environmental verification qualification and certification scheme

roles and responsibilities

Environmental Service Quality Manager (ESQM)

General Principles

The objective is to ensure that Environmental Verifiers conducting verifications and audit activities are monitored by an ESQM having the required expertise and seniority, and that each Environmental Verifier in the Society may have access to the guidance of a more senior Environmental Verifier to assist and advise them in their duties, as necessary.

ESQM Selection Criteria

ESQMs are exclusive to the Society.

ESQMs are designated by the Marine Manager, subject to DO_FM Director agreement. This agreement is given by the DO_FM Director through a validation letter.

Required qualifications for ESQMs are as follows:

• Verifier having held a certification as Environmental Verifier,

• General ESQM training by DO_FM covering:

  • Management of Verification and SEEMP Part III audit activities,

  • Conduct of monitoring,

  • Sensitive matters such as: Claims, Relations with Flag Administrations, Handling investigations at DO_FM request, etc.

ESQM Continuous Training

ESQM’s continuous training is ensured by participation in DO_FM seminars. If the ESQM cannot attend a seminar, they shall arrange either for a substitute to attend (such as the Delegate ESQM) or later participate in a rolling-out session organized by another ESQM. The ESQM remains responsible for ensuring that their Environmental Verifiers are given the rolling-out training of the seminars.

ESQM acting as Environmental Verifier

Qualification for ESQMs acting as Environmental Verifier is granted against a specific review by the MO of their individual background, seniority and experience.

When acting as an Environmental Verifier ESQM is also subject to activity monitoring, in accordance with the related management procedure.

In such a case, ESQM should be monitored by Delegate ESQM.

ESQM Delegates

When required by the organization of the country or region, ESQM Delegates may be appointed.

Delegations are granted by the country or region, in agreement with the MO. ESQM Delegates are not subject to validation letters by DO_FM.

Delegate ESQMs should only act as a back-up to cover for ESQM absence and only to validate reports and provide technical support to Environmental Verifier during such periods.

In exceptional circumstances, where the number of verification jobs and, or audits conducted and workload is too large for a single ESQM, enhanced delegation may be granted to a Delegate ESQM. This will be subject to MO agreement, and the extent of delegation shall be documented in a local procedure.

Specific training is defined by DO_FM on a case-by-case basis.

Environmental Verifiers

Environmental Verifier Certification Scheme

Environmental Verifier qualifications shall be achieved through the completion of Environmental Verifier Training, which consists of:

• Environmental Verifier Theoretical Training

• SEEMP Part II / III Verifier Practical Training

• Annual DCS/CII Verifier Practical Training

• SEEMP Part III Auditor Practical Training

The breakdown of the training into the individual qualifications is shown in environmental verifier training plan.

The job description of the Environmental Verifier shall be documented in the local procedures.

Main Principle

The Environmental Verifier must be qualified for the type of verification or audit to be performed. The Environmental Verifier can only conduct verification related to SEEMP Part II and III verifications and audits related to SEEMP Part III for which they have a valid certificate and adequate level of qualification.

Selection Criteria

Environmental Verifier shall be selected in accordance with the requirements of the related management procedure Annex A1.

The Certification Grid

Environmental Verifier certification scheme is based on a matrix (certification grid) correlating with the types of verifications or audits. The certification grid is accessible in QUALIF Database.

Requirements for Initial Certification

The requirements for initial certification, unless the Environmental Verifier is already qualified for NS activities and registered in QUALIF, are:

• Environmental Verifier hiring contracts, kept in local files,

• Confidentiality statement signed by the Environmental Verifier, kept in local files (Attached to the related procedure),

• Environmental Verifier CV, completed in QUALIF,

• Requirements for obtaining one or more qualifications (as described in Requirements for obtaining Qualification) fulfilled.

Requirements for obtaining Qualification

The requirements for obtaining a qualification are:

• Theoretical training in line with required qualification(s) to be obtained (see environmental verifier training plan), including, as applicable:

  • E-learning training sessions,

  • Self-study of relevant Rules, Regulations, Procedures and Work Instructions,

  • Theoretical training classroom sessions including the exam.

• Practical tutored training.

Issuance of Environmental Verifier Certificates

To obtain a qualification in the certification grid, the Environmental Verifier must:

• Attend the theoretical training session(s) relevant to the qualification(s) requested,

• Complete the practical training relevant to the qualification(s) requested.

