Transport Canada has issued a bulletin regarding the inspections of vessel personnel certificates and endorsements

Transport Canada has issued a ship safety bulletin (SSB) regarding the inspections of vessel personnel certificates and endorsements.

Purpose

This bulletin, issued on 26 September 2023, explains the responsibility of the Master and Authorized Representative (AR) to ensure Vessel Personnel certificates are kept on board the ship in their original form, readily available for inspection as per the Marine Personnel Regulations s.203 and to remind the Master and AR about the Period of Validity of every Canadian Maritime document as per CSA 2001 s.17(1).

Scope

This bulletin applies to all Canadian vessels who have a person employed on board in a position in respect of which a certificate is required under the Canada Shipping Act 2001, Part 3 Personnel, s.87.

They shall hold the certificate and comply with its terms and conditions.

The master of a Canadian vessel shall ensure that every person who is employed in a position on board presents to the master all Canadian maritime documents that they are required under Canada Shipping Act 2001, Part 3 Personnel, s.82 (1), to have for that position.

Vessel Personnel certificates must be kept on board the ship in their original form and readily available for inspection.

Background

In the summer of 2018, Canada informed the International Maritime Organization (IMO) about the establishment of an online system for verifying certificates.

This is aligned with Canada’s commitment to:

• fully comply with the STCW Convention;
• ensure vessels are staffed and operated by properly trained and certified seafarers;
• discourage unlawful ways of issuing certificates; and
• support port State control activities.

The IMO provides a link to Canada’s website, which companies and other parties can now use to verify the validity of certificates of competency, certificates of proficiency, and endorsements.

Verifying Canadian STCW Issued Certificates

Any Canadian STCW issued certificate of competency, certificate of proficiency, and endorsement; can have its status verified by clicking on the link: Verify the status of a certificate or endorsement.

Verifying Canadian Domestic Non-STCW Issued Certificates

To verify the status of a Transport Canada Domestic (Examiner or Minister) issued certificate of competency, certificate of proficiency, and endorsement each item below must be verified by the Master or AR.

• Document must be in its original form;
• Printed on Transport Canada water mark paper;
• Transport Canada office stamp;
• Document seal placed over office stamp;
• Examiner signature (digital or wet ink); and
• Unique certificate number in red ink.

For more information, please see the document below (available only to subscribers):Inspections of Vessel Personnel Certificates and Endorsements