ONBOARD Magazine winter 2019

PYA
Professionalism,
manpower and training
training and certification path for captains
already serving on yachts, but without
formal qualifications.
Over the past two decades, this has
led to a multi layered approach towards
providing a pathway for deck and engineering
seafarers to become licensed to serve
on yachts of any size or gross Tonnage.
The vessels on which
superyacht crew
have served on have
changed dramatically
since the mid 1990s
as the vessels have
increased in size and
complexity
Words: Capt A. Croft
MBA, AFNI
How have the training and certification
requirements for crew kept pace?
In the UK, until the early 90s, hiring and
manning in this sector was mostly left to
the owner/ or management independent of
any overseeing regulatory examination body.
Although there was a UK requirement
that fully trained merchant officers should
be employed on Red Ensign yachts over
80GRT, this was in essence ignored by
almost everyone. Even on yachts that
chartered, it was quite common for crew
to have few or no formal qualifications,
from the Captain downwards.
Of course there were yacht crew in this
period who held Merchant Navy training,
but they tended to be in the minority and
there was little premium placed on hiring
such individuals over a lessor qualified
candidate.
In the early 90s the UK maritime authorities
woke up to the fact that the superyacht
industry was booming and that UHNWI
were commissioning a number of larger
and more complex yachts that were used
for both private and charter use.
The result was the UK regulations for Vessels
in Commercial Use for Sport or Pleasure,
meaning that yachts that chartered over 80
GRT were now considered to be commercial
vessels. However, very few yachts would
have been able to operate under this
legislation even if they wanted to, as there
was no ready supply of merchant officers
aware of the yacht market or looking to
join the sector. Owners also wanted to
keep their existing captains and crew,
who had mostly be serving on board their
yachts without issue.
Faced with the prospect of a number of
superyachts operating illegally in what
was already approaching a billion dollar
industry, the UK Marine Safety Agency, as
it was then, took a global lead in creating a
As with all CoCs, there is currently
no regulatory requirement for formal
reassessment of navigational/seamanship
skills later in the career of any deck officer
(including Master). As long as the sea
time requirement is fulfilled when the
CoC is revalidated, the CoC Issuing State
assumes that critical knowledge and skill
sets remain current.
Encouraging investment in training
Yacht employer training schemes vary
considerably, depending on the interest
of the owner/management in investing in
their crew. As a result, many seafarers in
the yacht sector often support themselves
whilst investing in training courses.
However, a recent market survey carried
out by the PYA highlighted that a large
number of seafarers in the sector see
CPD as a waste of resources, especially
as few seafarers feel that it is valued by
those that might employ them. It is rare
that seafarers are advised that they
obtained a position or promotion based
on having additional knowledge/training
above standard qualifications.
One factor which affects willingness to
invest in additional training is that the
luxury yacht sector is an image driven
environment. There is strong survey evidence
that crew often encounter age bias during
the hiring process. This particularly limits
employment opportunities for those reentering
the market aged 50 and over.
Age bias is forcing out a number of timetested,
highly skilled, talented, creative,
productive, experienced senior seafarers,
in the prime of their careers. With this in
mind, individual training investment may
start to look less appealing.
The sector needs to realise that seafarers
are not innate commodities, and unlike modern
technology they generally appreciate with
age. The challenge is to make the industry
realise this and value it appropriately.
ONBOARD | WINTER 2019 | 153