IBIA Develops New Bunker Course to Address Lack of Bunkering Info in STCW Training

Peter Hall, CEO, IBIA called the development "a real step forward."

The International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) today announced it has joined with UK-based South Shields Marine School at South Tyneside College, to develop a course unit on bunkering essentials for merchant navy cadets and engineering officers taking their Class one and Class two certificates of competency.

Said to have been developed in close partnership with the college, the course aims to explain the fundamentals of the bunker industry, the key regulations affecting shipping today, along with the latest industry challenges and developments.

"This is a real step forward, and IBIA is delighted to work with the South Shields Marine School to increase the knowledge and support the professional development of young seafarers in this way," said Peter Hall, CEO, IBIA.

"We realised some time back that the subject of bunkering and bunkers was absent from the STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers) training syllabus in the UK as well as many other flag state training bodies, and yet it is a fundamental aspect of any ships' operations. We contacted several colleges and have developed this trial with South Tyneside College to see how we might address this gap most effectively."

IBIA says it will eventually look at rolling out the course to other colleges in the UK, and then to other maritime colleges around the world.

A new category of IBIA membership at a reduced cost specifically for students has also been launched.

IBIA says it is also developing a broader training programme for shipping companies designed to increase on-board competency in handling bunkering and fuel switching, which it hopes to launch "in the near future."

The lack of bunkering information in STCW courses was one of the items raised by new IBIA chairman Robin Meech earlier this month in an interview with Ship & Bunker.