Guidance

What areas of seafarer’s training could be introduced or enhanced to reflect today’s onboard operational requirement?

Published 1 May 2020

The following points are raw suggestions and recommendations from respondents stating what could be introduced or enhanced to reflect today’s onboard operational requirements.

1. Navigation and deck survey

• mandatory training in Enclosed Space procedures, theory and practical

• enclosed space rescue techniques

• much more effective simulator-based assessment especially on testing COLREGs and about buoyage

• fighting fatigue; human/seafarers rights; anti-piracy defence measures

• critical incident and response training

• leadership and conflict management

• identify crew psychological issues

• software and hardware maintenance capabilities. Ship staff should have a good working knowledge of repairing computers for software and hardware related problems

• PSC, FSC and vetting inspections, observations

• automation

• the STCW refresher course should be expanded to include changes in electronic systems - GMDSS, NAEST, ECDIS

• much greater use of electronic charts, total tide etc. in training colleges. There is a disconnect in what is seen in college versus at sea

• more computer IT training, basic changing of computer parts, software use and basic fixing of linked computer systems. Also related to cyber security - viruses. More systems rely on these parts than ever - firefighting system, stability computers, ballast and draft gauge systems with little understanding of common problems or ways to do basic repairs.

• troubleshooting basic guidance on failure of key equipment

• mental health to be included as a major subject due to crew reduction, stress and isolation onboard

• more training in basic administration skills. Courses to increase the computer literacy of officers would be an advantage

• overhaul the requirements of electronic navigation to reflect increased use of ECDIS.

• rationalize GMDSS training to make it more relevant

• stress management should be introduced

• stop teaching Gyro to an engineering level of detail. Stop teaching Morse Code, nobody uses it anymore. Stop setting an exam on celestial as it is not used as a primary means of navigation deep sea anymore, retain the fundamentals and knowledge in classwork; no need to examine though. Introduce ECDIS in place of the aforementioned obsolete areas, and emphasize how important it is to understand everything about ECDIS; integrity of source information, where this information is sourced itself, limitations and common errors and misinterpretations that have led to groundings and accidents etc.

• social media guidance

• resilience

• as mentioned before, SAR could expand on large-scale rescue operations

• more enhanced training regarding the use of modern electronic position fixing systems, stability calculation software and celestial navigation software

• electronic navigation, ECDIS usage, large and high-speed ship handling, software-based celestial, tidal, magnetic compass calculations

• introduction to commercial operations for master and chief mate’s unlimited

• understanding of vessel certification and not just their validity

• carriage of cargoes under IMSBC code and its applications

• rest hours and its application with regards to deviations

• ECDIS Management on ships using Paperless Navigation

• Reduce calculation, more practical, especially in navigation and stability

• improve understanding of electronics and satellite communications to manage bridge nav equipment better

• more intense ECDIS training with higher percentage markings for a PASS

• introduce elements of mental health and wellness

• most of the facilities onboard are in modern version, it is recommended to have an updated equipment on shore facilities in order to align with the ones onboard

• computer software training

• more sea time as cadet

• drop sextant

• reduce practical chartwork and focus on ECDIS

• enhance the training on radar use and actually looking out the window

• have a better understanding of all ship types and not just focus on bulkers container and tankers

• internet and mobile device safety

• knowledge should be refreshed regularly. Deck officers and ratings opening book one time per five year. As result, received knowledge not in use and forgotten. Online refreshment course should be available

• compulsory and affordable manned model ship handling course

• emergency ship handling (loss of rudder, propulsion, bad Wx, ECDIS failure etc.)

• shipboard emergency - simulator: fire, grounding, rescue etc

• compulsory NSAP for all offers every 5 years

• Compulsory MCRM course

• training for the equipment which are now absolute and hardly used can be removed and training for latest technology and equipment shall be done

• damage control course

• specially how to respond during flooding or collision or grounding or such emergencies.

