Offshore Solutions

IoM Instructions for Masters and Senior Offices

All merchant ships registered on the Isle of Man shipping register must have a valid safe Manning Certificate. Safe Manning Certificates are only issued by the Marine Administration after consultation with the Owner or Manager. Class and other organisations are not permitted to issue Safe Manning Certificates for Isle of Man ships.

The Safe Manning Certificate will state the numbers and categories of officers and crew members that are required to be on board. The crew numbers on board must never be allowed to go below the minimum as stated in the Certificate.

If due to unforeseen circumstances a seafarer has to be repatriated from the vessel and a replacement cannot join the ship in time it may be possible for the vessel to continue to operate with one less seafarer than is specified on the Safe Manning Certificate for a maximum period of 21 days. This can be allowed where it is stated on the footnote of the certificate. However, if there is an asterix (*) against that rank then the ship is operating at absolute minimum levels for that rank and you should not sail without the relieving crew member.

On any occasion that a ship sails with less crew on board than is stated on the Safe Manning Certificate it is necessary for the Master, or the company, to advise the Marine Administration.

Isle of Man Officer Endorsements
All officers who do not possess a UK certificate of competency must have a valid STCW95 endorsement document issued by the Marine Administration. Only the
Marine Administration can issue these documents and they must be applied for by the ship’s owners or managers. Individual seafarers cannot apply directly for an Isle of Man endorsement. The Master must ensure that all the officers who require an Isle of Man endorsement have one and that they also have the original of their national certificate of competency.

If an officer does not have an Isle of Man endorsement when he joins then you should check that an endorsement has been applied for. Applications are made by
the owner/manager and if an application has been made a stamped confirmation from the Marine Administration will be available. These are sent to the manager or owner as soon as the application is received by the Marine Administration. A copy of this letter should be retained on board until such time as the officer’s endorsement arrives on board. The officer can sail for a maximum period of 30 days, or the first port after 30 days, pending the arrival of his endorsement.

These procedures are important and must be followed to show any Port State Control Inspector that the Company has followed the correct procedures for the
application for an Isle of Man endorsement. This should eliminate the possibility of the ship being detained.

An Officer can only sail on board Isle of Man registered ships without a valid Isle of Man endorsement for 30 days, providing evidence of such application can be shown.

Watch Keeping Ratings
All Deck and Engine Room Ratings assigned to watch keeping duties must be in possession of Watch Rating Certificates appropriate to their duties.
Watch Rating certificates issued by countries other than the Isle of Man are quite acceptable in Isle of Man ships provided they are issued by countries which are parties to the STCW Convention.

For Ratings who do not possess a Watch Rating Certificate, the Master or the Chief Engineer may issue a Provisional Watch Rating Certificate. You should have been provided with an electronic blank for these by your Isle of Man Manager. Your Isle of Man manager can also provide a copy of the Isle of Man regulations called “Merchant Shipping (Manning and Training) Regulations 1996”. These regulations set out the competencies that a rating must demonstrate in order to qualify for the issue of a watch rating certificate. The regulations can also be found on the Marine Administration web site at:
http://www.gov.im/dti/marineadmin.

If you select “Legislation, Notices and Circulars” in the menu then enter document number 723/96 in the search box you should find these regulations. Alternatively you can find the requirements in the actual STCW Code where the competency requirements for Navigational Watch Ratings are in Section A-II/4 and the requirements for Engine Room watch ratings in Section A-III/4.

If a rating has sufficient sea service, meets the minimum age requirements and can demonstrate his competence in the areas listed in the Convention then you, or your Chief Engineer as appropriate can issue a Provisional Watch Rating Certificate which is valid for 3 months. The original of this provisional certificate should be sent to the Marine Administration through your Owner or Manager to your Isle of Man manager.

The Marine Administration will then issue a full term watch rating certificate.