1 Pursuant to the decision of Parties to the International
Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping
for Seafarers (STCW), 1978, made during the sixty-second session (24
to 28 May 1993) of the Maritime Safety Committee of the International
Maritime Organization (IMO) and subsequent decisions by IMO's Council
at its seventieth session and the Assembly at its eighteenth session
and, in accordance with article XII(1)(b) of the said International
Convention, a Conference of Parties to the International Convention
on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Seafarers,
1978, was convened, in consultation with the Director-General of the
International Labour Office, to consider and adopt amendments to the
annex to the 1978 STCW Convention and an associated Seafarers' Training,
Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) Code.
2 Upon the invitation of the International Maritime
Organization, the Conference was held in London from 26 June to 7
July 1995.
3 Representatives of 71 Parties to the 1978 STCW
Convention participated in the Conference, namely the representatives
of:
- Algeria
- Angola
- Argentina
- Australia
- Bahamas
- Belgium
- Benin
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- Cote d'Ivoire
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Cyprus
- Denmark
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- Finland
- France
- Gabon
- Germany
- Ghana
- Greece
- Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Latvia
- Liberia
- Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
- Luxembourg
- Malaysia
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Mexico
- Myanmar
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Nigeria
- Norway
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Republic of Korea
- Romania
- Russian Federation
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sweden
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- United States of America
- Uruguay
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
4 The following States sent observers to the Conference:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Congo
- Estonia
- Holy See
- Iran (Islamic Republic of)
- Morocco
- Thailand
- Ukraine
5 Hong Kong, an Associate Member of the International
Maritime Organization, sent observers to the Conference.
6 The following organizations of the United Nations
system were represented at the Conference:
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
- International Labour Organization (ILO)
7 The following intergovernmental organizations
sent observers to the Conference:
- Commission of the European Communities (EC)
- League of Arab States
- International Mobile Satellite Organization (Inmarsat)
- European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations
(CEPT)
8 The following non-governmental organizations
sent observers to the Conference:
- International Chamber of Shipping (ICS)
- International Shipping Federation Ltd (ISF)
- International Chamber of Commerce Ltd (ICC)
- International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU)
- The Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO)
- International Association of Classification Societies (IACS)
- Latin American Shipowners' Association (LASA)
- Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF)
- International Maritime Pilots' Association (IMPA)
- International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC)
- International Federation of Shipmasters' Associations (IFSMA)
- Oil Industry International Exploration and Production Forum (E
& P Forum)
- International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (INTERTANKO)
- Society of International Gas Tanker and Terminal Operators Limited
(SIGTTO)
- International Lifeboat Federation (ILF)
- International Road Transport Union (IRU)
- International Council of Cruise Lines (ICCL)
- International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (INTERCARGO)
- International Maritime Lecturers Association (IMLA)
9 The Conference was opened by Mr. W.A. O'Neil,
Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization.
10 The Conference elected Mr. T.R. Funder, Head
of the delegation of Denmark, President of the Conference.
11 The following were elected Vice-Presidents
of the Conference:
- Mr. Ahoula Browa (Cote d'Ivoire)
- Mr. Badawi Abd-Elwahab (Egypt)
- Mr. A. Rozental (Mexico)
- Mr. J. Brillantes (Philippines)
- Mr. W.R. Dernier (South Africa)
12 The Secretariat of the Conference consisted
of the following officers:
| Secretary-General:
|
Mr. W.A.
O'Neil
|
|
|
Secretary-General of the Organization
|
| Executive
Secretary:
|
Mr. E.E.
Mitropoulos
|
|
|
Director,
Maritime Safety Division
|
| Deputy Executive
Secretary:
|
Mr. T.
Fossum
|
| Senior
Deputy Director, Maritime Safety Division
|
| Assistant Executive
Secretary:
|
Mr. J.L.
Thompson
|
| Deputy
Director, Maritime Safety Division
|
13 The Conference established the following Committees:
|
Committee of the Whole
|
|
| Chairman:
|
Captain
J.H.A. Gauw (Netherlands)
|
| Vice-Chairman:
|
Captain D.
