Capt Sanjay Bhasin, who comes from the commercial ship sector, makes some useful additional points as a PAC member. “The PAC comprises of highly experienced IIMS members who are Master Marines, marine engineers and their small craft equivalents, all of whom have had extensive experience in marine surveying. The aim of the PAC is to assess the qualifications, experience, and references of the applicant. Members of the PAC also discuss some of the issues regarding the qualifications and experience of certain applicants during PAC Quarterly meetings.
The PAC is independent of the membership marketing initiatives of IIMS, and its task is not to increase the membership of the Institute. The review of applications is not instant and considerable time is spent to carry out a proper assessment. There have been numerable cases where applicants have either been advised, after review by PAC, that their application does not meet the membership criteria at all.”
Capt Sanjay Bhasin
And finally, PAC member, Mike Marshall, (also from a commercial and offshore background) sheds light on some of the detailed scrutineering undertaken to assess claimed experience which often turns up anomalies. 1. Do the passport entry/exit stamps and visas compare with CV claims, to enable the verification of the actual claims of sea service/assignments? Not always!
2. Check dates in Seamans/Discharge Book against entries in DP logbook entries in order to verify DP time.
3. Check stated Sea Time/DP to the CV and time against Seamans Book/DP logbook entries.
4. CoC’s and Degree certification authenticity can be (and is) confirmed with the issuing authority. Three years ago, I was speaking with a person at the MCA, and to quote a few words from the conversation, “You would not believe the number of false CoC’s going around the North Sea”.
5. In my time, I have come across forged Master’s Certificates and C/E Certification. On checking two job applicants once, I found the CoC’s actually had the same certificate number.
6. Scrutinise the typeface and alignment of the words on all certificates, particularly Degree certification. Some years ago, we had an applicant where on the Degree certificate the applicant’s name was of a different typeface to the adjacent words, and the alignment was at a different angle. Always look for points within the text which are out of the norm.
7. References are checked for authenticity. If a referee does not provide a reference given on company letterhead with a traceable address and with telephone numbers, then the reference is disregarded.
Mike Marshall
Life-saving signals leaflet for ships, aircraft or persons in distress published by the MCA
The Maritime & Coastguard Agency has published a new leaflet for life-saving signals which will be used by ships, aircraft or persons in distress when communicating with life-saving stations, maritime rescue units and aircraft engaged in search and rescue operations. The leaflet includes pictures and descriptive information on the different types of signals you can use when in distress at sea.
This leaflet covers signals like: – Surface to air signals – Air to surface direction signals – Shore to ship signals
– Air to surface replies – Surface to air replies
All of these signals include morse code alternatives. The signals illustrated in the leaflet are those to be used by any ship or person in distress when communicating with search and rescue units. They have been agreed internationally for this purpose and it is important that you are familiar with them to ensure they are correctly used in distress situations.
Download the leaflet at
https://bit.ly/317C476.
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