DNV has issued the world’s first Competence Management System certificate to Teekay Shipping.
DNV has announced that it has issued a statement of compliance to Teekay Shipping for its competence management system. The standard used is the DNV SeaSkill Standard for Certification of Competence Management Systems.
This is a unique standard in the maritime world and helps organisations put in place a certified system to develop and manage competence. It is expected to become the standard-bearer of competence management systems in the maritime sector. DNV is the only class society to offer such certification.
The new standard will assist organisations that place competence management on their list of priorities. It sets the bar high enough to ensure continuous improvement in competence management, with regular audits of both on-shore systems and ships, and takes into account both the business goals of an organisation and statutory requirements.
“This is DNV’s contribution to making the maritime industry look beyond compliance, when it comes to competence,” says Tor E. Svensen, Chief Operating Officer of DNV Maritime. “The STCW Convention was a welcome step in the right direction. At the same time, the best companies are already looking beyond satisfying minimum requirements and focussing on competence as a strategic tool. We at DNV wish to be at the forefront of this development. Our Competence System Standard and the accompanying certification will assist such companies to attain best-in-class status.”
Raising the bar
For the last two years, Teekay Shipping has been developing its own competency management program which it calls SCOPE (Seafarer Competence for Operational Excellence). According to John Adams, Managing Director of Teekay Shipping, Glasgow, “Teekay developed SCOPE to establish the highest standards of professionalism at sea. The program supports our philosophy of continuing professional development.”
The program goes well beyond legislative requirements for certificates of competency and includes Teekay Competencies; Management / Leadership Behaviour Competencies; Overall Knowledge and Understanding; Aptitude; Experience; and Attitude and Motivation. The training administrator and computer-based training modules have been provided by Norway-based Seagull.
Explaining the incentive for Teekay Shipping to be certified, Graham Westgarth, President of Teekay Marine Services, says, “It’s our people who help us to achieve world-class standards in safety and operations. The development of a formal competence management system is a logical step in our drive for continuous improvement and enhanced service delivery to our customers.”
The first stage of the audit at Teekay Shipping was carried out in the company’s Glasgow office by Sverre J. Dahl (DNV SeaSkill, Høvik) and Sol Judah (DNV Maritime, Glasgow). The next stage of the certification process includes the audit of the entire Teekay Shipping fleet.
The Standard forms part of the integrated structure for competence management being offered to the maritime industry by DNV SeaSkill, the other two services being certification of training courses and certification of personnel.
Contact:
Teekay Shipping
Kirsten.Douglas@teekay.com
