The National Maritime Center posted a bulletin to its website with amplifying information regarding Policy Letter 02-18, “Guidelines for Qualifications of Personnel for Issuing STCW Endorsements for Basic and Advanced Polar Code Operations,” which published in the Federal Register June 22, 2108.
6/22/2018: Notice of Policy Implementing the 2016 Amendments to STCW in Support of the Polar Code
This policy provides guidance for the issuance of Merchant Mariner Credential endorsements in accordance with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, as amended, for Basic and Advanced Polar Code Operations. This policy is effective June 22, 2018, but the Coast Guard requests public comments on it.
3/1/2018: Remarks by Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards Jeffrey Lantz, during Polar Code harmonization conference
Mr. Jeff Lantz, Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards, spoke Feb. 22, 2018 at the International Conference on Polar Code Harmonization, in Helsinki, Finland. This post offers a condensed version of Lantz’s remarks, which focus on the U.S. Coast Guard’s view on harmonization, implementation, continued development and lessons learned.
1/16/2018: IGF Code and Polar Code implementation updates
The IGF Code and Polar Code each outline training requirements found in STCW amendments. The National Maritime Center has been and will continue to evaluate courses and issue letters attesting to the conformance of the course content with the training guidance in policy letters CG-OES 01-15 and CG-OES-01-16. Regulations may be published in the future to implement the IGF and Polar Code training requirements. Until then, the policy letters will remain in force and provide the applicable guidance regarding compliance with the STCW amendments. At this time the NMC will not be issuing endorsements to mariners completing the requirements contained in the policy letters.
9/21/2017: Final Rule – Polar Ship certificates required for certain ships operating in Polar waters
This final rule, effective Oct. 23, 2017, adds the Polar Ship Certificate to a list of certificates that certain U.S. and foreign-flag ships will need to carry on board if they engage in international voyages in polar waters.