With the 2010 Manila amendments to the STCW convention, there is a decreasing emphasis on sea-going experience as a sole criterion for determining competence and more emphasis is put on competence that is formally assessed and recorded combined with important soft skills such as leadership and management. Following IMO’s lead, the industry has included competence-related requirements into guidelines such as the third version of the Tanker Management and Self Assessment (TMSA 3). In addition, the burden of proof is shifted more towards the shipping companies that are in any case responsible for employing competent and qualified seafarers under the requirements of the IMO ISM Code.

But putting regulatory compliance aside, there is a real need in the maritime industry to ensure that seafarers are competent in carrying out the tasks they are assigned to do on-board.

The course adheres the principles laid out in IMO Model Course 1.30 and has been structured with the highest standards of quality by experts in marine safety and human factors.

The main objectives of this course are for the participants to be able to:

• Understand the principles of competence-based assessment;
• Understand the main aspects of behavioural indicators;
• Plan and conduct onboard assessment of competence;
• Provide proper feedback and report results;
• Underline the importance of a proper assessment process.