The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has issued guidelines on standards for training, certification and monitoring of seafarers (STCW) in response to growing concerns following the coronavirus epidemic.
IMO has stated that the worldwide response to the epidemic poses a serious challenge for administrations to enable the continuing education of seafarers, revalidate certificates, including medical certificates, and the issuance of statements attesting to the recognition of certificates in accordance with the STCW convention.
The IMO has encouraged maritime administrations and port state control authorities to take a pragmatic and practical approach to the extension of certificates and endorsements.
In the meantime, member states are invited to provide IMO with general information on practices adopted by issuing administrations and port state control authorities, and IMO will disseminate this information. Photo:CSL
