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Six-Month Grace Period For STCW 95 Compl lance IMO has issued advice to port state control officers that, for a period of six months after the February 1, 2002 implementation deadline for the revised Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Sea- farers (STCW 95), ships whose officers do not hold STCW 95 certificates or flag state endorsements need not be detained. The move comes in recognition of the fact that many seafarers have not yet been able to obtain the necessary certifi- cation required by the convention and that Parties to the convention have had difficulties in concluding the arrange- ments required to process reciprocal recognition endorsements. In a circular letter issued by the 33rd Sub Committee on Standards of Training and Watch- keeping (STW), it is recommended that, until July 31, 2002, port state control officers issue only a warning in cases where a seafarer's documentation com- plies with the requirements immediately before February 1, 2002 but is not in accordance with the requirements of STCW 95. Port State control officers are recommended to issue the warnings to the shipping companies concerned only and to notify the seafarers and inform the flag State accordingly. Many delegations expressed their dis- appointment at the measure, but there was agreement that it in no way altered the implementation date of the Conven- tion and was simply a pragmatic response to what had become a lengthy administrative process. The Sub-Com- mittee was particularly concerned and regretted the fact that, so close to the end of the transitional period, seafarers were reportedly unable to obtain STCW 95 certificates and/or the necessary flag State endorsements required by regula- tion 1/10. However, it was recognized that the 1995 amendments had introduced radi- cal changes to the STCW Convention and that these had been a significant fac- tor in the delay. The sub-committee also recognized that major ISM Code non-conformities could be raised if a seafarer's documen- tation is not in accordance with STCW 95. It therefore recommended that flag States should inform recognized organi- zations responsible for issuing ISM Code certificates that, until July 31, 2002, it would be sufficient to inform the flag State of such cases when assess- ing compliance with the ISM Code. Cer- tificate-issuing parties and flag adminis- trations were urged by the sub-commit- tee to do their utmost to ensure that sea- farers are issued with the appropriate certificates and necessary endorsements with the minimum of delay. USCG Will Get Budget Increase In order to ensure anti-terrorism coastal patrols, revive enforcement in needed areas, and maintain some of the extra patrols initiated post-Sep- tember 11, the Coast Guard will receive a major budget increase of up to $1 billion, if approved by Congress. Of the $12 to $13 billion in extra Homeland Security spending that the President will propose on February 4, it is reported that the Coast Guard will be among the biggest recipients. The Coast Guard would receive an extra $900 million to $1 billion for 2002- 2003, which amounts to about a 20 percent increase in its $5.2 billion annual budget. 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