Shipping | Jamaica’s maritime expertise recognised as IMO reviews global seafarer training standards

Secretary general of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Arsenio Dominguez, confirmed during a visit to the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) that the IMO has embarked on a comprehensive review of the STCW Convention, the international framework governing the training, certification, and watchkeeping standards for seafarers.

Secretary General Dominguez addressed cadets, officers, and faculty during a tour of the university, as part of a two-day visit to Jamaica coordinated by the Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ) to mark Jamaica’s 50th anniversary as a member of the IMO.

Secretary General Dominguez said the five-year review process is expected to conclude around 2029 to 2030, with the revised convention entering into force between 2030 and 2031.

The review is aimed at shifting parts of the convention toward a more flexible, goal-based regulatory approach, rather than the current prescriptive model. According to the secretary general, this shift is intended to allow the framework to accommodate emerging technologies without requiring constant amendment.

“Technology outpaces the way that we regulate,” he told the audience. “By the time we finish, if we are too specific about some technologies, they will be outdated.”

As part of the review, the IMO is also introducing new mandatory training requirements addressing harassment, including sexual harassment, crew management, and the mental health and well-being of seafarers. The review will additionally examine hours of rest and hours of work, an area the secretary general acknowledged remains a point of ongoing discussion, alongside the work of the International Labour Organization under the Maritime Labour Convention.

Secretary General Dominguez highlighted Jamaica’s standing role in shaping the STCW review, noting that Rear Admiral (Rt’d) Peter Brady chaired the Standard of Training and Watchkeeping subcommittee, now known as the Human Element Training and Watchkeeping subcommittee, for several years. He said this history has positioned Jamaica as a source of expertise the IMO continues to draw upon in the current review process.

Director general of the MAJ, Bertrand Smith, said the acknowledgement was a reflection of the country’s sustained technical contribution to the IMO’s work. “Rear Admiral (Rt’d) Brady’s past leadership of that subcommittee represents the kind of expertise Jamaica continues to offer, and we are committed to building on that legacy as the review progresses,” he said.

During the visit, Secretary General Dominguez also called at Kingston Wharves Limited (KWL) and Kingston Freeport Terminal Limited (KFTL), where he engaged seafarers aboard the Höegh Osaka and the CMA CGM Harmony, respectively. He also called on the Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade, and Dr Andrew Holness, prime minister of Jamaica, a courtesy call that also included the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, Kedesha Campbell-Rochester. The programme also included a television interview on TVJ’s Smile Jamaica and the Jamaica Information Service Think Tank, alongside Director General Bertrand Smith, a meeting with the Jamaica Defence Force that included a tour of the search and rescue centre, and a reception held jointly with the Caribbean MOU on Port State Control, marking its 30th anniversary.