Government to modernize seafarer training centers<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government signed a US$53.8 million contract
\non Tuesday to modernize the training centers for Indonesian
\nseafarers so as to ensure they comply with the requirements set
\nout in the Standards of Training Certification and Watchkeeping
\n(STCW) convention.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Communications said in a statement that the
\nproject would be undertaken by Ship Analytics International Inc.,
\nwho had won the tender for the modernization project.<\/p>\n
The contract was signed in a ceremony on Tuesday by
\nPurnomosidhi, the head of the ministry's Education and Training
\nDivision, on behalf of the government, and by Alan J. Pesch on
\nbehalf of Ship Analytics. It was witnessed by the Minister of
\nCommunications, Agum Gumelar.<\/p>\n
Funding for the project was obtained from a soft loan extended
\nby U.S. Exim Bank, and that the project was expected to be
\nfinalized in 2002, the ministry said.<\/p>\n
The contract would involve the procurement of training
\nequipment, including simulators, laboratory equipment and
\ncomputers for training centers in Jakarta, Semarang, Makassar,
\nSurabaya and Barombong in South Sulawesi.<\/p>\n
It would also include upgrading the training of Indonesian
\ninstructors and technicians in the United States so as to be able
\nto impart their skills here in accordance with the standards set
\nout in the STCW convention, the ministry said in the statement.<\/p>\n
\"The project has been given priority so that Indonesia can
\nretain its 'white list' status,\" the ministry said, referring to
\na list of countries that are members of the International
\nMaritime Organization (IMO), and have fully implemented the STCW
\nconvention.<\/p>\n
The convention, which was issued in 1978 and was amended in
\n1995, was drawn up so as to ensure that the education and
\ntraining of seafarers in the use of aids to navigation, ship
\nequipment and devices was sufficiently comprehensive and was kept
\nsatisfactorily up to date.<\/p>\n
The convention, which finally came into effect on Feb. 1,
\n1997, was issued by the IMO, the United Nation's agency
\nresponsible for improving maritime safety and preventing
\npollution from ships.<\/p>\n
It was ratified by Indonesia through a presidential decree on
\nDec. 4, 1986.<\/p>\n
As a consequence of Indonesia's ratification, Indonesian
\nsailors were required to abide by the standards outlined in the
\nconvention or be disqualified from employment on foreign vessels.<\/p>\n
The IMO requires all ratifying members to implement the
\nstandards by 2001.<\/p>\n
Some 20,000 Indonesian seamen work on foreign vessels-- or
\nabout half of the total number of Indonesian seamen -- and were
\nthreatened with losing their jobs this year because their skills
\nwere considered not up to the standards mandated by the
\nconvention.<\/p>\n
The IMO's recognition of Indonesia's implementation of the
\nSTCW late last year gave a reprieve for the nation's seamen, and
\na breathing space in which to gradually bring their abilities up
\nto the standards required by 2002.<\/p>\n
Besides the loss of jobs, if Indonesia failed to get onto
\nIMO's white list, Indonesian shipping companies would have to
\nhire foreign nationals to man their fleets, which would add to
\nthe cost of their operations.(tnt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/government-to-modernize-seafarer-training-centers-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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