• no new courses. No new regulations. No Simulator courses. All refresher courses to be scrapped. ISM Code and ISPS Codes should be scrapped

• physiological tests and ability to work under pressure. More competence required to deal with depressions in seafarers

• as aforementioned, more focus on modern electronic nav/stability/meteorology equipment rather than old, outdated paper. Much of the content of the syllabus is from the 1980’s - I wasn’t even born at that point

• more time on ECDIS and use of simulation in day to day training

• understanding of mental health issues

• electronic forms of navigation equipment encouraged

• more relevant to understand the tech used 24/7 rather than sextant work which is extremely rarely used

• mental first aid courses

• medical care courses for all ranks of Officers OOW

• as indicated in the survey, more use of simulation in training and MCA assessment, moving away from smartie boards and wooden models!

• more training required on fatigue management and health

• generally speaking, knowledge of the now omni-present Integrated Bridge Systems and their pitfalls are lacking, as is basic computer knowledge, yet computers are omnipresent on all bridges. Alarm fatigue is becoming a real problem, and seafarers need to be trained better in how to deal with alarms and recognize the symptoms of alarm fatigue. Not an STCW problem, but rather SOLAS, but IBS need to be modified so that a fault causes one alarm on the entire bridge, rather than causing every single system on the bridge to go into alarm. Alarms need to be accompanied by better descriptions as to what triggered the alarm

• rationalize CoC requirements for harbor/coastal vessels, in particular C/E position on tugs far too expensive/involved for companies to take on engineering apprentices

• mental health covered within social responsibilities course

• HELM course updated to reflect real onboard ship experiences. Improvements required to leadership development of Cadets

• First aid training so at least 50% of crew are trained to the same level

• proper rope work, too many people come out of college not actually knowing how to splice or tie a bowline in anger

• good PC skills are unfortunately a necessity and puts extra strain on the rest of the crew if not available

• painting/chipping/welding/practical maintenance needs to be improved drastically before we end up with a generation of seafarers who have really tidy desks and the ship rusts around them.

• enclosed space rescue and training

• more up to date applications of Modern navigation and cargo handling.

• easier access to and accreditation for CPD as is common practice for most working professionals

• significantly greater computer-based training to replace long handed calculations which are not used at all on ship any more

• more bridge simulator training, to be much longer and to include a much greater range of scenarios

• simulator training for other aspects of the job e.g. stability/cargo simulator, SAR, command and control of an onboard emergency

• seafarers well-being and state of mind/spotting the signs when a crew member is not in the right head space being able to approach and talk

• the need to understand cultural differences within crews and how these can impact on the safe operation of ships

• the need for moral courage in challenging unsafe behaviors and how support can be found

• more focus on manual methods of navigation and seamanship, as they are never used outside of cadetship which means the skills disappear

• some of the equipment training should be updated, especially for UK near coastal tickets. Items such a LORAN C, SAT C and SSB is becoming less relied upon

• all of these subject areas are essential, some maybe outdated but the skills learned by practicing them are essential. The Syllabus should have more emphasis on the future and digitization and Automation

• better training in basic seamanship skills, these are becoming scary, even the British cadets are getting worse

• aptitude tests for writing skills, information management and technical thinking

• mental health and social aspects could be improved. How to deal with difficult situations onboard, how to cope away from home - not in a patronizing way but if you don’t get on with your crewmates, things can be VERY difficult deep sea

• more emphasis on modern navigation methods e.g. ECDIS, GPS, Gyro compass, fibre-optic gyro, Bridge resource management etc. Too much time is spent on paper chart work, celestial navigation, magnetic compass, tidal calculations. While these things cannot be ignored entirely, they are not used in day to day operations and currently have a disproportionately large amount of time spent on them during training. Too many new officers come onboard knowing about chartwork and celestial nav but unable to properly use an ECDIS, something is wrong there!

