directly with ships, the main thesis are same everywhere and shall be paid close attention.
 This set of two training video supplements the training booklet. The whole program was developed by the Videotel with the idea to provide all people on board with the necessary information on the VGP. The first video will explain what the Vessel General Permit is and what ships shall do in order to reach full compliance. The second video will take the viewers through all applicable requirements for the various discharge streams.
The VGP itself is a permit to the implementation of the United States environmental regulations relating to the effluent discharges from merchant ships. Subject regulations apply to the vessels more that seventy-nine feet in length visiting American ports and operating in American waters. The Permit supplements the relevant provisions of MARPOL convention which is internationally applied and making a part of the legal system of the United Stated.
What it means is that the ships in US waters shall be in full compliance with all requirements of the MARPOL together with the VGP. The main purpose of the Permit is to raise due awareness of the discharges, enabling better water pollution control from all merchant fleet vessels in the United States waters.
 Mooring is a routine procedure. It involves huge stress on the lines and sometimes huge stress for the team. The operation is quickly done and forgotten most of the time. There is one way to help ensure safer mooring – good risk analysis and proper safety planning. Remember – better planning means safer mooring. Because precise data of the berth, weather and traffic conditions may not be available until the last moment, there may be little time to plan.
Many issues need to be considered. The increased risk of mooring at night must be allowed for. How experienced are the crew members involved? Have recent incidents been considered? Ask yourself – are you missing something? Never become complacent about planning the mooring. The next step is preparation. The members of the mooring team need to be informed about the plan.
Do they understand it and know what they are expected to do? In mooring operations complacency causes accidents. The correct personal protective equipment is an important part of proper preparation. Everyone must wear boots and gloves, hard hats with straps. Once at the mooring station, first check that the lines and equipment prepared are exactly those required by the mooring plan…
 This is the third part of the popular “The Mooring Series”. Note that the training set also includes two other videos and a booklet to be used together. The ship is heading out to sea. A voyage begins. The mooring system served well in port, and now wires and ropes are checked and stored waiting for the next entry to harbor. But the story is not as simple as that. The mooring system must work properly every time no matter in what conditions it is employed, no matter how much work and how to do when last in use, any damage suffered when it was last used must be put right.
A lot of planning and hard work is required to ensure that the ship’s mooring system is maintained in a good working order. Here we will describe some of the most important tasks that are involved in the mooring system maintenance. The planned maintenance system shall be established on all ships in line with the procedures outlines in their SMS. Essentially, all winches, ropes, wires, shackles, stoppers, and fairleads – in fact, the whole system requires periodic inspection and maintenance.
These would normally be carried out during a deep sea passage. In most cases, mooring winches are driven either by hydraulic or electrical power. During the routine maintenance, check that the heaving and slack out markings are clearly visible on the control system…
 The last third part “The Mooring Series”, and this one addresses the safe mooring practices. We remind you to use the whole package consisting of two other videos dealing with the theory of mooring and maintenance of mooring systems, and associated booklet. Mooring is a routine operation on every ship. It is carried out by day or night, in good weather or bad, in winter and summer.
Because of the large forces involved in mooring operations, they do present a serious risk to the personnel’s safety. Good planning and briefing of personnel is very important to minimize these risks. Also, mooring teams must always work in their safety shoes and gloves, they must use the chin straps on their helmets, and they should avoid stepping on lines and must never stay in the snap back zones. Most importantly, they must always be aware of the operations going on around them.
Safe mooring is also the key to efficient cargo operations. The ship must be positioned correctly and held securely; however, the forces of wind and current may vary. Taking into account that the possible failure of the mooring system poses serious hazard, the first thing for the responsible officer to do is the risk assessment, considering any given circumstances at the mooring station. The assessment shall cover all mooring schemes that the ship is likely to encounter…
 And here is the last third part of the housekeeping-related training package. The other parts of the package include the training videos with the information on the housekeeping on deck and in the engine room, as well as the training booklet to be used with each of the videos. This part of the set deals with the housekeeping in the accommodation area and in the galley. It goes without saying that the proper housekeeping is one of the most important factors contributing to the safe and efficient work of the vessel and safety and wellbeing of the crew members
|