There could be few better qualified to provide such training than Jim Cowling, managing director of South Wales based Maritime Security Solutions Ltd. MSS will be an exhibitor at seawork2003 and, had he not been too busy, Cowling would have spoken on the Safety and Survival themed Tuesday conference programme.

Having survived an earlier career as 'Forward Observation' in 29 Commando Group, a job with a life expectancy of seven minutes, Cowling knows a bit about ship security and has designed his Company Security Officer/Ship Security Officer course in liaison with the IMO working group and the MCA.

The four day courses are being run at Plymouth Maritime College and fully residential five day courses are also available at the Camarthen Education Centre campus on the Towy estuary.

Officers taking the course receive an in-depth grounding in risk evaluation and management, learning how to carry out thorough ship security assessments for all vessel types, draw up ship security plans and deal with the practical elements of day to day security matters.

Scenario-based exercises and emonstrations teach officers to deal with threats such as piracy or armed robbery using well proven contingency plans.

Courses can be tailored and adapted to suit client's individual needs and follow up training and consultancy programmes on board client's vessels are offered in any part of the world.

All MSS instructors are maritime security professionals with backgrounds in Special Forces, the Police and the Merchant Navy.

MJ Information No: 18035