The Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) Convention is an international treaty that sets minimum qualification standards for seafarers on seagoing merchant ships and large yachts. The STCW Convention was adopted in 1978 by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for regulating shipping. The Convention has been…
Every ship is required by international law to be registered in a country known as its flag state. Flag of convenience, the process of documenting a ship in a country other than the country of ownership, confers the nationality of the flag state to the registered ship. Ship registries have their own set of rules…
According to U.S Geological Surveys, about 71 percent of the world or earth’s surface is covered by water bodies, and about 96 percent is the oceans. That is the reason why maritime, also known as admiralty law exists. The United States is under maritime law. Long before, maritime law, also known as admiralty law used…
As all are aware by now, operations onboard a merchant vessel can be very hazardous and dangerous to the crew and in such cases, a work permit on the ship might be required. Each ship has its own safety management system to guide, train and monitor almost all work and operations. Included in this system…