From today, fully updated in terms of composition and functionality, the State Qualification Commission of Seafarers under the State Service for Maritime, Inland Waterway Transport and Shipping of Ukraine started its work. The approach to the procedure for examination and obtaining qualification documents for seafarers has also been changed.

From now on, the seafarer should submit the documents directly to the State Service for Maritime, Inland Waterway Transport and Shipping of Ukraine or to SE «Morrichservice» service centers. The first service center has been opened today in Kyiv. Exams for confirmation/extension of qualification will be held here and the documents will be issued under simplified and transparent procedure.

 

The new members of the State Qualification Commission of Seafarers are part of the State Service for Maritime, Inland Waterway Transport and Shipping of Ukraine team and it is the guarantee that from now on no one will be able to influence the decisions based on the results of the seafarers’ examination.

 

The only qualification test for seafarers for confirmation/extension of qualification is the internationally recognized CES 6.0. Inspectorate for the Training and Certification of Seafarers, which caused numeros questions, is at the final stage of liquidation.

 

And this is only the initial stage of changes. The reform involves a complete transition from the old system with non-transparent and bureaucratized procedures for issuing seafarers' qualification documents towards international standards of certification. The following step involves maximum automation of processes and digitalization of services for seafarers, which will eliminate corruption risks by minimizing the influence of the human factor.

 

The complete restart of the certification system in accordance with international practices became possible due to the adoption by the Cabinet of Ministers of Resolution No. 1499 on the training and certification of seafarers and the support of USAID / UK aid Project «Transparency and Accountability in Public Administration and Services / ТАРAS».

 

It was with the participation of the USAID / UK aid ТАРAS project that the Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine launched the process of creating an e-system for the certification of seafarers. The implementation of such a system will ensure complete transparency and automation of data and processes in the new State Register of Seafarers' Documents and will strengthen control and responsibility over their registration processes. With the launch of the system, the seafarer will be able to receive services in the field of certification simply and quickly using the Diia portal.