Geraci (Argentina)
|
| Vice-Chairman:
|
Mr. M.T.
Addico (Ghana)
|
|
Drafting Committee
|
|
| Chairman:
|
Mr. J.
Briggs (Australia)
|
| Vice-Chairman:
|
Captain F.
Escobar (Ecuador)
|
| Vice-Chairman:
|
Mr. J.-M.
Schindler (France)
|
|
Credentials Committee
|
|
| Chairman:
|
Mr. D.
Dimitrov (Bulgaria)
|
14 The Drafting Committee was composed of representatives
of the following States:
- Australia
- Chile
- China
- Ecuador
- France
- Russian Federation
- Singapore
- Tunisia
- United States of America
15 The Credentials Committee was composed of representatives
of the following States:
- Bulgaria
- India
- Peru
- Portugal
- United Arab Emirates
16 The Conference used as the basis of its work
a draft text of amendments to the annex to the International Convention
on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers,
1978, a draft Seafarers' Training, Certification and Watchkeeping
(STCW) Code and associated draft Conference resolutions.
17 The Conference also considered proposals, comments
and observations submitted to the Conference by Governments Parties
to the 1978 STCW Convention and international organizations concerned.
18 As a result of its deliberations, recorded
in the reports of the respective Committees and in the records of
decisions of plenary meetings of the Conference and meetings of the
Committee of the Whole, the Conference adopted:
- - the amendments to the annex to the International Convention
on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers,
1978, together with resolution 1 on
adoption of the amendments, which constitute attachment 1 to this
Final Act; and
- - the Seafarers' Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW)
Code, together with resolution 2 on adoption of the Code, which constitute
attachment 2 to this Final Act.
19 The Conference also adopted the following resolutions
set forth in attachment 3 to this Final Act:
|
Resolution 3:
|
Transitional provisions
|
|
Resolution 4:
|
Training of
radio operators for the global maritime distress and safety system
(GMDSS)
|
|
Resolution 5:
|
Training in
crisis management and human behaviour for personnel serving on board ro-ro
passenger ships
|
|
Resolution 6:
|
Training of
personnel on passenger ships
|
|
Resolution 7:
|
Monitoring
the implications of alternative certification
|
|
Resolution 8:
|
Promotion of
the technical knowledge, skills and professionalism of seafarers
|
|
Resolution 9:
|
Development
of international standards of medical fitness for seafarers
|
|
Resolution 10:
|
Training of
maritime pilots, vessel traffic service personnel and maritime personnel
employed on mobile offshore units
|
|
Resolution 11:
|
Promotion of
technical co-operation
|
|
Resolution 12:
|
Contribution of the World Maritime University (WMU) in the achievement of
enhanced standards of maritime training
|
|
Resolution 13:
|
Revision of
model courses published by the International Maritime Organization
|
|
Resolution 14:
|
Promotion of
the participation of women in the maritime industry.
|
20 This Final Act is established in a single original
text in the Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish
languages and is deposited with the Secretary-General of the International
Maritime Organization.
21 The Secretary-General of the International
Maritime Organization shall send:
-
(a) certified copies of this Final Act, including attachment 3, to the Governments of
States invited to be represented at the Conference;
-
(b) certified copies of the texts of the amendments
to the 1978 STCW Convention and the STCW Code, together with resolution 1 on the adoption of the amendments
and resolution 2 on the adoption of the STCW Code, to all Parties
to the 1978 STCW Convention, in conformity with article XII(1)(b)(ii) thereof; and
-
(c) copies of the texts of the amendments to the
1978 STCW Convention and the STCW Code, together with the respective
associated resolutions 1 and 2, to Governments of States which are not
Parties to the 1978 STCW Convention.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have affixed their signatures
to this Final Act.footnote
DONE AT LONDON this seventh day of July one thousand nine hundred
and ninety five.