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REPLIES OF THE GOVERNMENTS
AUSTRALIA
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1. It is considered that all vessels (including fishing vessels) over a certain size should have on board a person, or persons, of such certificated professional capacity as to ensure, as far as possible, the safety of all concerned, and if such is not, or cannot be, achieved independently by the maritime countries concerned, the matter should become a subject of international consideration.
The safety of all vessels, from a navigational standpoint, depends, inter alia, upon a thorough knowledge of the Collision Regulations by those on board the vessels concerned, and it naturally follows that lack of such knowledge on the part of any one vessel imperils the safety of others.
It is also considered essential that the person or persons responsible for the machinery section of a vessel should, for safety of all concerned, possess certificated qualifications for the proper control and maintenance of such machinery and the proper discharge of his or their duties in connection therewith.
FC
The answer is therefore yes in regard to each rank mentioned.
BELGIUM
1. It is desirable that the International Labour Conference should adopt a Draft Convention specifying that national laws or regulations are to reuire certificates of professional capacity for employment of their nationals on board ship as:
(a) master or skipper,
(b) navigating officer in charge of a watch.
(c) chief engineer.
(d) engineer officer in charge of a watch.
1.
CUBA
It is considered desirable that the International Labour Conference should adopt a Draft Convention requiring certificates of professional capacity for the officers comprised in paragraphs (a), (b). (c) and (d) of this question.
CZECHOSLOVAKIA
The question of certificates of professional capacity for masters, officers and members of crews of vessels flying the Czechoslovak flag is regulated by the provisions of section 30 of an Act of 15 April 1920 (No. 316 in the Collection of Laws and Regulations), by an Ordinance of the Ministry of Commerce dated 1 March 1902 (No. 45 of the Empire Code)
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QUESTION 1
concerning certificates of professional capacity in the mercantile marine, an Ordinance of 12 July 1906 (No. 160 of the Empire Code) concerning the engine-room staff on merchant vessels, and by an Ordinance of the Ministry of Commerce dated 19 August 1912 (No. 170 of the Empire Code) containing provisions relating to the seaworthiness of merchant vessels and safety measures and service on them. A detailed analysis of these various provisions has already been communicated to the International Labour Office by the Ministry of Social Affairs.1
Such international unification of the provisions relating to the minimum of professional capacity in the case of masters and officers in the mercantile marine as would result from the Draft Convention contemplated by Questionnaire would be desirable, no less than the introduction of uniformity in the designation of the different grades, so that such uniform designation would leave no doubt as to the class of duties to be performed by the certificated persons.
The reply of the Ministry of Social Affairs to all the Questions in the Questionnaire is in the affirmative.
DENMARK
1. Article 48 of the London Convention of May 31st 1929 for the safety of life at sea provides as follows:
The Contracting Governments undertake, each for its national ships, to maintain, or, if it is necessary, to adopt, measures for the purpose of ensuring that, from the point of view of safety of life at sea, all ships shall be sufficiently and efficiently manned."
As the said Convention, which is open to accession by any Government, has already been ratified by Denmark, and as the provisions of Article 48 of this Convention include, inter alia, an obligation on the part of a contracting Government to ensure that ship's officers and engineers are in possession of the necessary professional capacity, there is no need, in so far as Denmark is concerned, for further conventions dealing with this point. As the London Convention has been signed only by the more important seafaring nations, the Danish Government, however, see no objection to investigations being made as to the question whether the coming Conference, in view of the existing circum- stances, should also take the initiative for including in a Convention provisions concerning the professional capacity of ship's officers and engineers.
The replies to the other Questions must be viewed in the light of the above remarks.
1 See Grey Report on the minimum requirement of professional capacity submitted to the XIIIth Session of the Conference, pp. 22-24.
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