Important for all Yacht Chefs.... **Shared from the Crew and Concierge / Sarah Duncan fb group. If youre a yacht Chef please read. At this years PYA Sea Changes seminar in Antibes, Captain Roger Towner made clear that the UK Government was fully implementing the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 from the 7th August 2014. This will include a requirement for all ships employing 10 or more crew to carry a qualified Ships Cook. This qualification has existed for many years but in response to the new convention the MCA have prepared new guidelines. These are currently still in draft form and will be published very soon. There will be several routes to obtaining a Ships Cook certificate; whilst the details are not yet finalised certain things can be said with confidence. Firstly anyone holding a Ships Cook certificate under the old system will be able to transfer to the new system. Also, anyone holding a certificate from another EU country will be able to transfer, or get an equivalence. For those who have received formal training in cookery within the UK education system leading to a ‘Ci ty and Guilds’ type diploma, they will be able to apply for the qualification with some additional requirements, such as ENG1, STCW Basic Training, Food Safety and possibly a short ‘marinisation’ course. As a guideline, if the cook attended college for a year or more the qualification will probably be acceptable. Many yacht chefs have no formal training but can nonetheless cook very well. There will be an ‘existing seafarer’ route for those cooks with at least three years sea service in the galley. This will involve some form of Culinary Skills Test’ which, at the moment, is heading towards a two or three day assessment, including a theory exam. This will be available very soon but we are awaiting the detailed information before making any further statements. It is unlikely that any yachts will be detained this season on this issue because, like the UK, most European countries are only now enacting their MLC legislat ion. At present we are trying to establish what the situation is with Port State Control and will keep you informed. A full summary of the Sea Changes seminar at the Antibes Yacht Show is now available.
Posted on: Thu, 15 May 2014 15:35:13 +0000
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