New onboard safety familiarisation guidance issued for maritime industry

The joint guidance (10-page/355 KB PDF) from the UK Chamber of Shipping, and maritime and seafarers’ unions Nautilus International and the RMT, is aimed at developing a practical framework for onboard familiarisation programmes and sets out the recommended minimum standards for these programmes within shipping companies.

The new guidance, which was launched during Maritime Safety Week last month, has been put together to help shipping industry companies provide clear and effective onboard safety familiarisation for crew before they begin their shipboard roles. It covers all ranks and duties within a ship’s crew and is designed to be used by operators of all ship types and ships of all flags.

Natalie Walker, a regulatory expert with Pinsent Masons, said the guidance would give shipping companies a steer into what is expected of them when it comes to the provision of onboard safety familiarisation programmes.

“It is important for shipping sector companies to pay close attention to the new guidance, as although the guidance is not a legal requirement, the regulator may look to it in deciding whether companies have been carrying out onboard safety familiarisation exercises properly,” she said.

“Those working in the industry should start to review their policies and procedures on onboard safety familiarisation now to make sure they are compliant with the guidance.”

The guidance, which draws on international requirements such as the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 and the Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seafarers and the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Convention, has been designed to provide clear and practical illustrations of regulatory expectations on shipping companies as regards onboard safety familiarisation.

It includes how to introduce crew to a ship’s layout; environmental protection measures and safety; and emergency procedures, equipment and onboard responsibilities across the ranks – with an emphasis on the benefits strong onboarding procedures have in ensuring robust wellbeing and morale on a vessel.

Among the recommendations it makes are appointing dedicated familiarisation managers, and greater crew feedback procedures to help improve both familiarisation and handover processes.

"No seafarer should ever step aboard an unfamiliar vessel and be expected to work or respond to an emergency without knowing the ship's layout, equipment and procedures,” said Nautilus International’s head of professional and technical David Appleton.