Indonesia enters 'white list' on SCTW standards

Indonesia enters 'white list' on SCTW standards

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia has obtained recognition from the
International Maritime Organization (IMO) for its compliance with
the international convention on Standards of Training
Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW).

Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications Agum Gumelar
said here on Tuesday the recognition, given during IMO's Maritime
Safety Committee Meeting on Monday in London, would secure the
jobs of some 20,000 Indonesian sailors working on foreign ships.

"When a country is put on the white list, all certification
for sailors issued by the government is accepted by the
international community," he said during a media conference here.

Sailors working on foreign ships, about half of all Indonesian
sailors, had been threatened with the loss of their jobs in 2001
because their skills were considered to be below the STCW
standard.

The convention, issued in 1978 and amended in 1995, is meant
to ensure sailors are properly educated and trained in the use of
navigation aids and onboard equipment and devices, and that their
knowledge is kept satisfactorily up-to-date.

The STCW convention was issued by IMO, the United Nations
agency responsible for improving maritime safety and preventing
pollution from ships. It was ratified by Indonesia through a
presidential decree issued on Dec. 4, 1986.

Besides the loss of jobs, if Indonesia failed to be included
on IMO's white list, Indonesian shipping companies would have had
to hire foreign nationals to man their fleets, Agum said.

"This would of course add to the cost of their operations, so
they (shipping companies) are relieved by this," he said.

Agum said the recognition was achieved through the
government's efforts to comply with STCW requirements, including
presenting an initial report on the steps the government has
taken to ensure compliance with the STCW to the IMO secretary-
general.

The government also invited IMO experts to assess and give
suggestions for the improvement of the examination system for
certification, he said.

Also, foreign investors were given permission to work at
private maritime education institutions and a program was
prepared to improve the maritime educational, training,
certification system, facilities and infrastructure, Agum said.

Through the Indonesian Embassy in Britain, the government also
asked the British government to support Indonesia in the IMO
meetings, Agum said.

"We also approached countries like Singapore, Australia, the
Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, China, South Korea, Malaysia,
Japan, the Netherlands, Canada and the United States for
supports," he said.

Agum said the government established a Maritime Examination
and Certification Body in 1998 as part of the IMO's requirements.

The body has so far given approval to six state maritime
training centers and will develop private training centers to
meet STCW standards, he said. (tnt)