The All-Japan Seaman’s Union (JSU) and the International Mariners Management Association of Japan (IMMAJ) have announced today the establishment and opening of a state-of-the-art training facility for Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) in Manila, Philippines. Considered to be the most modern (ECDIS) training provider in Asia, the project was initiated by IMMAJ using funds made available by JSU for this purpose.

The Associated Marine Officers and Seaman’s Union of the Philippines (AMOSUP) and the Philippine-Japan Manning Consultative Council (PJMCC) coordinated with their Japanese counterparts in the planning and construction of classrooms facilities; preparation of specifications; as well as the purchase, installation and testing of the equipment.

The IMMAJ-PJMCC Foundation, through its recognized training provider, the Philippine Japan Maritime Training Management Company (PJMTM) will manage the design, development, delivery and assessment process using the standards of ISO 9000:200; the ClassNK Certificate of MET; and the DNV SeaSkills.

The training facility will offer free ECDIS training to Filipino and other Asian masters and navigating officers working for and endorsed by Japanese ship owners who are IMMAJ members.

Only type-specific ECDIS courses will initially be offered using equipment and systems made available by makers of the 4 most popular ECDIS brands installed on board the Japanese owned and controlled ships; namely: JRC with 20 student stations; FURUNO with 16 student stations; and TRANSAS/TOKYO KEIKI with 10 shared student stations.

With a total of 46 student stations, the training program facility is No.1 in the world in terms of student capacity. It is envisioned that at full capacity of 276 students per week, the center could easily graduate up to 10,000 IMMAJ masters and deck officers per year.

Mr. Eduardo U. Manese, President of the Philippine-Japan Manning Consultative Council (PJMCC), an association of the Philippine ship manning agents that provide seafarers to the Japanese fleet, said that the “ECDIS training facility is another proof of our commitment to provide every Filipino seafarer serving on Japanese ships with the opportunity to improve their competencies without additional financial burden to them and their families.”

Captain Tetsuya Hakozaki, the IMMAJ representative in Manila, said the IMMAJ wants to make sure that all operational and management level deck officers serving on ships where they are going to be assigned. He added that participants to the type-specific courses must present proof of having completed the generic ECDIS training course, IMO Model Course 1.27.

All interested deck officers from IMMAJ-PJMCC member-companies are advised to report to their respective local manning officers and request endorsement to the ECDIS course of their choice.

Regular classes will start on the third week of November 2012.