Bulk carriers must be handled with care in port as well as at sea. Stevedores and ships' officers responsible for cargo operations become key partners for ship safety, because the lives of seafarers may ultimately depend on careful cargo handling. Ship-to-shore planning, information and communication become vital.

This document provides the Efficient Deck Hand (EDH) Certificate and Examination Syllabus as part of the requirement leading to the issue of an STCW Able Seafarer Deck Certificate (Regulation II/5). This training is required by seafarers seeking certification under MSN 1862 (M) or MSN 1856 (M+F).

By Captain Bill Chalmers, FCIS

IMO Basic Documents are free at: https://imo-epublications.org/content/series/basic-documents

Effective management of Health, Safety and Environmental protection is critical to the tanker industry and The International Safety Guide for Oil Tankers and Terminals (ISGOTT) has become the standard reference on the safe operation of oil tankers and the terminals they serve.