ECDIS for inspection officers
Safebridge, a German-headquartered provider of web-based e-learning products for the maritime industry, hosted the Port State Control of Germany in January 2016 offering a customised Basic ECDIS Training for the inspection officers of the BG Verkehr, the Authority responsible for conducting Port State inspections on vessels hailing German ports.
The training covered the legal, technical and operational requirements for the carriage of ECDIS as primary means of navigation. In addition, a practical insight to ECDIS solutions from different manufacturers was provided. The Port State Control officers were given the opportunity to simulate an inspection based on an audit check-list provided by Safebridge while the company’s trainer demonstrated how the nautical officers on board would be expected to perform.
Port State Control officers have to assess whether the legal requirements on ECDIS are met on board. This includes not only the presence of the necessary certificates and technical set up of the ECDIS on board but especially checking the individual competences of all officers on the operation of ECDIS. It is therefore imperative that the Port State Control officer himself needs a sound training on ECDIS.
By Jake Frith
