Indonesia enters 'white list' on SCTW standards<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia has obtained recognition from the
\nInternational Maritime Organization (IMO) for its compliance with
\nthe international convention on Standards of Training
\nCertification and Watchkeeping (STCW).<\/p>\n
Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications Agum Gumelar
\nsaid here on Tuesday the recognition, given during IMO's Maritime
\nSafety Committee Meeting on Monday in London, would secure the
\njobs of some 20,000 Indonesian sailors working on foreign ships.<\/p>\n
\"When a country is put on the white list, all certification
\nfor sailors issued by the government is accepted by the
\ninternational community,\" he said during a media conference here.<\/p>\n
Sailors working on foreign ships, about half of all Indonesian
\nsailors, had been threatened with the loss of their jobs in 2001
\nbecause their skills were considered to be below the STCW
\nstandard.<\/p>\n
The convention, issued in 1978 and amended in 1995, is meant
\nto ensure sailors are properly educated and trained in the use of
\nnavigation aids and onboard equipment and devices, and that their
\nknowledge is kept satisfactorily up-to-date.<\/p>\n
The STCW convention was issued by IMO, the United Nations
\nagency responsible for improving maritime safety and preventing
\npollution from ships. It was ratified by Indonesia through a
\npresidential decree issued on Dec. 4, 1986.<\/p>\n
Besides the loss of jobs, if Indonesia failed to be included
\non IMO's white list, Indonesian shipping companies would have had
\nto hire foreign nationals to man their fleets, Agum said.<\/p>\n
\"This would of course add to the cost of their operations, so
\nthey (shipping companies) are relieved by this,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Agum said the recognition was achieved through the
\ngovernment's efforts to comply with STCW requirements, including
\npresenting an initial report on the steps the government has
\ntaken to ensure compliance with the STCW to the IMO secretary-
\ngeneral.<\/p>\n
The government also invited IMO experts to assess and give
\nsuggestions for the improvement of the examination system for
\ncertification, he said.<\/p>\n
Also, foreign investors were given permission to work at
\nprivate maritime education institutions and a program was
\nprepared to improve the maritime educational, training,
\ncertification system, facilities and infrastructure, Agum said.<\/p>\n
Through the Indonesian Embassy in Britain, the government also
\nasked the British government to support Indonesia in the IMO
\nmeetings, Agum said.<\/p>\n
\"We also approached countries like Singapore, Australia, the
\nPhilippines, Vietnam, Thailand, China, South Korea, Malaysia,
\nJapan, the Netherlands, Canada and the United States for
\nsupports,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Agum said the government established a Maritime Examination
\nand Certification Body in 1998 as part of the IMO's requirements.<\/p>\n
The body has so far given approval to six state maritime
\ntraining centers and will develop private training centers to
\nmeet STCW standards, he said. (tnt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-enters-white-list-on-sctw-standards-1447893297",
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