GEORGE TOWN, Grand Cayman

The Cayman Islands has been designated to host the 11^th annual Port State Control Officer’s (PSCO) Seminar as well as the 6^th annual On-the-Job Training Programme (OJT) for the Caribbean Memorandum of Understanding (CMOU) on Port State Control (PSC). The seminar takes place 8 – 12 April 2019 at Cannon Place, George Town.

This week’s seminar is part of the ongoing efforts of the CMOU to ensure that the region’s Port State Control Officers have the proper, and ongoing, training they require in order to meet the needs of keeping the CMOU functioning properly.

The CMOU for port State control (PSC) maintains a watchful eye throughout the Caribbean region to ensure that shipping is conducted in a safe, secure and environmentally friendly manner. The Cayman Islands is a Member State and the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry (CISR), a division of the Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands, has the Cayman Islands Government-delegated responsibility for the implementation of the Cayman Islands responsibilities under the CMOU on PSC.

PSC is globally recognized as an effective tool to reduce the number of sub-standard ships operating on the seas. It is a second line of defense that helps to preserve the safety and security of life, property and the marine environment, as some flag State Administrations fail to effectively enforce the implementation of international agreements on vessels flying their flags.

PSC is the inspection of foreign flagged ships that call into national ports, and it is conducted by maritime authorities around the world. PSC officers (inspectors) inspect the competency of the master and officers on board, and the condition of the ship, and certifies that its equipment complies with the requirements of international conventions such as the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) convention; International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL); International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW); the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC); and others relevant to the maritime industry.

As the Maritime Industry continues to evolve and develop to remain relevant, so do the regulations, policies and procedures which govern port State control, both regionally and internationally. They need to be continuously reviewed and updated and these annual seminars allow for the dissemination and instruction on the revised tools and resources along with on-the-job training.

This year’s seminar will see new guidelines and training for MARPOL Annex V, which aims to eliminate and reduce the amount of garbage being dumped in the sea from ships; the Ballast Water Management Convention, 2004 which aims to prevent the spread of harmful aquatic organisms from one region to another and halt damage to the marine environment from ballast water discharge; the SCV Code (2017) which aims to prescribe standards of construction and emergency equipment for small commercial vessels operating in the Caribbean; and for the Nairobi Convention which aims to address the accelerating degradation of the world’s oceans and coastal areas through the sustainable management and use of the marine and coastal environment.

Attending the PSCO Seminar are CMOU Member State delegates from Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cayman Islands, Curaçao, France, Guyana, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, St. Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago as well as Observer State delegates of Anguilla and Sint Maarten.