• the syllabus and questions for the written Chief Mates SQA exams has at points become farcical. I appreciate this survey is for STCW but when studying your HND and Chief Mates written prep great focus is weighed towards the written SQA syllabus. With questions being asked such as ‘Outline the contents of the IAMSAR Vol 3 CASEVAC Cards” (NOV 19) and State the chapters of the IMO routing guide. These assess no competence, demonstrate no skill and provide no insight to an officer’s effectiveness. Additionally, until July 2019 questions were still being presented with candidate being asked to interpret IMO Routing guide data sheets despite the publication having been withdrawn for some time

• it is incredible that the MCA believe that assessing a candidate’s ability to do a double approximation calculation for a sunrise rendezvous is a skill 21st century seafarers must be assessed on. These exams bear no relation to the work being carried out at sea. A radical rethink is required, and outdated elements of the examination syllabus should be removed

• something to reduce the over-reliance on Electronic systems for collision avoidance and safe navigation

• something to make navigators think what is happening and not be over-influenced by the need to keep close to the charted track on ECDIS when COLREG situations arise. This encourages small alterations in breach of Rule 8

• CPD - Re-Validation of key knowledge and skills. Enhance simulator training and realistic scenarios on a regular re-validation program. Consider more prescriptive requirements placed on ship operators through SOLAS/ISM

• I.T. Many officers are lacking in PC skills and have poor report writing skills.

• Do not reduce cadets 4 years training period/Sea time

• experience is key many of our young officers lack situational awareness on the bridge due to reduced time spent watch keeping

• budget skills and general management on the whole should be more of a focus. I now spend more time balancing the books and dealing with crewing than ever before. Office skills/spreadsheets and the like would be really useful for the modern day deck officer

• ECDIS tickets should have a 5-year refresher as all other STCW tickets

• all crew, especially masters and senior officers should have training to learn proper communication between crew

• use of common planned maintenance software AMOS etc

• on ships - real situations, by instructors

• focus on ships certification

• requirements, what is covered, how to conduct a survey with PSC, Flag, Class etc.

• seafarer training and competence examinations should focus more on practical application and operations. E.g. Application and compliance with COLREGS at Sea, Use of Traditional Nav Aids and equipment is getting lost - e.g. most Deck Officers cannot take a sight and are using unauthorized apps and software for sight calculations. Another example is that Chief Officers do not use the trimming tables during final stages of loading on Bulk Carriers and rely purely on an excel based program

• more in depth ship handling and maneuvering training

• automation and systems electronics

• mental health training for all seafarers

• more realistic training on the emergencies like - collision, flooding, grounding, engine and steering failure……..

• while shipping can be slow to respond it has been transitioning to digital products for the last couple of decades. The importance of the syllabus staying relevant by teaching proper use of the tools that seafarers use day to day and their limitations cannot be stressed enough

• weighting of knowledge that is largely only recalled for exams needs to be reduced, this would be sextant, sailing calculations, advanced manual stability calculations, magnetic compass and Morse. These parts of the courses would instead be better served by transitioning to the modern digital tools used to accomplish their tasks and instilling a sense of their limitations so digital tools are not followed blindly

• ship handling for cadets

• ELECTRONIC FOR ENGINERS

• ensure that a working knowledge of the various maritime Organizations (who they are and what they do) are included in Basic Training

• more simulation time SHOULD be included in the initial phases of Cadet Training, not just used for the final assessment (Outcome 8)

• quality of sea time and monitoring of Training Record Books for Cadets seems to vary enormously depending on the type of ship the Cadets serve in. Better quality control of these aspects is required.

