| 06/05/2005 - GEPY reach agreement with French Authorities on new yacht-specific training and STCW 95 CoCs |
| GEPY (Groupement Des Equipages Professionnels Du Yachting) the Antibes based French crew association recently announced a major success following 8 years of effort. They have achieved 5 new STCW compliant yacht specific Certificates of Competency defined by gross tonnage as measured under UMS: · Captain 200 (60 Miles of a safe haven) · Capitaine 200 voile Captain 200gt Sail (Voile) · Capitaine yacht 500 (Captain 500 gt (Yachts) Unlimited) · Capitaine yacht 3000 (Captain 3000gt (Yachts) Unlimited) · Chef mécanicien yacht 3000 kW (Chief Engineer 3000 kW) These new qualifications are complemented by the existing CoC Chief Mate 500 (Chef de quart yacht 500). Details of the Decree (N°2005-366 of April 19, 2005) are published in the “Journal Officiel” or can be viewed online at the following URL https://gepy.fr/brevets formations_files/captaine_files/Decret2005366.htm . The announcement was made by Secretary-general of GEPY Jean Marie Lacarriere on Wednesday April 27th at the “Captain’s Day” meeting organized by the Yacht Club of Monaco. There he said “The publication of this Decree is a very great satisfaction for those among us who have taken part in the various working groups for 8 years and put forward the specifics of our business, the Yachting industry, to the various French administrations, EU and IMO” The first courses: Captain 3000 & Chief Engineer 3000 kW will start in September 2005 at the Ecole Nationale Marine Marchande in Marseille and Nantes. Many French yacht crew currently hold a PPV (Patron de Plaisance à la Voile), that qualification, like the RYA Yachtmaster ticket is not a STCW 95 one. Crew holding this will not be “grandfathered in” to an equivalent STCW CoC but will need to study to gain a new licence. The terms of this arrangement are quite generous: the PPV will no longer be issued after October 05 but existing PPVs will continue to be valid until October 08 and holders can use that time to study and train for the STCW 95 equivalent Captain 200 Voile or indeed other CoCs. The next task facing GEPY is achieving reciprocal acceptance of UK MCA training and CoCs. Some discussion has already started between the French Affaires Maritimes and the MCA, GEPY say there is light is at the end of the tunnel!! gepy.fr Tork Buckley Technical Editor |