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ECDIS Competence of Masters and Deck Officers

(Certificate of Competency / Documentary Evidence) .

1. Current situation: This notice is for the information of companies, seafarers, port state control officers and training institutions and specifies which Certificates of Competency (CoC) and Documentary Evidence (DocE) are required by masters and deck officers to serve on board German-flagged vessels of any size and which are equipped with official Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS). In accordance with chapter V, regulation 19 no. 2.10 of the annex to the SOLAS Convention, a staged installation of ECDIS equipment will become mandatory for specific types of seagoing ships between 1st. July 2012 and 1st. July 2018. With effect from 1st January 2012 international mandatory ECDIS standards in accordance with the Manila Amendments to the STCW Convention 2010 came into force. These minimum standards refer to the education and training of masters and deck officers and the appropriate documentation of ECDIS competencies. A basic competence requirement has been introduced for masters and deck officers (generic training) in accordance with chapter II of the annex to the STCW Convention. Under regulation I/14 of the annex to the STCW Convention, companies are required to ensure that all masters and deck officers serving on ships equipped with ECDIS are familiarised with the particular ECDIS system installed on board (type specific training). Although the 2010 Manila Amendments might not require masters and deck officers serving on vessels equipped with ECDIS to meet these requirements before 1st. January 2017, all seafarers should be encouraged to have received generic training and to be able to provide DocE of this training prior to serving on such vessels. 2. Generic training 2.1. Certificates of Competency (CoC) For the first time, the amendments to the STCW Convention adopted in Manila in 2010 contain detailed standards on the evidence of competency in the operation of ECDIS equipment (generic training). Effective 1st. January 2012, under regulations II/1, II/2 and II/31 of the annex to the STCW Convention, any CoCs will be issued with a limitation regarding ECDIS whose validity is to be extended beyond 1 January 2017 if the certificate holder is unable to provide adequate DocE of the required ECDIS competencies. The endorsement of certificates with limitations regarding ECDIS can be avoided, if the holder decides only to apply for a revalidation until the 31st. December 2016.

1 In Germany, Certificates of Competency under Regulation II/3 have not been issued so far.

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All CoCs expiring on 31st. December 2016 do not give evidence of ECDIS qualifications in compliance with the STCW Convention as amended by the 2010 Manila Amendments. Documentary evidence of adequate ECDIS qualification in accordance with the provisions of the regulations II/1, II/2 and II/3 of the annex to the STCW Convention according to the Manila Amendments are only provided in the form of the appropriate CoC issued to masters and deck officers. Course certificates of participation will not be accepted as adequate documentary evidence. If sufficient evidence of adequate ECDIS competencies have been documented, CoCs without any limitations regarding ECDIS competencies will be issued. Proof of adequate ECDIS competencies could be documented through: - evidence of training according to no. 2.2.1 (transitional arrangement of

generic training) - Presentation of DocE of courses which have been approved by the BSH

according to no. 2.2.2 (generic ECDIS training, approved ECDIS courses) - Presentation of comparable training and DocE, which have been approved

by the Maritime Administration of an European Economic Area (EEA) member state, see 2.2.3.

2.2. Acquisition of competency 2.2.1. Anyone who holds a German CoC as an officer in charge of a

navigational watch according to regulation II/1 of the STCW Convention which was first issued after the 1st January 2006 meets the requirement of generic ECDIS training including these terms agreed in the 2010 Manila Amendments to the STCW Convention.

2.2.2. Anyone who is able to provide DocE of having attended a BSH-approved

training course has been trained in compliance with the standards for generic ECDIS training. All BSH approved courses can be found on the Deutsche Flagge website (Ausbildung und Befhigung zulassungspflichtige Kurse).

2.2.3. Participation in generic ECDIS training based on the IMO Model ECDIS

Course 1.27 which has been approved by the Maritime Administration of an other EEA Member State also meets these requirements.

2.3 Recommendation Until 31st. December 2016, all DocE of having participated in training according to numbers 2.2.1 2.2.3 is in compliance with applicable regulations and meets all Port State Control requirements regarding adequate competencies in generic ECDIS training. However, it is strongly recommended for all masters and officers to apply as quickly as possible for CoC according to regulations II/1 and II/2 (officer in charge of a navigational watch, chief officer, master) which are valid over beyond 1st. January 2017 and which have no limitations regarding the operation of ECDIS equipment.

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This might also require the participation in safety refresher courses according to regulations VI/1, VI/2 and VI/3 of the annex to the STCW Convention (refresher courses). 3. Type specific ECDIS training Apart from the generic ECDIS training required by seafarers certified in accordance with chapter II of the annex to the STCW Convention, all companies shall ensure in compliance with regulation I/14 of the annex to the STCW Convention, as well as with sections 6.3 and 6.5 of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code, that all masters and deck officers serving on board ships equipped with ECDIS, also receive adequate type-specific ECDIS training. All ECDIS manufacturers should provide suitable type specific ECDIS training material on CD or DVD for this purpose. Also a record of the type specific ECDIS familiarization training should be provided. Such type specific training is complementary to generic ECDIS training. 3. Further Information

Further information, i.e. about the approval of courses can be obtained from:

Bundesamt fr Seeschifffahrt und Hydrographie Sachgebiet S12 Postfach 30 12 20 20305 Hamburg Tel.: +49 (0) 40 31 90 71 25 Fax: +49 (0) 40 31 90 50 00 E-Mail: zeugnisse@bsh.de www.deutsche-flagge.de

1. Current situation:2. Generic training2.1. Certificates of Competency (CoC)2.2. Acquisition of competency

3. Further Information