Environmental Verifier Training Plan (environmental verifier training plan) defines the minimum training requirements for the first issuance of Environmental Verifier certificate.

Based on the Environmental Verifier experience, the MO may decide to exempt Environmental Verifier from one or more training requirements. For Environmental Verifiers having a previous experience in another classification society, the initial qualification may be provided by equivalence, using the other society’s certification documents, subject to MO’s appreciation.

Environmental Verifiers certificates have permanent validity as long as all conditions for the maintenance of the certificate, as described in Maintenance of Environmental Verifier Certificate, are fulfilled.

Upgrade of Environmental Verifier Certificate

The Environmental Verifier certificate may be upgraded at any time, to include new qualifications.

To obtain any new qualification in the certification grid, the Environmental Verifier must:

• Complete the practical training required for each new qualification requested.

The decision to upgrade an existing certificate is taken by MO upon analysis of the training records.

Maintenance of Environmental Verifier Certificate

The conditions that shall be satisfied to maintain the validity of the Environmental Verifier certificate are:

• Continuous training for updating Environmental Verifier knowledge on Rules and Regulations through the participation in the rolling out of the DO_FM Seminars.

• Activity monitoring carried out within the periodicity in accordance with the related management procedure and the related procedure, considering active Environmental Verifier qualification.

• The conditions that shall be satisfied to maintain Environmental Verifier qualification are:

  • SEEMP Part II / III Verifications: At least one (1) of the four verifications shall be carried out during a calendar year: SEEMP Part II review (DSCP), initial SEEMP Part III review (CIPI), periodical SEEMP Part III audit (CIPP), or additional SEEMP Part III review (CIPA).

  • Annual DCS/CII Verification: At least one (1) of the three verifications shall be carried out during a calendar year: Data Collection Report Verification review (DSCR), Partial Data Collection Report review (DSCA) or Verification of the attained annual operation CII and determination of the CII rating (CIIR).

  • SEEMP Part III Audits: At least one (1) SEEMP Part III company audit shall be carried out during three (3) calendar years, with the scope of a CIAP, periodical SEEMP Part III company audit, or CIAA, additional SEEMP Part III company audit.

Suspension of Environmental Verifier Certificate

The Environmental Verifier certificate is automatically suspended if the activity monitoring is not carried out within the periodicity specified in the related management procedure and the related procedure. The "Check list for Environmental Verifier monitoring", in the related procedure, is filled out during the Environmental Verifier monitoring and attached to QUALIF.

Consequently, the Environmental Verifier cannot perform any verification or audits except if monitored during the verification and, or audits.

The Environmental Verifier certificate is automatically reinstated upon completion of the activity monitoring and the validation of activity monitoring report.

The Environmental Verifier certificate may be manually suspended by the MO on a case-by-case basis. The reasons for suspension shall be recorded. Certificates subject to a manual suspension by the MO can only be reinstated manually, by the MO.

Suspension of Environmental Verifier Qualification

In case the Environmental Verifier does not perform verifications and/or audits related to a particular qualification as defined in paragraph Maintenance of Environmental Verifier Certificate, Environmental Verifier certificate remains valid, but the corresponding qualification is suspended.

Reinstatement of qualifications which have been suspended due to lack of performed verifications and/or audits are subject to a request for revision of the certificate, made by the ESQM in agreement with the MO after completion of one or both of the following:

• The Environmental Verifier attends a specific training on the particular type of verification and/or audit. This specific training is carried out by the ESQM. The contents of the specific training are agreed with the MO.

• The Environmental Verifier carried out one verification and/or audit related to the qualification, under direct monitoring by the ESQM or any other Environmental Verifier qualified for specific activity.

Certification Workflow

The certification workflow is entirely managed through QUALIF. The main steps of the certification workflow are:

• Upon completion of training and examination requirements as described in Environmental Verifier Certification Scheme, trainee Environmental Verifier initiates the process by sending the request for certification to responsible ESQM. The request for certification consists of filling in the certification grid with the requested qualifications in QUALIF (Note 1).

• The ESQM confirms that the trainee Environmental Verifier hiring contract and the confidentiality statement are available locally and that the trainee Environmental Verifier CV is completed in QUALIF.

• The ESQM checks the qualifications requested by the Environmental Verifier and confirms that all training requirements for the requested qualifications, including practical training, are fulfilled.

