Tanker Officer Training Standards (TOTS)

TOTS by INTERTANKO is intended to provide the tanker industry with a standard that ensures tanker officer competence through onboard and shore training, evaluating knowledge gained as a result of ‘time in rank’ and ‘time with company’. TOTS will help tackle the difficulties encountered by tanker owners regarding the ‘officer matrix’ requirements of different charterers. Importantly, TOTS also aims to address current increasing trends in tanker accidents

In TOTS there are 4 elements.

1A- Command Module, Master and Chief Officer

1B- Senior Engineering Officer Tanker Module

1C- Junior deck and Engineering Officers Module

1D- All officers Module

The Computer Based Assessment (CBA) will be delivered via a CD-ROM, and all

assessment tasks will be contained on this CD-ROM which will be included with every

training record book. When a section of the training record book has been completed,

the user will be required to complete the assessment on the CD-ROM for that section,

to print out his/her certificate, and to ensure that the authenticated person logs and signs

completion of the activity and assessment in his/her training record book. The CBA will

not cover the tanker supplements as this will be verified by the simulator sections of

TOTS in element 4.When all sections and assessments have been completed the user will be required to complete a final assessment. This final assessment will be sat under exam conditions either onboard or ashore in the company. This CBA assessment is on a separate CDROM which will be either held by the Master or in the office.

When the candidate starts the CD-ROM they will be asked to select the module they are

taking (1A, 1B or 1C). The candidate will then be presented with the list of assessments

Upon completion of Module 1D the company is to ensure that each officer undergoes

verification. This may be via a CBA system developed by the company which will

ensure the candidate is fully conversant with the company’s systems. Records of such

training and the individual’s verification process should be retained for audit purposes.

However, as a company-based system, it remains important that there is a verification

process involved that will over-arch the "Time with company" elements to ensure a

uniform system of implementation and application and that the system is fully

implemented and robust within that company.

The deck officer candidates either at the junior officer level or command module level,

as appropriate/necessary, will be required to attend an externally auditable maritime

training centre, upon successful completion of the appropriate tanker type supplement,

i.e. the chemical, crude or product, and to undertake the simulator training course for

the type of tanker upon which he/she will sail. There are three simulator training

modules in the TOTS system:

Each module will complement the tanker supplements in the record training books and

ensure the candidate acquires "hands on" experience to build on the knowledge gained

in element 1. Having completed the appropriate simulator training course it is however

expected that the candidate will attend at a later stage to complete the appropriate

tanker type simulator verification course as part of the verification process of assessing

proficiency of knowledge at the senior level.

These modules are simulator models which determine the standard to be attained

through the simulator training course, and it is expected that the externally auditable

maritime training centre which runs these courses will ensure it attains the standard

that the models set out - and that it can demonstrate this.

The deck officer candidates, who undertake the command module (1A), will be

required to attend an externally auditable maritime training centre, upon successful

completion of the appropriate tanker type supplement, i.e. the chemical, crude or

product, and to undertake the simulator verification course for the type of tanker upon

which he/she will sail. There are three simulator verification modules in the TOTS

system as follows:

Each module will complement the tanker supplements in the record training books and

ensure the candidate is assessed of his "hands on" experience to build on the knowledge gained in 1A.

These modules are simulator models which determine the standard to be attained

through the simulator verification course, and it is expected that the externally auditable

maritime training centre which runs these courses will ensure it attains the standard

that the models set out – and that it can demonstrate this.