THE CONFERENCE,
HAVING ADOPTED the 1995 amendments to the International Convention
on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers
(STCW), 1978, with a view to strengthening the implementation of the
Convention and thereby improving the competence of seafarers,
HAVING ALSO ADOPTED requirements for all officers in charge
of a navigational watch to be trained and certificated, as appropriate,
for performing designated radio duties,
RECOGNIZING the
importance of efficient radio watchkeeping and radio maintenance for
the safety of life and property at sea and the protection of the marine
environment,
BEARING IN MIND the requirements of the global
maritime distress and safety system (GMDSS) prescribed by the Radio
Regulations and the International Convention for the Safety of Life
at Sea (SOLAS), 1974, as amended in 1988,
NOTING that, in accordance with regulation
IV/1 of the 1974 SOLAS Convention, as amended in 1988, every
ship to which chapter IV of the SOLAS Convention applies will, after
1 February 1999, comply with all applicable requirements of that chapter
and the GMDSS will be fully implemented,
NOTING ALSO that regulation IV/16 of the 1974 SOLAS Convention,
as amended, requires that every ship shall carry personnel qualified
for distress and safety radiocommunication purposes to the satisfaction
of the Administration,
NOTING FURTHER that resolution
A.769(18) adopted by the Assembly of the International Maritime Organization
recommends Governments, before issuing a GMDSS certificate to a holder
of a non-GMDSS certificate, to require the candidate to pass at least
a limited examination in accordance with procedures and arrangements
set out in that resolution, being aware, however, that the provisions
of that resolution expire on 1 February 1997,
APPRECIATING
that the GMDSS will also provide the only means for conducting distress
and safety communications for most other ships to which the 1974 SOLAS
Convention, as amended, does not apply,
APPRECIATING ALSO
the need for persons on board such ships to also be trained and certificated
in accordance with the Radio Regulations and with the 1978 STCW Convention,
as amended,
RECOGNIZING that this necessitates the training
and certification of a considerable number of existing masters, deck
officers and radiocommunication personnel to undertake GMDSS radio
operator functions prior to 1 February 1999,
BEING OF
THE OPINION that, if such training and certification is delayed, there
may be a shortage of GMDSS radio operators world-wide when the GMDSS
is fully implemented,
STRONGLY URGES Governments to:
-
.1 take steps to ensure that a sufficient number
of persons taking responsibility for distress and safety communications
on their ships are trained and certificated as GMDSS radio operators
prior to 1 February 1999, without reducing the quality of the training;
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.2 bring this matter to the attention of their
shipowners and seafarers and of all others who may need to use, or
whose vessels may need to use, GMDSS services.