ClassNK will be bringing its PrimeManagement series of seminars to Ukraine and Bulgaria for the first time on  March 26 and 28, 2013, respectively.

The seminars, which are offered free of charge, have drawn large audiences in Japan, the Philippines, India, and the other countries where they have been held. In Eastern Europe, the seminars were held in Croatia and Romania last year.

ClassNK PrimeManagement is the collective name for the total package of the certification services ClassNK provides as an independent third party. These include management systems for ISO and other standards regarding safety and environmental conservation, as well as certifications in the fields of seafarer training and working environments.

Ukraine and Bulgaria are two of the world’s leading providers of seafarers. As a major source of crew for Japan’s merchant fleet, they serve a particularly crucial role in Japan. The seminars in these countries will be held due to popular demand from seafarer training academies and manning and crew placement agencies, who have requested training in line with the newest maritime regulations. In particular, these seminars have been called to address methods of responding to the new requirements for the Maritime Labour Convention, which will come into force this August, as well provide a structure for efficient, seafarer-oriented ECDIS training that addresses the STCW Manila Amendments.