Lewisporte Regional Fisheries & Marine Centre delivers Passenger Safety Management Training

Marine personnel who work on passenger ships are among the first students to train at the Marine Institute's new Regional Fisheries and Marine Centre in Lewisporte

The Marine Institute's new Lewisporte Regional Fisheries & Marine Centre has commenced offering training programs. In August, the School of Maritime Studies delivered Specialized Passenger Safety Management training courses at the facility. Instructor Bob Mercer delivered two training courses to over twenty-five employees of the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Ferry System.

The Passenger Safety Management and Specialized Passenger Safety Management courses are new requirements under the International Maritime Organization Manila amendments to the Standards of Training and Certification of Watchkeepers.

"We have been working with various clients throughout Eastern Canada to deliver this training to meet the new regulations," said Captain Fred Anstey, head of the School of Maritime Studies. Both courses are mandatory for crew working on passenger ships, passenger ferries and roll on-roll off passenger ferries. These courses are required by Transport Canada for seafarers working on these type vessels in Canada.

Craig Parsons, director of Community Based Education Delivery and manager for the new centre, indicated the training was well received by students and the client was impressed to have the training available in the central region. "A number of these courses are already scheduled throughout the fall semester and will complement other training and research activities that are being proposed for the centre," added Parsons.

The Lewisporte Regional Fisheries & Marine Centre was established in July 2011 and will assist with growth of the fisheries and marine sectors, strengthen community infrastructure and improve economic development capacity in Lewisporte and in communities throughout the region.