For the first time, the beneficiaries of the ENP and IPA projects participated in the EMSA Academy Common Core Curriculum (CCC) for Maritime Auditors which culminated in a two-day in-person session on 28-29 January. The curriculum commenced on 17 September 2024 and was delivered in a blended mode to a combined audience of representatives from the EU Member States and the projects’ beneficiaries.

It is commonly accepted that auditing principles and techniques are best suited for monitoring the compliance of management systems based on regulatory frameworks such as the International Safety Management (ISM) Code, the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, as well as the Recognised Organisations (RO) Code.

The skillset of the persons conducting verification activities under these legal instruments, whether for certification purposes or as mandated by applicable law, must reflect the added dimension of performing checks against internal documented information in addition to legal requirements and assessing the effectiveness of the system in its entirety.

This comprehensive curriculum was therefore specifically designed to develop and enhance the required competencies and was divided into four distinct learning areas to accommodate the training needs of maritime administrations’ staff dealing with verification activities related to the ISM Code, the ISPS Code, the RO Code, or any combination of them. Accordingly, the learners were able to enrol in any or all courses comprising the curriculum and representing each of the thematic learning areas, with only the foundation course addressing the principles of auditing being compulsory for everyone.

The successful completion of the curriculum enables the participants to effectively plan, conduct, report, and follow up on their supervisory activities across a critical range of maritime safety and security regulations, thus enhancing oversight and ensuring compliance with international standards.