IACS Focus on Education & Training on World Maritime Day
The International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) has marked World Maritime Day by expressing its support for the efforts of the International Maritime Organization to promote the vital contribution made to the industry by its most important asset: its people. In selecting Maritime Education and Training as its theme for World Maritime Day 2015, the IMO is seeking to focus attention on a wide spectrum of maritime education and training as the foundation of a safe and secure shipping industry. These are resources which the IMO believes are vital to preserve the quality, practical skills and competence of qualified human resources and to ensure the industry’s sustainability.
IACS believes that by recognising the importance of the human factor, IMO has reinforced the message that only a properly-trained, educated and qualified workforce is able to safely perform the tasks required of them.
IACS Chairman Christopher J Wiernicki said, “IACS’ welcomes the IMO’s focus on maritime education and training as a core component of a safe and secure shipping industry. Properly qualified and trained surveyors are key to the effective delivery of classification and statutory services. For this reason IACS has, for many years, set minimum standards in this area that are supplemented by requirements for ongoing activity monitoring.”
Through the provision of Class Rules, IACS’ Member Companies are fundamental to the delivery of safer, cleaner shipping. IACS’ commitment to the education and training of the surveyors who verify those rules is manifested within its procedural requirements that are binding on all members and that set down minimum standards in this regard.
All IACS members are required to provide training and qualification requirements for personnel engaged in classification of ships and offshore installations in respect of both new building and existing ships and offshore installations and statutory work carried out on behalf of the appropriate national Administrations, as well as survey and certification of materials and products.
Christopher Wiernicki, added, “At a time when the industry faces multiple challenges in terms of regulatory compliance and technology risk, it is clear that the human factor in shipping should be a central concern. IACS congratulates the IMO on World Maritime Day 2015 and looks forward to constructive outcomes that better position the industry to grow safely while protecting the marine environment.”
The maintenance of IACS’ surveyors’ qualifications is verified both at annual performance reviews and during activity monitoring and is also subject to IACS procedural requirements and IMO RO Code.
This entails the ongoing verification being done in accordance with, and documented in, the appropriate Society QMS documents that are, in turn, subsequently audited by independent, 3rd party accreditation bodies as part of IACS Gold Standard Quality Management Certification Scheme and by Flag Administrations.
