Videotel’s Updates BWM Programme

Videotel, a KVH company has revised its ballast water management (BWM) training package to address the requirements of the International Maritime Organization’s newly ratified BWM Convention, a global treaty that is designed to stop the spread of invasive species from ships’ ballast water.

Beginning next year, all ships engaged in international trade will need: a ballast water management plan to remove or neutralize harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens; an International Ballast Water Management Certificate; and, an onboard record book to prove compliance.

Videotel’s training package, Ballast Water Management, Edition 2, available immediately, covers BWM plan implementation including proper record keeping and the need for operator training on a compliant onboard system to treat ballast water and eliminate unwanted organisms. The Videotel programme also describes various approved ballast water management systems that are appropriate for different types of vessels.

“I am really pleased that Videotel is ahead of the game with our updated programme in readiness for the entry into force of this Convention,” says Nigel Cleave, CEO of Videotel. “I urge all ship owners and ship managers to take advantage of our programme now and not wait until the ratification due date, as it may leave insufficient time for them to choose which system is suitable for their vessels and ensure their crews are properly trained to ensure compliance.”
 
The Ballast Water Management Convention will enter into force in September 2017; it has been under consideration for many years, as understanding has grown of the environmental impact from invasive species carried in ballast water. The design of cargo vessels for decades has included the requirement to carry water as ballast to ensure the ship’s stability, and the water is routinely taken in and discharged at different places around the world by ships engaged in international trade.

Videotel’s training solutions are in use on more than 12,000 vessels worldwide, and include 950 new and updated titles to meet current seafarer training needs. The Videotel programmes are available in a range of formats, including 500+ e-Learning courses, more than twice the number of computer-based training (CBT) programmes offered by competitors. Videotel’s Basic Training Package of 20 essential maritime training programmes is available via KVH’s IP-MobileCastTM content delivery service, which utilises multicasting technology to deliver news, entertainment, and operations content without using vessels’ monthly airtime data allotments.

Videotel has been a leader in developing training material since 1973 when the Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO), the forerunner to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), wanted to improve the quality of training materials available to seafarers and called on the company’s services. Videotel has recorded more than 11 million training events in recent years, and its training programmes have been recognized with nearly 100 awards.