• I think there needs to be more importance placed on watchkeeping practices and simulators

• not enough experience in managing a bridge and resources

• When I was a cadet, was in the Simulator 3 times, for NARAS & for a tour. Not enough, as said previously, needs to become a more practical knowledge of dealing with traffic. Not just throwing emergency situations into simulator but traffic situations and how to deal with them

• train the trainer should be part of Chief Mate CoC. Too many officers state they have not been taught how to train and at Chief Mate level, this should be part of the role. It does not need to be at the level of writing courses/lessons but different training methods, how to conduct adequate drills

• greater uniformity of ECDIS, and ECDIS type specific training should be a course run by an expert, not a dry eLearning course copied and pasted from the instruction manual

• more in depth ship handling modules for deck officer trainees - with a lot of UK officers now mostly on UK coastal, this is crucial in areas of strong tides

• better understanding of master’s responsibilities, obligations and accountability in the workboat and towage sectors

• during CoC training. More emphasis on modern techniques and less on old fashioned techniques that are rarely if ever used even in emergencies

• in general, the training covers most of what it should. If the information learned is frequently revised.

• basic first aid should be renewed every 3 years

• for OOW level, oral exam should be scrapped and replaced with simulator assessment.

• I think in general the training I received was of a very good standard however I think, especially for my sector the focus is on very antiquated methods and equipment. I think a lot of the skills need to be re-assessed for their value in this century. Whereas in the past skills like Morse code, signal flags, would be invaluable they have very small practical application for the modern seafarer and in my opinion do not deserve the amount of time spent training in them. The same goes for a lot of the stability and sailings math’s which is always done on computer programs and will never be carried out by a bridge officer in the way we are taught. My opinion would be that the training is a lot more practical with more focus on COLREGS and the actual day to day duties of watch keeping, navigation on ECDIS, ISM, drills, dealing with emergencies like bridge equipment failures, record keeping etc. that form the basis of a OOW’s duties. Ideally this would be done through integrated bridge simulators to make it more applicable and similar to what the seafarer can expect in their work

• more training in how to deal with mental stress / mental health for seafarers. The people making decisions should sail on a modern vessels, of all types, it should not be created by old captains who have not sailed for the last 20years (who don’t know how to create a route on an ECDIS!)

• all officers should have completed mentorship training and each ship should have at least one dedicated mentor

• on Crew Transfer Vessels there needs to be more certification for the crew. At present it is only for the master.

• more training time spent inside bridge simulators. The time spent in these simulators are very beneficial. More time is needed. Oral prep courses are also very informative. These courses should be much longer

• the MCA need to catch up with technology, a lot of what you teach/expect from Officers is way, way out of date

• though the electronics has taken over a large tranche of the OOW duties, seafaring is still a practical profession, more emphasis could be placed on the practical seamanship side of the profession, along compulsory simulator courses which expose the candidate to emergency situations such as failures of gyro, steering, engines and total power. As well as fire and MOB

• EDH for the lowest deck positions and rank

• higher standard of English required in the marlins test for those sailing in UK waters/ships

• combine the HELM courses, incorporate more mental health, stress and discrimination awareness

• I will not recommend any further training until some of the requirements are removed from mandatory shore-based programs. Most, if not all of the training requirements can and should be done ONBOARD the vessel (as in the past). There is NO NEED to force the seafarers to spend their hard-earned pay and vacation time learning things they can learn while onboard their vessel. Usually better than in a shore-based training center

• there is NO NEED to require renewal of basic safety or firefighting or lifesaving or PSSR! These things have not changed since I started going to sea professionally in 1977! The very few items that have changed, have been things that could’ve been covered in an email. They are covered in weekly drills. Why spend a week and $1000++++? NO reason except money for the training centers

• this overload of so-called training is forcing a LOT of good, competent people out of the business and needs to be stopped. Or is it the purpose simply to replace all seafarers for autonomous ships?

• efficient deck hand course within 18months if being on board

• basic social psychology training onboard the ship. To make people to understand each other easier. To reach the goal of reducing the stress onboard

• make sure foreign crews have a better understanding of technical English

• more simulator training

• respect of working hours in reality - not just on the paper.

