Security Courses Criteria - Second Edition

The specifications described in this document have been developed by the Merchant Navy Training Board (MNTB) and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). In addition to practical training advice and learning objectives, relevant extracts of the STCW Code are appended to this edition. These cover areas such as minimum standards of competency in security awareness, highlighting the criteria against which seafarers can evaluate their performance.

This document provides the criteria for the development of courses to deliver training in ship security awareness, proficiency of seafarers with designated security duties and for proficiency of ship security officers (SSO), in accordance with international regulations for seafarer training. It also includes the mandatory (but non STCW) requirement for training covering the role of the company security officer.

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Training courses developed in line with these criteria, delivered at centres approved by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), will cover:

• Proficiency in security awareness (Section 2)
• Proficiency for seafarers with designated security duties (Section 3)
• Proficiency for ship security officers (Section 4)
• Proficiency for company security officers (non STCW) (Section 5).

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The specifications described in this document have been developed by the Merchant Navy Training Board (MNTB) in conjunction with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

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The MCA has agreed with the MNTB that the specifications described in this document will satisfy the requirements for approved training. Conditions for MCA approval of short courses are contained in Annex A, which should be used in conjunction with the MCA guide to approval of regulatory training requirements.

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The competencies required for the security awareness and designated security duties training courses are effectively subsets of the existing ship security officer training. It has therefore been agreed that training centres that hold current MCA approval (ie have completed MCA initial or re-approval within the last five years) to deliver the STCW SSO course and use the same personnel, need only submit course material for the desk assessment, and additional QA procedures, if required, to gain approval to deliver these courses. Any such approval will be limited to the same re-approval date as the SSO course.

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The national occupational standards relating to this training are:

• A31 – Maintain personal health, safety and environmental standards on board a vessel
• A32 – Maintain safe, legal and effective working practices on board a vessel
• A33 – Ensure safe, legal and effective working practices on board a vessel.

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There is also a suite of Maritime Studies Qualifications which contain units relevant to this training. The specific units are:

• Maritime employment, environmental and health and safety practice
• Maintain safe and environmentally responsible working practices on board a vessel
• Maritime security.

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These criteria have been developed to deliver education and training covering security at sea to meet specific parts of the regulatory requirements of Tables A-VI/6-1, A-VI/6-2 and A-VI/5 of the Annex to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1978, as amended, hereafter referred to as STCW. They also cover the mandatory requirements concerning the company security officer, as set out in Chapter XI-2 of the Annex to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974, as amended and in Part A of the ISPS Code.

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The overall aim is to provide seafarers with the necessary knowledge, understanding and proficiency to protect and maintain their own and others’ security at sea in accordance with international regulations.

Section 1 Introduction

Section 2 Proficiency in security awareness course criteria

Section 3 Proficiency for seafarers with designated security duties course criteria

Section 4 Proficiency for ship security officers (SSO) course criteria

Section 5 Company security officer training (non STCW requirement) course criteria

Annex A MCA approval of short courses

Annex B STCW Code:

(i) Table A-VI/6-1

(ii) Table A-VI/6-2

(iii) Table A-VI/5

Annex C Instructor/assessor qualification and experience requirements

Annex D Specimen certificates:

(i) Proficiency in security awareness

(ii) Proficiency in designated security duties

(iii) Proficiency as ship security officer

(iv) Specimen certificate for specialised marine training

The Merchant Navy Training Board is the shipping industry’s central body for promoting and developing sector specific education, training and skills.

https://mntb.org.uk/