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SEAFARERS TRAINING EMPLOYMENT AND
MANNING CONFERENCE-(STEM
2001)
A Conference on
Seafarers training, employment and
manning, (STEM 2001) was organized
for the Pakistani Maritime
Community by the Master Mariners
Society of Pakistan.
MMSP was honored by
Admiral Abdul Aziz Mirza. Chief of
the Naval Staff and chief patron of
MMSP for the conference inauguration
and Lt. Gen. ( R ) Javed Ashraf Qazi.
Minister of Communications and
Railway for presiding over the
concluding session.
MMSP, as an apex
professional body of seafarers in
Pakistan, was fortunate enough to
assemble well-known foreign and
Pakistani experts who presented
their technical papers in the two
sessions of the STEM -2001
Conference. Total 12 papers of high
professional standard were
presented and these papers generated
wholesome interaction with the
participants for the purpose of
:
a)
Identifying the
potential market for seafaring
employment.
b)
Augmenting
education and training
facilities for seafarers in
the country
in order to meet STCW - 95 and
ISM Code
requirements and satisfying
employers needs.
c) Evolving
a set of recommendations for
presenting to the
government
and private sector institutions
as a step towards
achieving the objectives
The Conference recognized that:
a) Demand
of seafarers for foreign ships
is rising. Even at
present there
is a shortage of skilled
Seafarers in world
shipping
b) Foreign
ship owners and operators
require that seafarers
possess a
high professional competence
and good technical
skills, commitment to good
performance and communication
skills in the English language
c)
Full
understanding of present complex
conventions and rules
(ISM / STCW) regarding Port
State Control, is demanded by
the employers.
Recommendations:
In order to achieve
the objectives following
recommendation are made at the
seminar STEM 2001.
-
A permanent
"National STEM Commission" may
be established to take
appropriate action for
seafarers' training and
employment needs to match the
international requirements. The
Commission should comprise the
private and public sector
stakeholders and professional
bodies like Master Mariners
Society of Pakistan
-
The qualifying
seatime for taking Certificate
of Proficiency in survival craft
examination to be reduced from
12 to 6 months as in STCW - 95
-
Private sector to
be encouraged to participate in
IMO training model courses for
trainers.
-
Provide equal
opportunity for private sector
to participate in Pakistani
delegations to TMO and other
Forums.
-
Upgrade all
facilities presently available
at the Pakistan Marine Academy
and ensure effective utilization
of exisiting facilities.
-
Private sector
should organize for collective
marketing of our seafarers'
services to foreign employers.
-
To trim down the
joining process by doing away
with antiquated require-ments of
NOC and Sign On etc.. such that
crew can be dispatched to ship
within the shortest possible
time after selection.
-
Ship Manning
agencies should be freed from
unnecessary documentation and
regulatory regime, by
eliminating duality of control.
Ship manning companies have to
seek two licenses one from the
custom and the other from the
Ministry of communications. This
duplication can be easily
avoided by sticking to the
age-old customs license
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