• possibly giving UK Cadets DP training to help ensure they find work after finishing collage. Too many cadets are now leaving collage and are unable to find work

• refresher training on GMDSS, personally not done any since 1993

• should be looking at more simulator time for cadets so they understand practically ship handling. Also cut out all the irrelevant course subjects like celestial navigation, and loran C and teach them about what real life is like onboard a ship

• do courses in college on the maintenance of LSA and FFA

• do more practical and simulator time in college to get more maneuvering experience

• communication on board and hi-tech area, cos more and more documents are online or other digital form, so advanced computer knowledge is more and more necessary. Is funny when old officers don’t know how to open a file with documents… And they are in charge of it!

• Elementary First Aid (EFA) should be added to the refresher every 5 years along with Firefighting and Sea survival. As onboard yachts, if you are an RYA school, they require a first aid certificate less than 5 years old or all RYA certificates are invalid. Also, any stewardess, chef, or deck crew who have been in the industry over 5 years that aren’t at the level where they require a week long medical course (which is refreshed every 5 years) will be onboard without a valid first aid certificate! With no means in place to encourage them to refresh their skills

• today’s modern marine industry is so diverse that it is not possible to deliver enough training in the time frame currently allowed

• my suggestion would be to have a complete overhaul of the current system and create a modular based competency structure for example, the initial training would include all of the basic layers of competency relevant to any vessel type

• This would be followed by specific training in a particular sector of the industry which could be tailored to that particular vessel type. This could be a month-long course which would be referred to as a “bolt on Module” which could have a 5-year refresher requirement. An Officer would have to complete such bolt on training prior to joining a ship of that type if they had not previously done the course, for example, the following modules could be introduced as a minimum: General cargo ships, Chemical tankers, Oil tankers, Bulk carriers, Car carriers, Cruise ships, ROPAX/ RORO, Commercial yachts, Container ships

• digital/electronic systems knowledge, maintenance and basic trouble shooting

• HELM(o) and (m) need to be relooked at and a better course structure created. 10 days of being read at is the worst way of teaching and nothing is learnt or retained when classes are falling asleep

• basic helicopter training

• more advanced medical techniques as standard

• more ship handling as standard. A seafarer may never drive a large vessel over 24 meters between passing their Yacht master, to completing their Master 3000 and being handed the control of a vessel up to 3000gt. Definitely needs more training

• more emphasis on learning your rights as a seafarer, learning about your contract, hours of rest, what you are and are not entitled to

• MUCH more emphasis on people management, people skills, cooperation, anger management, leadership styles, being approachable, calm and considered

• there is too much content to learn within the course timeframe. Each course should be at least 2 weeks in length. Every module I attended I heard the same thing “Do you want to learn about everything, or just the stuff you need to pass the exam”. This approach is a complete failure to the system. Students are becoming qualified too soon in their career. Actual sea time is being logged fraudulently. There must be a better, modern way to ensure the quality of graduates in this industry

• the college time spent on paper charts needs to be spent on ECDIS

• Stability needs to be more operationally taught

• emphasis on MCA orals of working knowledge and not knowing so much by heart or verbatim

• more training in simulators, more training on modern and new technologies and systems

• more practical then classroom-based lectures

• more opportunities to use the simulators

• more opportunities to put lectures into practice

• CEL nav needs modernization. Good as a backup. To be treated as this. More time on the technology found on the bridge as this is the way the industry is going

• training in Microsoft excel!!

• TRAINING NEEDS TO BE MORE SHIP BASED; MANY LECTURERS AT COLLEGES DO NOT HAVE UP TO DATE KNOWLEDGE OF WORKING PRACTICES. LECTURERS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO UNDERTAKE REFRESHER TRAINING AT SEA (GO ON A VOYAGE) ON A VARIETY OF SHIPS. COLLEGES ENCOURAGED TO ASK CURRENT MARINERS TO GUEST LECTURE. LECTURERS SHOULD BE KNOWLEDGEABLE AND EXPERIENCED IN WHAT THEY TEACH, I HAVE SEEN LECTURERS TEACHING TANKER WORK WHO HAVE NOT SAILED ON A TANKER AND WERE STILL TEACHING ABOUT SINGLE HULL SHIPS WHICH WENT OUT YEARS AGO

