NYK's SSO Course Gets Panama's OK - Our Ship Security Plan Also Obtains Approval -
December 19, 2003
On December 12, 2003, NYK's ship security officer (SSO) training course obtained certification from the Panamanian Government.
According to an amendment to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, both due to take effect on July 1, 2004, internationally traveling vessels will be required to include in their crews SSOs who have received due training in ship security in accordance with the ISPS.
In anticipation of this new system, NYK voluntarily started an SSO training course for personnel of its own and NYK Group companies in June 2003. Already, 160 persons have received this training. Recently, the Panamanian Government, in full recognition of the content and result of this training, has granted its certification to NYK's SSO training course for the first time in Japan. (Other than NYK, only Maritime Technical College has obtained the Panamanian Government's certification of this kind in Japan.)
Already, NYK's SSO training course had earlier obtained certification from the Liberian Government. Thus, NYK's SSO training system for the NYK Group has now been perfected through the combination of its duly certified SSO training course and its SSO training course for foreign seamen, conducted by NYK-FIL Ship Management, Inc. in Manila, the Philippines.(Already obtained certification by Panamanian and Liberian government)
Moreover, the ship security plan (SSP) of NYK's containership NYK Antares (a Panamanian-registered vessel managed by NYK Shipmanagement) obtained approval from Phoenix Vessel Services, Inc., the Panamanian Government-recognized Security Organization, on December 17, 2003.
NYK has worked out model plans for the assessment of ship security as well as rules on ship security. The recent Panamanian approval of the SSP of NYK Antares is expected to greatly accelerate similar approval for NYK's other Panamanian-registered vessels that are using the same SSP.