ISM News

Update nr. 98

In this ISM News Update:

Approval online STCW training RBG by Dutch Ministry
GDPR
Customs
New implementation date, MARPOL Annex IV, Baltic Sea Special Area.

Approval online STCW training RBG by Dutch Ministry

In order to serve the ever-changing market and to react effectively on the growing demand of STCW training courses for international passenger vessels, Rood Boven Groen has, in association with Skillsafe and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, developed a completely new concept:
During the online training, onboard, or at home, the student can study in his/her own time and at their own pace. After a short theoretical test, the contents of the training will be exercised onboard. With a Captain’s letter, the student can request a certificate.
This new form of training has several advantages: The Shipping Company and the student have no travel or hotel costs, the student determines his own timing and learning curve, and last but not least this way of training includes practical training onboard.
Rood Boven Groen is the first Company in the Netherlands that has achieved approval for STCW online training courses. We offer Crowd Management, Passenger Safety-Cargo Safety-Hull Integrity and Company Security Officer online at www.rbg-training.com . More courses will follow after a successful evaluation.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

As of 25 May 2018 the GDPR will be in force. It is of interest that organizations have their privacy policy up to date. This means that it has to be clear which details organizations have of third parties, how they process it, why they need this information and how long they will keep these records.

Data Processing Agreement not necessary
The GDPR imposes the making of contractual agreements between a controller and a processer of personal data. These agreements are often laid down in a data processing agreement. The services provided by RBG requires processing personal data. RBG determines the purpose and the means for processing personal data. For that reason, RBG can be regarded as the controller (within the meaning of article 4 paragraph 7 GDPR).

This means that RBG is responsible for processing personal data and a data processing agreement is not necessary. Of course, regardless of the foregoing this personal data will be treated confidentially.

Custom formalities

It appears that it is sometimes unclear when a sailing ship has to report to Customs. We would, therefore, like to briefly outline that when a sailing ship comes from outside the Schengen area and enters the Schengen area a sailing ship must report to Customs one day in advance.

The list of Dutch customs offices for entry from the sea is included in Annex III of the General Customs Regulation.

New implementation date, MARPOL Annex IV, Baltic Sea Special Area.

With resolution MEPC.275(60) the IMO has established the date the Baltic Sea Special Area shall take effect. The final confirmed dates are a follows:

New passenger ships
• The building contract is placed on or after 1 June 2019, or
• In the absence of a building contract, the keel of which is laid (or which is in a similar stage of construction) on or after 1 June 2019, or
• the delivery of which is on or after 1 June 2021.
Existing passenger ships
• Applicable from 1 June 2021 for such ships that visit the Baltic Sea Special Area. This is excluding existing passenger ships en route directly to or from a port located outside the special area and to or from a port located east of longitude 28°10’E within the special area; these will be required to comply with the requirements from 1 June 2023.

As of these dates, passenger ships may no longer discharge untreated sewage into the Baltic Sea. In order to discharge treated sewage, a treatment plant type-approved and meeting the standard of Resolution MEPC.227(64) will be required.

The alternative is a sewage holding tank with sufficient capacity onboard and delivers it to port authorities.

A sewage treatment plant is only mandatory by MARPOL if discharging sewage takes place within 12 nm from the nearest land and within a special area for passenger ships.