• there is less and less time spent on deck during the cadetship. I think we should have practical training in the college on basic topics such as how to mix paint, steel preparation. Understanding different materials. Basic use of power tools such as a drill, angle grinder and needle gun. Along with more time on some of the aspects of the EDH course

• more simulator time at college, compulsory trip on foreign going vessel (general cargo, bulker, tanker, car carrier etc.) and an offshore vessel (not ERRV) during cadetship

• never allow the Foundation Degree guys to skip written at Chief Mates again……it’s a mistake. What you learn at cadet level should not carry you through to completion. The refreshing and deeper understanding mid-career/ a few years later is vital

• mandatory first aid training as part of drills incorporated into MGN 71 or similar

2. Engineering survey

• Deeper understanding of electronics/automation than is currently taught at average marine university (other than electrical engineer courses), absolute dependency on great (average is not sufficient on most modern ships) understanding of electronics/ electrics/ automation processes for everyone, engineering and deck department, not only electrical.

• Electrical and electronic knowledge needs to be enhanced particularly with respect to how systems are interlinked

• ISM, ISPS, and MLC basic audit familiarization course should be mandatory for every seafarer onboard

• Good understanding of automation system, but with system knowledge which allows for manual correction when automation fails.

• Commercial aspects of the ships, importance of avoiding breakdown, commercial losses, general idea about chartering and effects of commercial pressure.

• See experience to the next grade of license should be extended. 24 months for 2/e license, 36 months for C/E license.

• The training received today is all still relevant, certain areas i feel will start to be reduced, such as electrical aspects of ships, due to the rise of ETO’s. Training in this is still required, but a more in depth hands on approach should be taken in this aspect of training, most newly qualified engineers are not able to use a multimeter due to lack of training, and the idea that it is not there job to know.

• Counter terrorism/piracy shipboard defense.

• Refresher courses for Medical First Aid

• All Seafarers Training

• Would recommend bringing in Mandatory Enclosed Space training, including it as part of the 5 yearly STCW refresher training (bringing this to a full 5-day week).

• Junior Engineering Officer Training

• Additionally, the inclusion of dedicated Coaching, Mentoring and Management training would be hugely beneficial.

• HELM(O) is not fit for purpose, as it covers logistically planning an expedition to the Antarctic.

• Useful.

• Senior Engineering Officer Training

• Consider the inclusion of additional Safeguarding, Mentoring and Management Training. Again, HELM(M) is not fit for purpose, and appears as a ‘that will do’ training course with no real benefit.

• Areas of engineering training which can be enhanced is the amount of workshop time during Cadetship to include basic fitting/turning/welding skills particularly prior to the first sea phase even by reintroducing a 6-week workshop package.

• Engineers should have a greater focus on engine room management and international law/ governance. ERM should be mandatory.

• Especially with regards to the newer vessels coming into service, more instrumentation understanding across the board would be beneficial even for those who have completed training prior

• Reintroduction of Class 2 written examination. Experience levels in actual engineering principals being lost with introduction of management level exam.

• Candidates moving straight to management principals rather than Engineering. 2nds paper Engineering, Chiefs paper management. Think we have lost this with new system.

• Most of the “generic” statements that appear in STCW are almost timeless. However, the detailed structure that is constructed by flag states, to meet the “generic” statements, needs to be reviewed and move with the times. Knowledge and skills associated with machinery construction, dismantling, assembly and overhaul should take precedence over “skills associated with making new components”. Fault finding and problem solving associated with modern machinery and control systems is vital as is an understanding of the science that drives the machinery and associated systems. In the very near future “waste heat recovery” and advanced embedded systems will drive the quest for efficiency and the sophisticated plant will need to be managed by engineering officers with exceptional and extensive knowledge and ability of the plant, as they will need to gather information about the plant operation from remote sensors rather that from more physical inspection

• Mental health awareness - prevent bullying culture and work out understanding seafarers with anxiety and depression

• Longer cadetships and more sea time requirement between CoC’s.

