IMO and EMSA put crew competence alongside alternative-fuel technology

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) reported on 23 September that a Lisbon workshop, held from 14 to 18 September with the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) and support from the World Maritime University, examined the competence and training implications of ships using alternative fuels and emerging technologies. The discussion covered ammonia, methanol, hydrogen, batteries and onboard carbon-capture systems.

**Verified development.** The workshop did not create a new mandatory training certificate or immediate operating requirement. Its material significance is that it linked the technology transition directly to the IMO’s ongoing comprehensive review of the STCW Convention and Code, while work continues on training provisions for personnel serving on ships using alternative fuels and new technologies. Participants also considered practical training tools, including a battery-powered vessel, an e-Lab and virtual-reality facilities.

This is consequential because the safety case for a dual-fuel or novel-technology vessel is not confined to design approval, bunkering arrangements or fuel specifications. It also depends on whether watchkeepers, engine personnel, masters, shore teams and emergency responders can recognize abnormal conditions, execute procedures and communicate reliably across the ship–shore interface. The IMO’s recent CCC 12 work on alternative-fuel safety guidance, including revised methanol/ethanol guidance, provides a parallel indication that operational deployment is moving faster than mature, harmonised competence requirements for every technology.

**Analysis.** For operators, the near-term issue is evidence rather than assumption. A generic familiarisation record may be insufficient where the vessel’s fuel containment, ventilation, detection, shutdown logic, personal protective equipment, bunkering sequence or emergency arrangements differ materially from conventional operations. Training matrices should therefore be tied to the actual machinery and operating profile, including port calls, fuel suppliers, cargo interfaces and third-party responders.

**Why this matters.** Shipowners and charterers should treat crew readiness as a deployment gate for alternative-fuel vessels, not as an administrative task after delivery. P&I interests, insurers and claims handlers may find the quality of documented competence, drills, procedures and handovers central to reconstructing an incident. Cargo interests and ports should also seek clarity on emergency communications, exclusion zones and escalation responsibilities before a new-fuel call or bunkering operation. The workshop is not a new rule, but it is a timely signal that human capability is becoming a critical control in maritime decarbonisation.