The second session of the Training for Flag State inspectors under the EU-funded Black and Caspian Sea Regions Project took place on 12 – 16 November 2018 at EMSA premises in Lisbon.

Following the high interest shown by the Project’s beneficiary countries which recognise the training for Flag State inspectors a mean to train their ships’ inspectors and a valid technical support to comply with the relevant provisions of the III Code, EMSA further developed and improved the session turning it in a more practical one as per the countries proposals made earlier this year.

Embarking on this pattern, the 14 participants from the BCSEA Project beneficiaries successfully completed the 40 hours course which comprised of setting up the scene of the international legal framework which forms the basis of the role of the Flag State and its responsibilities and further developing into four days of simulated inspections on board ships starting from Master’s office to the other areas such as the Bridge, Deck, Engine Room and Cargo and Passenger Areas, among others.

The participants in a very active and dedicated manner interacted with the twelve EMSA lecturers and with one from the Italian Coast Guard during the numerous case studies carried out throughout the whole training which main goal was to provide the BCSEA Project beneficiary countries’ Flag State inspectors with additional knowledge and expertise to conduct oversight inspections on national flagged vessels to monitor the Recognised Organisations and to achieve compliance with the applicable international legal framework.