MARGAO
The Goan Seamen Association of India (GSAI) has drawn the attention of Union Shipping Minister Shripad Naik and Director General of Shipping, Amitabh Kumar to the plight of seafarers due to the GDS order 28 of 2020 dated October 1, 2020 wherein permission has not yet been granted for conducting practical for Standard of training, certification & Watch keeping (STCW) courses in particular related to Personal survival techniques (PST) & Fire prevention & fire-fighting (FPFF) course.
GSAI president Franky Viegas said the Union Minister and the DG Shipping have been informed that a number of Seafarers who have undergone the STCW courses during the Covid pandemic and have been issued the System Generated Certificate valid for 18 months to give extension for six months (ie valid for 24 months) since the shipping companies are insisting for 12 months validity prior joining the vessel.
“Most of these seafarers have been asked to join duty on ship and unfortunately have been asked by their company to redo the STCW courses as the validity of the certificates are nearing expiry or less than one year. Some of these seafarers have already approached director General of Shipping office for advice on this issue but with no favorable reply”, he said.
He said GSAI has also brought to the attention of the concerned authorities that the seafarers have already gone through enough hardship of being unemployed for over a year, adding “we would not like to further burden them in repeating the course involving redoing the E-Learning, Online classes and Exit exams just for a renewal of another 18 months”.
