Basic and advanced polar waters training for deck officers and the transitional provisions after entry into force in 2018 (STCW Regulation V/4)

STCW Regulation V/4 sets the training required of deck officers on ships operating in polar waters. The area is the Arctic waters and the Antarctic area as defined in SOLAS chapter XIV, and the ships are those operating in that area. It is not a worldwide obligation. A ship that does not enter polar waters is outside this regulation.

The regulation stands on three dates. The day the Polar Code takes effect, the day the STCW amendments enter into force, and the day the transitional provisions end. It also draws two rank lines. The basic certificate reaches down to the officer in charge of a navigational watch, and the advanced certificate stops at the master and chief mate. Mixing the dates and the ranks leaves a person who sailed under the transitional provisions without a certificate from a certain day.

Regulation V/4 was added by MSC.416(97), adopted in November 2016, and MSC.417(97) added Code section A-V/4 on the same day. Both resolutions entered into force on 1 July 2018.

The extent of polar waters is set by SOLAS chapter XIV, not by STCW

MSC.416(97) added two definitions to Regulation I/1.

.42 Polar Code means the International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters, as defined in SOLAS regulation XIV/1.1.

.43 Polar waters means Arctic waters and/or the Antarctic area, as defined in SOLAS regulations XIV/1.2 to XIV/1.4.

STCW does not define polar waters itself. It hands the question over with as defined in SOLAS regulations XIV/1.2 to XIV/1.4. From which latitude the waters are polar, and which routes are caught, has to be read in the SOLAS provisions. This article does not cover that definition.

Date	What happens	Basis
1 January 2017	The Polar Code takes effect with the entry into force of SOLAS chapter XIV	Preamble of MSC.416(97)
1 July 2018	Regulation V/4 and A-V/4 enter into force	Text of MSC.416(97) and MSC.417(97)
1 July 2020	Transitional provisions end	Regulation V/4 paragraphs 6 and 7

There is a gap of a year and a half between the first and the second date. The preamble of MSC.416(97) knows about that gap. It notes that during the transitional period between the Polar Code and the STCW amendments the guidance of Code section B-V/g should be applied by Administrations. Paragraph 4 of the resolution then urges Parties to implement Regulation V/4 at an early stage, and paragraph 5 invites Parties to recognize certificates issued early by another Party.

The basic certificate reaches down to the officer in charge of a navigational watch

1 Masters, chief mates and officers in charge of a navigational watch on ships operating in polar waters shall hold a certificate in basic training for ships operating in polar waters, as required by the Polar Code.

2 Every candidate for a certificate in basic training for ships operating in polar waters shall have completed an approved basic training for ships operating in polar waters and meet the standard of competence specified in section A-V/4, paragraph 1, of the STCW Code.

Three groups are named. Masters, chief mates, and officers in charge of a navigational watch. Engineer officers and ratings are not in this provision. The title of Regulation V/4 says masters and deck officers. Polar training is a deck officer qualification.

There is one route to the certificate. Complete approved basic training and meet the standard of competence of A-V/4 paragraph 1. There is no branch where seagoing service replaces the course, as there is for the basic tanker certificate. The closing words as required by the Polar Code place the question of who must hold the certificate in the Polar Code, while STCW sets the requirements for the certificate.

The advanced certificate stops at the master and chief mate and asks for two months of service

3 Masters and chief mates on ships operating in polar waters, shall hold a certificate in advanced training for ships operating in polar waters, as required by the Polar Code.

4 Every candidate for a certificate in advanced training for ships operating in polar waters shall: .1 meet the requirements for certification in basic training for ships in polar waters; .2 have at least two (2) months of approved seagoing service in the deck department, at management level or while performing watchkeeping duties at the operational level, within polar waters or other equivalent approved seagoing service; and .3 have completed approved advanced training for ships operating in polar waters and meet the standard of competence specified in section A-V/4, paragraph 2 of the STCW Code.

Two groups are named for the advanced certificate. Masters and chief mates. The officer in charge of a navigational watch does not need it. The requirement has three pieces. The basic certificate requirements, at least two months of approved seagoing service, and approved advanced training with the standard of competence of A-V/4 paragraph 2. All three are needed.

The conditions on the service piece are worth reading. Service in the deck department, at management level or while performing watchkeeping duties at the operational level, within polar waters. A second officer who kept watch in polar waters for two months has service that counts. The sentence ends with or other equivalent approved seagoing service. What counts as equivalent is for the Administration.

