On Sunday, we watched the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s principal surveyor Chris detain a foreign-flagged vessel after his inspection identified numerous defects impacting on the safety of those onboard.
Did you miss Sunday's episode? Catch up with 5 On Demand and read our additional content here.
The inspection followed a complaint made by a maritime pilot about the safety of the pilot ladder on board.
It is a complaint the agency takes extremely seriously, as the outcome of a safety breach on a pilot ladder can be fatal.
Unless you work in the industry or know of someone who does, what is required of our seafarers is not always obvious – the documentary is a rare chance to give the public a glimpse of behind-the-scenes. One of the roles that support our seafarers could even be your calling.
So, what is required of the crew onboard and how does the MCA help with this?
All seafarers need training and require evidence that they have received this training before they are allowed to work onboard a vessel in UK waters. One of the tasks Chris carried out is a full check of the certificates of the crew onboard, to ensure they were up to date and suitable to work onboard.
If they are not, a vessel will not pass its inspection and valuable time and money could be lost.
The Seafarer Operations team
The Seafarer Operations team at the MCA are a customer facing team where the main focus is ensuring the qualifications held by seafarers are valid and meet the standards required to comply with the relevant legislation. The team are also responsible for issuing certificates to seafarers in a timely manner to ensure they can work on board ships, protecting the livelihoods of Seafarers.
Certification Officers primarily process applications from seafarers for approved maritime examinations, which result in Certificates of Competency being issued. These certificates allow a seafarer to work onboard. They also issue other maritime certificates and are a key contact for customers and shipping companies, giving relevant advice and assistance.
Being a Certifications Officer is an important role within the agency, and within the maritime community.
There are a number of roles currently open within the area and if you have seen the documentary and are thinking that a life in the maritime industry might be for you, then have a look and consider an application.
