Crew training and environmental protection were the key focuses for regulators at last week's crowded Arctic shipping conference, ShipArc 2015, in Malmoe, Sweden. Delegates had many questions for regulators about implementation and expected effectiveness of the 2014 adopted International Code for Ships Operaing in Polar Waters (the Polar Code). Two frequently raised concerns were crew training and environmental protection. While the Polar Code enters into force on 1 January 2017, its training requirements, to he entered as amendments to the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping Convention (STCW), are due to be implemented one year later, on 1 January 2018. Meanwhile, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is preparing a 'model course' to guide training providers, which is expected in 2017.
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