}
1. The Maritime Administration of Sri Lanka, vide Merchant Shipping Notice 02/2021 has adopted following extraordinary measures with respect to the seafarers certification in view of COVID-19 pandemic.
2. Extension of the validity of Seafarers Certification:
a. All CDCs, COCs, training certificates (i.e., certificates issued under chapter V and VI of the STCW Convention), associated endorsements and Cooks’ certificates issued by the Administration which have expired or are expiring between 31st December 2020 and 31st December 2021 are extended till 31st December 2022.
b. Certificates of Recognition (Endorsement attesting the recognition of national certificates of competency) and applications for issuing COR which have expired or are expiring between 31st December 2020 and 30th December 2021 will remain valid for a maximum period up to 31st December 2022, or earlier date as provided by a similar extension issued by the competent Authority of the Country which issued the certificates of competency.
c. There is no application required to be made for the aforementioned extension of certification.
d. Notwithstanding the above, whenever the revalidation of the expired certificate is to be carried out, the normal processes/fees will be applicable and new validity date will be for a period of five years from the original date of expiry of the certificates.
3. Certificates Revalidation Process:
Any Seafarers who were unable to revalidate their certificates due to unavailability of trainings and assessments during the COVID -19 pandemic, even where the COP and COC have expired or expiring with the period 01st January 2021 to 30th June 2022, the original certificate(s) will be endorsed or a letter indicating the revalidation of certificate will be issued to the qualified applicants for a period of eighteen months (18) from the date of expiry indicated on the applicable certificate(s).
4. Extension of the validity of Medical Certificates:
a. All medical certificates which have expired or are expiring will be extended for the period of three (3) months from the date of expiry in accordance with STCW 78 as amended.
b. Extension referred in sub paragraph a above, may be further extended for another three (3) months for seafarers who are unable to sign off due to various restrictions of port of calls, subject to following conditions.
i. Each request will be handled by the Administration individually (case by case).
ii. Duly completed form of application as prescribed in annexure-1 to the MSN 07/2020-Revised is to be submitted to the Administration with a copy of the existing medical certificate.
5. Ship owners/ operators and masters of Sri Lanka flagged ships are advised to be guided by above.
6. This Technical Circular supersedes and revokes earlier Technical Circular No. 128/2020, dated 23rd October 2020.
Enclosure:
Disclaimer:
This Technical Circular and the material contained in it is provided only for the purpose of supplying current information to the reader and not as an advice to be relied upon by any person. While we have taken utmost care to be as factual as possible, readers/ users are advised to verify the exact text and content of the Regulation from the original source/ issuing Authority.