• More workshop time for trainees.

• Hands on is beneficial, but the current balance between study and sea time does not fully prepare candidates for the career they have chosen.

• More emphasis on sketch and describe because many of newly certified engineers struggle with giving engineering explanations to the issues they face.

• More diagnostic/fault finding training.

• More electronics / plc fault finding training.

• Improvement of “hands on” workshop skills.

• Metaskills; Working with Others; Cultural Awareness; Social Inclusivity; Personal, Social & Learning Competence; Mental Wellbeing

• Digital Competence; Cyber Security

• Increased operational understanding, knowledge of statute and how to understand manuals and fault find on equipment.

• I don’t think enough emphasis is placed on shipboard security. It can be just as dangerous as a fire breaking out aboard the ship.

• Basic Understanding the Class and Flag survey structure

• Coaching and mentoring training.

• Management training to include department coordination and workload management.

• Mental health awareness.

• Perhaps more academic and vocational training on automation and control systems, while I believe it is of fundamental importance to be able to understand and operate systems and equipment manually the modern trend is towards automated control using touchscreens and remote operation. It has become increasingly necessary to understand the links between control systems and the machinery itself.

• Also, the importance and different approaches to RCM and MMS, certainly our cadets seem to rely entirely on in-house training for the use of our computerized maintenance systems.

• Use of more automated equipment and reversionary modes.

• Requirement to comply with Company ISM and Ship specific Standing Orders

• Elements of Risk Assessments and Standard Operating Procedures - basis of operating procedures

• Limitation of ship specific power and propulsion equipment (Slow Speed/Medium Speed, Direct Drive/CPP, Diesel/Diesel Electric Drive etc)

• Emphasis - hands on skills; requirement to think out solutions to problems rather than just highlight them; move away from just being an ‘operator’ back to being an ‘operator maintainer’; increase in legislation awareness; increase in recording maintenance, defects and defect rectification for records and audit purposes.

• Having completed the HELM operational course I do understand the relevance of what is being conveyed however I must admit it was exceptionally boring. I am not sure what could be done to better the course, perhaps 2 relatively intensive days would be easier to stay focused on than making it last 3 days would be a start.

• Ensure ALL vessels comply to the same standards, and not just “go by the spirit of it”

• Not yet finished my cadetship however going to sea with only my NC level 6 earlier this year gave me little understanding of how equipment worked onboard however in the middle of sitting my HNC now and it being a lot more intense I feel I will be better prepared for my next sea phase

• Possibly a higher level of management training to keep up with shore-side management terminologies & systems.

• All kind of areas onboard of could be improved for better operational requirement.

• Too much confusion between routine work and everyday work safety.

• More electrical, electronics, hydraulics, instrumentation & control related syllabus need to be added for the Marine engineering competency examination.

• Now a day’s too much training going on ‘‘ON BOARD SHIP’’ which is too stressful for seafarers.

• Need to stop / remove all unnecessary thing.

• Increased sea time required between applying for CoC’s. 36 months to achieve Chief Engineer Certificate is dangerous and very likely to result increase in on-board accidents and injuries due to lack of experience.

• Simulator training is being used in many colleges now and while this is useful it is not a substitute for the real thing. From my experience with Cadets and Junior Officers, there seems to be a lack of enthusiasm towards general watchkeeping (the bread and butter) - all they want to do is be an engineer from the control room! This leads to a lack of familiarity with their plant and engineering knowledge. This shows in Oral examinations.

• I think this is coming from an over-emphasis on much simulator training in the colleges.

• I think the practical aspect of an engineer’s job needs to be driven home more and simulator training should never be accepted as an alternative.

