The Safe Manning Document- A handy guide

Navsregs>Ship Certification>Safe Manning Document

This post series now moves on to the certificates related to manning the ship.

The minimum needed to man the ship

What is it?

The safe manning is a document issued by the flag state that listing the numbers and qualifications required to man the ship.

Why is it needed?

It is required by SOLAS  Chapter V, Regulation 14 Ship’s manning.

“1. Contracting Governments undertake, each for its national ships, to maintain, or, if it is necessary, to adopt, measures for the purpose of ensuring that, from the point of view of safety of life at sea, all ships shall be sufficiently and efficiently manned.

2. For every ship to which chapter I applies, the administration shall:

.1 establish appropriate minimum safe manning following a transparent procedure, taking into account the relevant guidance adopted by the organization*; and

.2 issue an appropriate minimum safe manning document or equivalent as evidence of the minimum safe manning considered necessary to comply with the provisions of paragraph 1.”

The relevant UK legislation is  the Merchant Shipping (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping) Regulations 2015, SI 2015/782,

The related UK M notice is MSN 1868 (M) Standards of Training, Certification & Watchkeeping Convention: UK Requirements for Safe Manning and Watchkeeping

What does it contain?

Ships details

• Name
• Port of registry
• Distinctive number or letters
• IMO number
• Gross tonnage
• Main propulsion power
• Type and trading area
• Whether or not the machinery space is unattended and company as defined in the ISM Code

Table of personnel required

• Numbers
• Grades
• Capacities
• Any special conditions or other remarks

Limitations

• Ship particulars
• Service

Issue  details

• Date of issue
• Expiry date
•  Signature and the seal of the Administration.

Reference: IMO  Resolution A.1047(27) Adopted on 30 November 2011 (Agenda item 9) PRINCIPLES OF MINIMUM SAFE MANNING

How is it issued?

A manning submission in submitted to the vessel’s flag state by the company giving its manning proposals. This proposals must demonstrate compliance with STCW  78 for safe manning.

How are the qualifications defined?

Through the STCW Regulation and paragraph.

Here is a table of those Regulations:

Master and deck department
Officer in charge of a navigational watch on any ship on voyages not limited to near-coastal voyages	Regulation II/1, paragraph 2
Master or chief mate on a ship of 3000 GT or more	Regulation II/2, paragraph 2
Master on a ship of between 500 GT and 2999 GT not engaged on near-coastal voyages	Regulation II/2, paragraph 4
Chief mate on a ship of between 500 GT and 2999 GT	Regulation II/2, paragraph 4
Officer in charge of a navigational watch on a ship of less than 500 GT engaged on near-coastal voyages	Regulation II/3, paragraph 4
Master on a ship of less than 500 GT engaged on near-coastal voyages	Regulation II/3, paragraph 6
Engine department
Officer in charge of an engineering watch in a manned engine-room, or designated duty engineer officer in a periodically unmanned engine-room, on a ship powered by main propulsion machinery of 750 kilowatts propulsion power or more	Regulation III/1, paragraph 2
Chief engineer officer or second engineer officer on a ship powered by main propulsion machinery of 3000 kilowatts propulsion power or more	Regulation III/2, paragraph 2
Chief engineer officer and second engineer officer on a ship powered by main propulsion machinery of between 750 and 3000 kilowatts propulsion power	Regulation III/3, paragraph 2
Electro-technical officer on a ship powered by main propulsion machinery of 750 kilowatts propulsion power or more	Regulation III/6, paragraph 2

Other sources of information

UK Guidance on SOLAS chapter V

IMO Safe manning page

IMO STCW page

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