Call for calm on crew fears

Ship managers should put in place sensible contingency plans to guard against a worst-case scenario should Filipino officers potentially find themselves banned from working on European Union (EU)-flagged vessels. This follows concerns raised by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) over the ability of the Philippine Maritime Administration to fully and effectively implement all provisions of the STCW Convention. This call by InterManager is intended to put perspective on anxieties about what the EU may ultimately decide with regard to the results of EMSA’s most recent audit of the Philippines in October 2013. Meantime, the Philippine government and industry representatives are working hand-in-hand to rectify original EMSA findings and Philippine sources are confident this continuing effort and work in progress will achieve the desired results for all stakeholders.