Tonnage Convention 1969 and trainee Accommodation

The International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships, 1969, links a vessel’s gross tonnage (GT) to various fees and regulations, including port dues. This linkage has, unfortunately, created a disincentive for shipowners to provide more than the minimum required accommodation space for crew and, consequently, for trainees.

Here’s how the Tonnage Convention can impact the reduction in accommodation space:

• Volume-Based Calculation: Gross tonnage is primarily calculated based on the total volume of all enclosed spaces within a ship. Accommodation spaces, including cabins, mess rooms, recreation rooms, and sanitary facilities, contribute to this overall volume.
• Increased GT, Increased Costs: A larger gross tonnage often translates directly into higher port dues, canal transit fees, registration fees, and even manning regulations and safety rules thresholds.
• Economic Disincentive: To minimize these costs, shipowners have an economic incentive to reduce the overall enclosed volume of the ship, which can lead to smaller accommodation spaces and a reluctance to allocate extra space for trainees that is not strictly required.
• Minimum Standards Focus: The focus shifts towards meeting the minimum standards for crew accommodation as mandated by regulations like the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), 2006, without exceeding them unnecessarily. Providing additional berths for trainees, which might not be legally required for the ship’s operation, increases the GT and associated costs.

Possible Changes to the Tonnage Convention to Encourage Additional Berth Space for Trainees:

To encourage shipowners to provide additional berth space for trainees, amendments to the Tonnage Convention could consider the following:

1. Exemption or Deduction of Trainee Accommodation Volume from Gross Tonnage:

   • Concept: Introduce a specific provision that allows for the deduction of the volume of certified trainee accommodation spaces from the vessel’s gross tonnage calculation.
   • Mechanism: This could involve defining specific standards for trainee berths (size, facilities) and a certification process. If a ship provides accommodation meeting these standards and designates it for trainees, the volume of these spaces would be excluded or a certain percentage deducted from the GT.
   • Example: If a ship allocates 50 cubic meters for trainee berths meeting specific criteria, this volume could be directly deducted from the total enclosed volume used to calculate the GT.

2. Tiered Port Dues Based on Trainee Accommodation:

   • Concept: Implement a system where port dues are reduced for ships that provide a certain number or proportion of trainee berths.
   • Mechanism: Port authorities, potentially guided by IMO recommendations, could offer discounts on port fees based on documented trainee capacity. This would directly link the provision of training berths to lower operational costs.
   • Example: A port might offer a 5-10% reduction in port dues for vessels that have certified accommodation for at least four trainees.

3. “Green Tonnage” or Incentive Schemes:

   • Concept: Introduce a broader “green tonnage” concept that rewards shipowners for various environmentally and socially responsible practices, including the provision of training berths.
   • Mechanism: This could involve a scoring system where providing trainee accommodation contributes to a lower “effective tonnage” for the purpose of calculating dues and fees.
   • Example: A ship might earn points for having energy-efficient technologies, low emissions, and dedicated trainee berths, leading to an overall reduction in the tonnage used for calculating port fees.

4. Flag State Incentives:

   • Concept: Encourage flag states to offer incentives, such as reduced registration fees or tax benefits, to shipowners who provide training berths on their vessels.
   • Mechanism: Amendments to the Tonnage Convention could include a recommendation or enabling clause for flag states to implement such incentive programs.
   • Example: A flag state might offer a 5% reduction in annual registration fees for ships that have a training plan and dedicated accommodation for a certain number of trainees.

5. Mandatory Minimum Training Berths Linked to Tonnage Thresholds (with incentives):

   • Concept: While purely mandatory measures might face resistance, linking a requirement for a minimum number of trainee berths to specific tonnage thresholds, coupled with offsetting GT reductions, could be a balanced approach.
   • Mechanism: For vessels above a certain GT, providing a minimum number of certified trainee berths could be encouraged by allowing a corresponding deduction in GT.
   • Example: Ships above 5000 GT might be “expected” to have accommodation for at least two trainees, with the volume of these berths being deducted from the GT calculation.

Challenges and Considerations:

• Defining Standards: Establishing clear and universally agreed-upon standards for trainee accommodation will be crucial.
• Verification and Certification: A robust system for verifying and certifying trainee berths will be needed to prevent abuse.
• Economic Viability: Incentives need to be significant enough to outweigh the potential loss of cargo-carrying capacity due to allocating space for trainees.
• Global Implementation: Amendments to the Tonnage Convention require broad international consensus and ratification to be effective.

By strategically amending the Tonnage Convention to decouple the provision of trainee accommodation from increased tonnage and associated costs, or by creating direct incentives linked to tonnage, the IMO and flag states could play a significant role in encouraging shipowners to invest in the training of future seafarers. This would benefit the entire maritime industry by ensuring a steady supply of qualified personnel.