Interim training guidance for alternative fuels is being developed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) this week, with several delegates highlighting the urgent need for such guidelines to ensure seafarer safety as more ships powered by new fuels and technologies hit the water.
After debates on Monday and Tuesday (10-11 February), delegates at the IMO’s Sub-Committee on Human Element, Training and Watchkeeping (HTW 11) have converged on a two-track approach, which will see generic training guidelines covering all alternative fuels developed in parallel with fuel-specific provisions.
The Sub-Committee has tasked a working group with preparing those draft interim guidelines, which is set to submit its report on Thursday.
The IMO Secretary-General, Arsenio Dominguez, emphasised the importance of this work in his opening remarks on Monday. ‘IMO has set an ambition to reach net-zero GHG emissions from international shipping by or around 2050,’ he reminded delegates. ‘This ambition must be taken as a commitment that highlights the urgency of developing training provisions for seafarers.’
This call was echoed by Denise McCafferty, Senior Human Factor Specialist at the Lloyd’s Register (LR) Maritime Decarbonisation Hub. ‘The time is now. We can’t defer,’ she told Bunkerspot in an interview at the IMO's headquarters in London.
‘We really need to start making decisions about what the framework will be, what the path forward is, because ships are coming out, and we’re going to need to have people working on them, so we need to now start making those hard decisions about how we move forward,’ she added.
McCafferty noted that while there is a general agreement on the technical aspects that need to be included in seafarer training, the key question is how those will eventually be reflected in regulation. ‘That’s what I am hoping we’ll get a better idea about this week, what the direction is going to be for the regulation of the training in the future.’
Guidance needed by the industry
The guidelines being developed by HTW 11 this week will have non-mandatory status, but they will play a key role in guiding the shipping industry as well as maritime training institutions that will deliver training to seafarers, said Arvind Natrajan, Senior Manager at the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS).
However, he told Bunkerspot that the ‘end goal’ would be for the IMO member states to eventually incorporate the guidance into mandatory instruments.
‘In the end, we want these to be mandatory requirements, so that when seafarers are working on ships that have been constructed and equipped according to mandatory provisions, their training will also be mandatory,’ Natrajan illustrated. That’s the end game that we are aiming for, but at this stage, it is difficult to envisage when that will happen.’
He noted that there is currently ‘no uniform approach’ to training seafarers working on alternative-fuelled ships, with different owners providing different training in the absence of mandatory requirements.
‘It is vitally important that on modern ships you have seafarers who are adequately trained, because, otherwise, there is very little hope that IMO would achieve its net zero ambition,’ Natrajan highlighted.
The representative of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) at the IMO, Lydia Ferrad, also hopes that delegates will agree on a way forward this week. ‘The transition to alternative fuels is already happening, and we cannot afford any more delays in helping seafarers to prepare,’ she remarked.
A seaferer herself, she insisted on the importance of involving crews in the transition. ‘They need to be with us in that, as they will be the ones handling these fuels at the end of the day, and the major risks are related to them,’ she said in an interview with Bunkerspot.
‘Seafarer safety must always come first,’ she added. ‘They are adapting to new technologies, taking on new challenges, and leading this transition. The least we can do is ensure they have the right tools, training, and protection to do so safely.’
Ferrad also pointed out that training will need to be adapted for the different roles on board. ‘We need to consider all ranks. An officer and a crew member don’t have the same responsibilities, but they both need to know how to respond in case of an emergency.’
New report on training requirements
ICS, ITF and the LR Maritime Decarbonisation Hub, together with UN Global Compact and the World Maritime University, jointly presented a report to the IMO on Monday, which underscores ‘a broad consensus on the need for significant updates in training and competencies for seafarers as the industry transitions to alternative fuels.’
The research, carried out by the Maritime Just Transition Task Force (MJTTF), identified additional knowledge and skills required for working on ships powered by ammonia, methanol and hydrogen. It outlines recommended competency standards for seafarers to bridge those gaps.
‘In the process of developing generic competency standards, we have included experts from across the value chain, including fuel providers, ship owners, engine manufacturers, bunkering experts, training experts and others,’ said Kjersti Aass, who is leading the Maritime Just Transition Task Force on behalf of the United Nations Global Compact. ‘We all share a common goal to accelerate the adoption of zero- and near-zero GHG emission fuels in a safe and responsible manner.’
The report also highlights the need for specialised knowledge around bunkering and fuel storage, preparation and management to prevent accidents and ensure operational efficiency. It complements a joint submission by ICS and ITF to HTW 11.
The MJTTF is currently developing a training framework and train-the-trainer courses, in line with its recommended competency standards published this week, which are set to be launched by May this year.
The full report is available here.
Photo: IMO
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