DGRM participated in the 9th meeting of the IMO Sub-Committee Human Element, Training and Watchkeeping (HTW/9)" which took place on the 6th and 10th of February in London.
Portugal was represented by the DGRM, through the Head of Division of Sea Personnel and Recreational Navigators, Drª Carlota Leitão Correia and Commander José Manuel Almeida, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through Dr. Carlos Sequeira, from the Portuguese embassy in London, and by the Escola Superior Náutica Infante D. Henrique (ENIDH) through Professors João Frade and Sérgio Tomé , having actively participated, in addition to the work in plenary, in the various specialized working groups, in particular in WG1 – revision of the STCW-F/95 Convention and its annexed Code; WG2 – Revision of the STCW/78 Convention and its annexed Code; WG3 – Preparation of Model Courses.

At this meeting, delegates continued work on revising the text of the STCW/78 Convention and its Annex Code and the STCW-F/95 Convention and its Annex Code. They also addressed the review of some of the existing model courses and the development of new courses, resulting in the approval of 10 new courses. Several subjects were also discussed, related to the deepening conditions for exercising the activity of seafarers in a more equitable way; the need for Member States and international organizations to urgently come forward with proposals on a strategy to deal with the problems associated with fraudulent certificates of competence; the guiding principles for the application of the Conventions; and the development of measures designed to ensure the quality of on-the-job training for seafarers.