Videotel course responds to international training changes

Major changes in international seafarer training legislation has led Videotel to produce a new e-learning course that establishes effective procedures on board a ship that will help to save lives in the event of an emergency situation.

The Crisis Management and Human Behaviour Training Course has been produced in cooperation with the International Maritime Organisation and the Royal Caribbean International and Cruise Lines International Association in response to the Manila Amendments to the STCW Code.

Importantly, the course is the first to have been formally approved by the MCA for use worldwide. To gain this approval, Videotel had to undergo and satisfy robust MCA requirements including the maintenance of a course enrolment and certification process.

The course addresses the main factors and key measures to keep people safe during an emergency situation on board a ship. These factors include how to assess and respond to a crisis using the resources available, how to cope with the stress involved, how to control large numbers of passengers and how to communicate effectively with both passengers and crew members. These measures can be conveniently worked into a ship’s existing emergency procedures and practice, therefore, ensuring those responsible are as prepared as possible should a crisis ever arise.

The programme is aimed at any crew member who has the responsibility of personnel safety in an emergency situation, including masters, chief engineers, chief mates, second engineer officers, and other senior officers as appropriate. Upon successful completion of the course, seafarers will meet the requirements of the STCW code (section A-V/2, paragraph 3), which states that crew members with such responsibilities must successfully complete an approved Crisis Management and Human Behaviour training course.

The course is delivered over four and a half guided learning hours using interactive e-Learning computer-based training. Learners follow easy on-screen instructions which contain text with (optional) English language voiceover, still photographs, video clips, animations and interactive exercises. There is a multiple choice on-screen test to complete at the end of each module, plus a longer final test, comprising of randomised questions, at the end of the training course.

According to Videotel, by the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Describe how to control the response to an emergency
• Explain how to optimise the use of resources in an emergency
• Define how to control passengers and other personnel during emergency situations
• Describe how to establish and maintain effective communications
• Explain the importance of shipboard emergency organisational procedures and drills 

Nigel Cleave, CEO of Videotel commented, “The Manila Amendments to the STCW Convention places crew and passenger safety in the event of an emergency situation at the top of the agenda. It is essential that all those having such responsibility on board a ship are fully aware of the international rules and regulations and trained accordingly. Videotel will be actively supporting this year the decision by the IMO to select ‘Maritime Education and Training’ as its World Maritime Day theme and as such, we’re delighted to start 2015 with this prestigious approval by the MCA in recognition of the rigorous safety training process engendered by this course.”

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