Certificate	Who	Requirement	Standard of competence
Basic	Master, chief mate, officer in charge of a navigational watch	Approved basic training	A-V/4 paragraph 1
Advanced	Master, chief mate	Basic requirements, at least two months of service in polar waters, approved advanced training	A-V/4 paragraph 2

A-V/4 paragraphs 1 and 2 point to tables A-V/4-1 and A-V/4-2. The candidate demonstrates the competence to undertake the tasks in column 1 and provides evidence of the knowledge in column 2 and the standard of competence under the methods and criteria in columns 3 and 4.

5 Administrations shall ensure that a Certificate of Proficiency is issued to seafarers who are qualified in accordance with paragraphs 2 or 4, as appropriate.

The form is a Certificate of Proficiency. The option of endorsing an existing certificate of competency is not in this provision.

The transitional provisions stayed open along two routes until 1 July 2020

6 Until 1 July 2020, seafarers who commenced approved seagoing service in polar waters prior to 1 July 2018 shall be able to establish that they meet the requirements of paragraph 2 by: .1 having completed approved seagoing service on board a ship operating in polar waters or equivalent approved seagoing service, performing duties in the deck department at the operational or management level, for a period of at least three months in total during the preceding five years; or .2 having successfully completed a training course meeting the training guidance established by the Organization for ships operating in polar waters.

7 Until 1 July 2020, seafarers who commenced approved seagoing service in polar waters prior to 1 July 2018 shall be able to establish that they meet the requirements of paragraph 4 by: .1 having completed approved seagoing service on board a ship operating in polar waters or equivalent approved seagoing service, performing duties in the deck department at management level, for a period of at least three months in total during the preceding five years; or .2 having successfully completed a training course meeting the training guidance established by the Organization for ships operating in polar waters and having completed approved seagoing service on board a ship operating in polar waters or equivalent approved seagoing service, performing duties in the deck department at the management level, for a period of at least two months in total during the preceding five years.

The transitional provisions have one entrance. A seafarer who commenced approved seagoing service in polar waters before the entry into force. Someone who first entered polar waters after that date does not get through these two paragraphs.

Past the entrance, basic and advanced each have two routes. For basic, three months of polar service within the preceding five years, or completion of a course meeting the IMO training guidance. For advanced, three months at management level, or a course plus two months at management level. The basic service may be at operational level, but the advanced service narrows to at management level.

Both paragraphs read Until 1 July 2020. After that day the transitional route cannot be used to establish qualification, and the regular requirements of paragraphs 2 and 4 apply. A person who received a certificate under the transitional provisions should check whether that certificate was issued on the regular requirements.

Five-year maintenance is set separately by Regulation I/11 paragraph 4 and A-I/11 paragraph 4

MSC.416(97) inserted a paragraph 4 into Regulation I/11.

4 Every master or officer shall, for continuing seagoing service on board ships operating in polar waters, meet the requirements of paragraph 1 of this regulation and be required, at intervals not exceeding five years, to establish continued professional competence for ships operating in polar waters in accordance with section A-I/11, paragraph 4 of the STCW Code.

On top of the general revalidation of Regulation I/11 paragraph 1, continued professional competence for polar waters is established separately at intervals not exceeding five years. The two do not overlap. Revalidating the certificate of competency leaves the polar proof still to be made.

4 Continued professional competence for masters and officers on board ships operating in polar waters, as required under regulation I/11, shall be established by: .1 approved seagoing service, performing functions appropriate to the certificate held, for a period of at least two months in total during the preceding five years; or .2 having performed functions considered to be equivalent to the seagoing service required in paragraph 4.1; or .3 passing an approved test; or .4 successfully completing an approved training course or courses.

There are four ways. Approved seagoing service of at least two months in total within the preceding five years, functions considered equivalent to the service in paragraph 4.1, passing an approved test, or completing an approved training course. Any one of the four is enough. The service piece says in total, so the two months need not be served in one stretch. Two months added up within five years will do.

Worth confirming

The passages above come from Regulation V/4 and the amendments to Regulations I/1 and I/11 added by MSC.416(97), and from A-V/4 and A-I/11 paragraph 4 added by MSC.417(97). This article goes no further than the text of the two resolutions.

The definition of polar waters and which ships are subject to the Polar Code are questions for SOLAS chapter XIV. The competence items of tables A-V/4-1 and A-V/4-2 are not reproduced. Recognition of equivalent seagoing service, approval of courses, and the handling of certificates issued during the transitional period are for the Administration.

You can consult the cited source documents

These links lead to the official publishers of the documents discussed here. Match the edition and provisions cited in the article, and check subsequent amendments and flag-state implementation before applying them.

• IMO · MSC.416(97)
• IMO · MSC.417(97)

Continue with the related operational guidance

• Five-year revalidation of certificates and the two seagoing service routes (STCW Regulation I/11)
• Recognition of foreign certificates and the service allowed before endorsement (STCW Regulation I/10)