• The ESQM sends the request for certification to the MO at Head Office.

• The MO analyses the application file and validates the Environmental Verifier certificate in QUALIF (Note 2).

• Once validated by the MO, the Environmental Verifier certificate is available in electronic form in QUALIF and may be printed at any time by anybody who needs the certificate in paper form (Note 3).

Note 1: The ESQM or the MO may also initiate the process.

Note 2: The MO may reduce the requirements for theoretical and practical training considering Environmental Verifier experience and certification with another IACS member.

Note 3: The request for certification may be cancelled at any step of the process.

Environmental Verifiers Training, Examination and Monitoring

Theoretical Training Session

Environmental Verifiers are required to attend theoretical training sessions to obtain their first certification.

Theoretical training sessions may be performed through classroom training, e-learning and self-learning modules, if available, or a combination of these (blended learning).

Where theoretical training is classroom based, this will be conducted in one of the Regional Training Centres (RTC). Planned classroom theoretical training sessions are scheduled on the annual Training Calendar which is periodically communicated to all ESQMs.

Internal Training

As part of Environmental Verifier theoretical training an internal training shall be delivered by the ESQM or someone nominated by ESQM.

Internal training sessions must be registered in QUALIF by the ESQM who shall deliver correspondent attestations.

This training shall consider, as a minimum:

• ASMS, including job creation and reporting process in details for each verification/activity type.

• Use of Company database.

• Use of Class & Statutory News Application.

• Issuance of NPSS, including all cases of rejections.

• Use of QUALIF.

• Use of ASMS Certificates, including selection of the certificate to be issued (Flag Authorisation, EU types, different languages for some countries etc.).

• Use of Neptune.

• Use of the Move platform (ship and company status, how the companies shall deal with the corrective actions following the NCRs raised, etc.).

• Use of Equasis, Flags’ websites and the related survey procedure, etc.

• FM KPIs related to Environmental activities.

Roll-out of DO_FM Seminars

The contents of the DO_FM seminars are to be rolled out to all Environmental Verifiers within a period of six (6) months, but not later than the end of the year. To this effect, the ESQMs who have attended the seminar shall organize the rolling-out training session(s) to all Environmental Verifiers under their responsibility.

The rolling-out may be performed through e-learning modules provided by DO_FM or through local training sessions organized by the ESQMs, or through a blended system including e-learning and face-to-face sessions.

The rolling-out of the seminars is followed up through QUALIF.

The rolling-out of the seminars is required to all Environmental Verifiers. The Environmental Verifiers' certificates may be suspended if the Environmental Verifiers do not attend a rolling-out session within the specified period. The follow-up of rolling-out sessions is done by the MO.

Complementary Training Sessions

As required by Regulations evolution or whenever is deemed necessary, the ESQM may organize training sessions for Environmental Verifiers, to inform them of changes in Rules, Regulations and Instructions occurred since the last session, and discuss their interpretation and implementation. Additionally, DO_FM may prepare ad hoc training material and ask ESQM to organize dedicated training sessions.

Such complementary training sessions are aimed at improving Environmental Verifiers’ knowledge on specific subjects. They are not mandatory under the Environmental Verifier’s certification scheme.

Practical Training

Practical training is dispensed by an experienced Environmental Verifier certified for the qualification being applied for by the trainee. The trainees are tutored during one (1) or more verification jobs or audits as applicable, until they are considered able to perform the verifications or audits on their own.

Practical training is automatically recorded in trainee's experience records in QUALIF after the job’s validation.

The requirements for practical training are indicated in the Environmental Training Plan (environmental verifier training plan).

Examination

Examination consists of multi-choice questionnaires, and it is performed after completion of RTC - Environmental Verifier Theoretical Training (EU/UK/IMO GHG Schemes) and after completion of ISM Basic Training for Environmental Verifiers requesting qualification for SEEMP Part III Auditors.

For all examinations, Environmental Verifiers may have access to all necessary reference documentation available (Recognised Organisation (RO) Rules, International Conventions, Procedures and Instructions, Training Materials, etc).

The required marks to pass the exam is 70%.

Appendix — environmental verifier training plan

Introduction

The Environmental Verifier training scheme is directly related to the certification grid and the qualifications described therein.

Theoretical Training

Theoretical Training is required for all qualifications under Environmental Verifier training scheme.

Practical Training