• Ships today are getting more and more advanced with high emphasis being placed on electronic components and advanced technology. Introduction of fault finding by remote access and cyber security means that older seafarers are being left behind. There is an increased amount of computer-based workloads and very little in the way of IT training throughout the cadetships.

• safety……

• Consider introducing voluntary legislation & engine room machinery quizzes for seafarers to test their knowledge on so they know where they are falling short. This may would be helpful to people looking for promotion or those who just want to know what they have forgotten since training. These quizzes could be completed via a company website or email link.

• Not so much training but more education for seafarer’s mental health and how mental health can affect seafarers working at sea

• As more and more operating systems are becoming computer based, having a basic knowledge of how to restart, reboot and override computer controls.

• More focus needs to be on manual operation of systems when computer-controlled systems fail. Anything from manual synchronizing of generators to OWS operation should be covered as many young officers I see don’t understand how to carry things out manually of know what they are looking at when trying to manually operates systems.

• More on alternative propulsion and power generation systems.

• Alternative fuels & their safety issues including LNG, Batteries, Ethanol, Hydrogen etc.

• High Voltage should be a integral part of a CoC not an additional course, especially as you can be asked HV questions in your CoC exam but your CoC doesn’t qualify you to sail on HV ships.

• Experience to the next license grade should be extended, 24 months for 2/E, 36 months for C/E.

• A clearer route for non-qualified individuals to gain a CoC.

• Ensure that training is continually checked and followed. It is very difficult to work with people who learn what they need to pass and then forget it all.

3. Electro-technical survey

• Enhancing sat coms and computer network information/ knowledge

• ETO’s are required to take STCW courses yet aren’t “required crew members for a vessel” this should be amended as the increase in ships electrics & monitoring systems make them one of the most important crew members for the safety of the vessel & all modern ships.

• Lift maintenance, operation and safety.

• In-depth networking, satellite navigation and communication system knowledge,

• I think the syllabus covers most aspects but maybe more in-depth study or practical work on motor drive units would be useful as most automation systems use some sort of drive or inverter. Also, DC bus drive units are becoming popular. In addition, the theoretical and practical elements of high-power propulsion converter systems should be taught along with the developments in the semi-conductors used. This may be already covered in the DEP course.

• As mentioned before, we need more teaching on IT systems. It is ridiculous to be sent on board with so many TRB tasks on computers yet have zero understanding due to no teaching from college on this. Network management on computer systems would be very useful to learn and I am confused why this is only on the TRB and not in the ETO course.

• There should also be a task on low insulation and earth fault finding.

• more familiarisation of passenger lifts, maintenance and safety procedures.

• familiarisation of distributed control systems (DCS) bridge /engine room.

• include better computers instruction, how to rebuild a crashed network system.

• incorporate Microsoft training courses.

• regular updates of firefighting first aid (every 5 years) as procedures change.

• For the ETO training course, more time should be spent on plant operation from both the electrical and mechanical point of view to give a better overall understanding.

• Less time should be used for modules such as management as they only apply to senior cruise ship electrical staff (and in my experience were of no value to anyone).

• Complex electrical hazardous areas 1-4

• The ETO certification should place more emphasis on the principles, operation and maintenance of PLCs and computer systems in the maritime environment. With increasing automation, and therefore heavier reliance on these systems, the ETO cadetship should be amended to reflect this.

• Keep as a competency but remove from the TRB. This is impossible to complete at sea without the tuition. Make a college module/short course on this.

• This is very difficult to do on ship. This is not taught at all in the ETO cadetship and therefore we are sent to sea without any IT skills to complete this task. Moreover, this is usually the chief engineer’s job and completed by contractors outside of the company. Therefore, when it came to complete these tasks in the TRB my understanding was theoretical. I am not the only one to have struggled, please speak to other cadets or newly qualified ETOs and they will say the same.

• Some of the TRB tasks are very vague - test or maintain an ECDIS? Test or maintain the gyro? (this is a technician job, as a cadet I am not allowed anywhere near it!) Could there be further clarification and realistic goals set