STCW Controlling the Operation of the Ship & Care for Persons on Board

The international effort against illegal drug traffickers who use commercial shipping to transport their merchandise is gaining momentum. Several hundred shipping companies have already signed the US Customs Service’s Sea Carrier Initiative Agreement. The war is on in earnest.

The first line of defence is shoreside. It involves a much closer scrutiny of customers, employees and service companies. Improved security measures must also control documentation, cargo handling and access to premises. The second line of defence is shipside. This involves closer scrutiny of documentation, container seals and cargo integrity. Officers and crew on board must be checked more vigorously. Improved security measures must control access to both the vessel and cargo areas. Meticulous searches of all compartments must be conducted on a regular basis. Communication channels with the shoreside authorities must be enhanced.

Two videos packages have been made in association with the US and UK Customs Services for different target audiences.

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PART 1. A SHIP IN PERIL

Code No 9946

Time: 23 Mins

The program is primarily aimed at Masters of vessels who need to establish their own ship-side defence line designed for their own vessels.

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PART 2. DANGER! DRUGS ON BOARD

Code No 9947

Time: 22 Mins

The program is mainly addressed to Officers and Crew members who are required to carry out and maintain the defence system on board ship.

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SAY NO - A Seafarer's Guide to Living Life Without Drugs

Code No 940

Time: 31 Mins

The video is from seamen to fellow seamen; the people in the video actually experienced their fellow shipmates' plight after getting involved in drugs.

We are all quite well informed about drugs. The terrible toll it takes of users, and carriers when caught; not to mention their families. There are regular news items of drug smugglers getting the death penalty and sometimes these becoming politicized; in the main, we all think it‚s not going to involve us personally. It does.

This new video/DVD from Videotel serves as a reminder. Drug smuggling is a very serious crime, with very serious consequences for the individuals concerned, their crewmates, their families, the vessel and owners. The temptation to smuggle drugs is great, due to the large sums of money involved, but the consequences of being caught are also huge.

This video explains the damage a drug related incident can cause and identifies measures to prevent them. It shows how to improve the education of seafarers with regard to drugs:

• effective ways to stop drugs getting onboard
• how to carry out comprehensive drug searching of vessels both by ships staff and third parties
• how to deal with situations where a crew member is suspected of drug smuggling
• how to prevent crew members being accosted and recruited as potential drug smugglers and there after being blackmailed to continue this dreadful activity.

Furthermore, the programme illustrates how South America has become a transport and service hub for the drug industry and how good awareness to drugs trafficking and its dire consequences can stop the destructive influence it has on seafarers and their families. Just say no and be safe.

Produced By:
Wallem Shipmanagement Ltd

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IT'S NOT WORTH IT! - Maritime Pollution Offences

Code No 944

Time: 23 Mins

There is no question that authorities, worldwide, are taking a much tougher line with those who wilfully contravene the provisions of MARPOL. Cheating and deceiving is no way to conduct business. Such action undermines the hard work of every honest operator and seafarer that complies with these laws every day. It’s Not Worth It! Is a programme, which deals with the illegal discharges of oily waste. If seafarers believe that they can, with impunity, continue to rig bypass pipes and falsify records, then the opening few moments of the programme will dramatically persuade them otherwise!

It highlights the many successful prosecutions that have been brought against individual seafarers and ship operators: some the result of evidence provided by whistleblowers, which have resulted in multimillion dollar fines and, in some cases, imprisonment.

Portrayed by actors and dramatised to a high level of reality, with contributions from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and the United States Coastguard (USCG), the many reasons behind illegal discharges of oily waste are exposed.

It’s Not Worth It! Also suggests ways that shore based management and shipboard personnel can work together in an open and honest way.

It highlights the importance of maintaining the Oily Water Separator, recording any and every maintenance activity associated with it, and taking steps to prevent the system being tampered with. It stresses the need for records such as the Oil Record Book to be properly maintained. The video and workbook is aimed at all seafarers, shore based management, operators and ship owners.

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