A landmark joint Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by industry and the Philippines to explore the integration of seafarer certification systems and to develop a new mobile app. The initiative aims to reduce administrative burdens associated with paper-based seafarer endorsement and verification, while ensuring efficiency for key stakeholders in the industry, including flag Administrations, Port State Control, seafarers and shipping and ship management companies.
The MOU was signed by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), Lloyd’s Register OneOcean (LROO) and the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) of the Republic of the Philippines Department of Transportation at the headquarters of the International Maritime Organization earlier this week.
Currently, the use of paper certificates continues to dominate the industry despite seafarer documentation requiring regular renewal, with differing requirements and processes between countries. This can cause challenges such as increased risk of errors and vulnerabilities, and longer delays.
The new pilot will assess potential pathways for digitising certification processes with a focus on security, streamlined collaboration and ease of use. It will also test the feasibility of a system where all seafarer certificates can be securely stored and consolidated, allowing real-time access for all key stakeholders. This will also allow seafarers to take ownership of their data and control how it is used, with the system facilitating travel and movement for the benefit of the entire industry. The objectives align with recent amendments to the STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers) code that came into effect on the 1st of January 2025, supporting the maritime industry’s transition to digital certification.
The new MOU sets out the collaboration between the three parties on the pilot project to evaluate the technical and regulatory framework needed for a global digital certification system. ICS, LROO and MARINA will develop an initial API (Application Programming Interface) integration concept to explore linking MARINA’s Integrated Seafarers Management Online System to the pilot platform.
Upon successful validation of the concept, MARINA will engage with its seafarer community—approximately 400,000 Filipino seafarers—to gather insights on digital certification needs and potential adoption pathways.
International Chamber of Shipping Secretary General Guy Platten commented: “At the International Chamber of Shipping we are excited to be moving forward with this pilot project. The world is changing and in support of the digital transition we believe this is the imperative next step to support the entire sector with a new solution that will not only minimise administrative burden but maximise efficiency for a safe and sustainable industry”.
