Presentation on issuing certificates

Mr Terry Hartman of Tardis Technology Pty Ltd was invited to give a presentation on a system of issuing Certificates of Competency that would provide security and reduce the risks of forgery. He said his company had produced passport issuing systems and certificate issuing systems for a number of companies. He showed delegates the secure booklets for passport grade certificates, whereby photographs and signatures could be scanned in to the booklet. New technology would enable biometrics to identify the holder with the certificate by including digitised fingerprints, iris scans and facial recognition techniques. The books were passport size with special secure lamination that could not be removed or cut without leaving telltale marks visible under a special viewer. Also available was UV rainbow printing, from the colour blue into pink, making the documents almost impossible to forge. The Tardis system can be integrated with the Neptune Seafarer's database.

　

Costs were an important factor to delegates. One-off artwork would be in the region of USD 1,700, while booklets would be about USD 1.50 for lots of 3,000 or more. Labels were about USD 0.25, as was over-seal material, while the laminate would cost USD 1.00 times two for each inside cover. Printers cost about USD 2,000, although in-book printers ran about USD 4,000-5,000 per unit. Installation and training was extra, but the average cost per book would be about USD 4.00.

　

Delegates were shown the new RMP ship simulator, which has three 'own ship' positions that can operate individually or in a group exercise, the size of vessel varying from a naval patrol boat to a 32,000 ton container carrier. Various environmental conditions can be inputted to the exercises. The RMTA and the representative of the New Zealand Maritime School demonstrated that the simulator was capable of many different types of training. Simulators can be used in many situations and exercises can be written quite quickly. A number of issues were raised:

　

　

　

　

　

　

At the same time, the representative of the New Zealand Maritime School outlined his computer-based teaching aid for engineering teaching methods and aids.

　

The Fiji Islands delegate advised the meeting that they had lodged an application with Japan for the provision of a training ship for the benefit of the region, but on a bilateral basis. He asked for comments on the proposal, but none were forthcoming. The representative of the Australian Maritime College said that it was very expensive to operate a training vessel and theirs was costing about AUD 3-4 million per year, and the College was wondering if they could afford to keep the training vessel operating in future. A resolution was suggested and drafted but the meeting did not consider it necessary as Fiji was only advising the meeting on progress.

　

The Fiji Islands delegate further advised that Fiji had already received letters of support for the project, from Tonga, Samoa, Tuvalu and Kiribati.

　

The Tonga delegate raised the issue of the possibility of a pool of qualified tutors. The RMTA responded that this was a good idea, but it was necessary to ensure that all tutors were qualified to a base standard before this could happen. SPC was working on this with the tutor training program.

　

The Tonga delegate raised the issue of whether the Association should have a 'Man of the Year' award, but there was no interest and no agreement from the meeting.

　

The Tonga delegate raised the issue whether SPC could have an information technology (IT) communications presentation at the next meeting on advances and new issues in IT communication areas. It was also suggested that a mini-workshop on Internet website design be held if funding could be found.

　

The Tonga delegate requested that an extra agenda item be added after 'adoption of minutes,' called 'matters arising from the minutes.'

　

The RMTA raised the issue of venue of the APIMTIMA meeting and whether it should be held in member countries.

　

The PNG delegate suggested a 'home and away' policy of alternate meetings in Fiji and another country.

　

The Tonga delegate supported this, provided that SPC funding was not a problem and that the costs were the same as holding the meeting in Fiji.

　

The RMTA proposed that the Association should invite the New Zealand Maritime School, the Australian Maritime College and the Asia Pacific Maritime Institute to become associate members of APIMTIMA due to their contribution to maritime training in the Pacific. The proposal was agreed by the delegates and seconded by the FSM delegate.

　

The RMTA proposed that the Association should invite Tokelau to be a member of APIMTIMA. The Tokelau delegate thanked the meeting and agreed to pass on the invitation to the Tokelau Government.

　

　

The RMTA said that next year's meeting would depend very much on the funding received by the RMP of SPC but that if funding was secured, it would be held in February or March 2003. He said that he would entertain suggestions for other PICTs to host the meeting but recognised that any other venue would probably mean an increase in airfares.

　

The Chairperson then closed the meeting at 1115 but delegates were asked to report back at 1500 for distribution of documents.