Fire training for seafarers to be delivered locally

A DEAL has been struck between the operators of Sumburgh Airport and the NAFC Marine Centre to enable the STCW Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting course for seafarers to be carried out in Shetland.

It is hoped that by providing the course locally Shetland Islands Council and maritime companies will save a significant amount of money which would have been spent on travel and accommodation.

The two and a half day course looks at how to minimise the risk of fire on ships and it will be run jointly by Highland and Islands Airports Limited and the NAFC Marine Centre at Sumburgh Airport from September.

The accreditation has to be renewed every five years for merchant seafarers, and it is now required for new entrant fishermen.

Sumburgh Airport manager Andrew Farquhar said: “We are delighted to form such a positive partnership with the NAFC to deliver these courses to Shetland’s marine sector, which can only be a good thing for the islands.”

NAFC projects coordinator Angela Sutherland added that the marine centre plans to “provide further STCW courses required by seafarers, in due course”.

“Where it’s practical and sensible, we need to find ways to keep the money spent on training here in Shetland and improve local training facilities,” she said.