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COMPANY SECURITY OFFICERS

All ships to which the ISPS Code applies are required to have a Company Security Officer assigned to them, the details of which must be given to the International Registrar of Shipping & Seamen by using Form A21 available on this website. The Company* must keep the International Registrar advised of any changes to the contact details of the CSO.

SHIP SECURITY OFFICERS

GUIDANCE NOTES FROM IMO REGARDING SSO CERTIFICATION

Form Code Document Categories Pdf Download Link
Title
STCW.7-CIRC.21
Document Categories
Ship Security Officers
Pdf Download Link
Download
Title
STCW.7-CIRC.22
Document Categories
Ship Security Officers
Pdf Download Link
Download

CERTIFICATE OF PROFICIENCY FOR SHIP SECURITY OFFICERS (SSOS)

Chapter VI of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers 1978 (STCW Convention) has been amended with a new Regulation VI/5 requiring all persons designated as Ship Security Officer (SSO) to be issued with a certificate of proficiency.

The above mentioned amendments entered into force on 1st January 2008.

In light of the above, the administration of St. Kitts & Nevis advise that:

1. From 1st January 2008, all ship security officers and deputy security officers on board St Kitts & Nevis flagged vessels, who did not hold or could not document qualifications as ship security officers before the entry into force of this regulation, shall have a certificate issued by an administration whose certificates are recognised by St. Kitts and Nevis, in accordance with regulation VI/5 of STCW 78 as amended. Recognised administrations are those on the STCW whitelist.

2. Until 1st July 2009, St Kitts & Nevis will continue to recognize personnel who hold or can document qualifications as ship security officers, issued before the entry into force of this regulation.

3. After 1 July 2009, all ship security officers and deputy security officers on board St. Kitts & Nevis flagged vessels shall have a certificate issued by an administration whose certificates are recognised by St Kitts & Nevis, in accordance with regulation VI/5 of STCW 78 as amended. Recognised administrations are those on the STCW whitelist.

DEFINITION OF COMPANY & COMPANY SECURITY OFFICER ACCORDING TO SOLAS

*Company means the owner of the ship or any other organisation or person such as the manager, or the bareboat charterer, who has assumed the responsibility for operation of the ship from the owner of the ship and who on assuming such responsibility has agreed to take over all the duties and responsibilities imposed by the ISPS & ISM Codes.

Company Security Officer means the person designated by the Company to:

  • Ensure that a ship security assessment is carried out
  • Ensure that a ship security plan is developed, submitted for approval and thereafter implemented and maintained
  • Act as a liaison between port facility security officers and the ship security officer

SHIP SECURITY PLANS & RECORDS

A list of St. Kitts & Nevis approved Recognised Security Organisations (RSO’s) can be found on this website. The Recognised Security Organisation (RSO) will approve the security plan and assessment and perform the on board verification. After verification, the RSO will issue a short term ISSC, and make the report and copy of the short term certificate available to our Administration. The RSO will later issue a full term ISSC valid for five years subject to the required intermediate verifications. The ship security plan may not be changed without approval and documenting the change by the CSO. Such approval and documenting shall remain with the security plan.

In addition, where there is a significant change of the plan, such a change must be submitted to the RSO for approval, together with the approval given by the CSO.

Security documents should be retained on board for at least three years or the ten last ports of call whichever comes last. Records of third Party or Internal Security Audits should be retained on board for at least five years.