Esperanza del Mar pasa a ser un buque escuela del ISM en Canarias
The Esperanza del Mar hospital ship has obtained, this August, the status of a training vessel for the Merchant Navy. The Directorate General for Merchant Marine Affairs has approved the homologation of the vessel, which belongs to the Instituto Social de la Marina (ISM), as an official training vessel. The photo is taken from the blog ‘Del Acontecer Portuario’ by journalist Juan Carlos Díaz Lorenzo.
The resolution, signed by Ana Núñez Velasco, Director General, authorizes the vessel to validate the periods of embarkation required to obtain professional qualifications in both the deck department and the engine department. The decision is based on the STCW Code of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers of the International Maritime Organization (International Convention) and on Royal Decree 269/2022. The measure explicitly recognizes the days at sea for the qualifications of Second Class Pilot and Master of Coastal/Offshore Navigation (Patrón de Altura) in the deck section, as well as for Second Class Engineer Officer (Oficial de Máquinas de Segunda Clase) and Senior Naval Chief Engineer (Mecánico Mayor Naval) in the engine section.
Límites de embarque y competencias operativas
Regulations set specific limits for the amount of onboard training time that can be counted to sit for fitness tests. Students in the deck department may complete a maximum of nine months of training on the unit. For their part, applicants in the engine department will have a limit of up to twelve months of practice.
The text also defines the authorized operational functions during embarkation periods. In the deck department, the tasks include navigation, monitoring the ship’s operation and care for people onboard. In the engine department, duties are enabled related to naval machinery, electrical and electronic installations, maintenance, repairs, and operational management of the vessel.
Aulas flotantes y carácter retroactivo
The resolution grants the Esperanza del Mar the status of an extension of the ISM-affiliated teaching centers. This classification allows theoretical and practical training on board, aimed at both vocational training students and the institute’s own crews, including the issuance of certificates of proficiency under Chapter VI of the international STCW convention.
The approval enters into force on an indefinite basis from its publication in the BOE, subject to periodic inspections if the ship’s technical conditions change. The provision also benefits students who carried out their training on the hospital ship before the rule came into effect, with their days at sea recognized retroactively. Students must keep the Training Record Book, signed by the supervising officer and the captain, up to date so that the corresponding certificates can be issued in their navigation booklets.
The entry Esperanza del Mar pasa a ser un buque escuela del ISM en Canarias was first published on canarymaritime.com.
