In-house trained Aramcon earns international marine certification

Hussain M. Al-Nasrallah has become the first in-house trained Marine Department employee to be awarded a navigating officer’s Certificate of Competency (CoC) issued by the Transport General Authority (TGA) of Saudi Arabia.

The TGA is the authorized national body that issues marine CoCs in line with the International Convention on the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW). The CoC was issued with no limitation, enabling Al-Nasrallah to work as a navigation officer on board any size and type of marine vessel worldwide.

Hard work

In recognizing the milestone achievement, Abdullah O. Al-Tewairqi, manager of the Marine Department, said, “Our Marine Training Academy Unit (MTAU) worked really hard over the past two years to accomplish all rigorous training requirements set by the International Maritime Organization to meet the highest standards of training as per the STCW convention.

“Such an achievement will support the national interest aligned with the Kingdom’s 2030 Vision in developing local content. Besides raising the competency level and professionalism of marine employees, this will reduce dependency on overseas training,” he said. 

Maritime journey

Al-Nasrallah commenced his marine career in August 2011 and worked on board various vessels in the Aramco fleet, including pollution control, material and logistics, and offshore support vessels.

“My CoC journey began on October 13, 2019, when I started the 42-week Officer of the Watch (Navigation) training program at the MTAU at West Pier in Ras Tanura,” Al-Nasrallah said. After completing the in-house training program, he had to sit for TGA’s rigorous written and oral competency examinations. Describing his experience, Al-Nasrallah stated, “We learned a lot from the training program, which offered a very good opportunity for learning in the Kingdom. I am very grateful for the opportunity Aramco and the Marine Department presented to me, and I consider my CoC as an achievement for us all.”  

Professional operations

“Meeting the TGA accreditation requirements shows the commitment and professionalism the Marine Department has cultivated across decades of operations,” said Fehr F. Khomais, head of the Marine Technical Services Division.

Bader A. Otaibi, MTAU supervisor, said the successful delivery of in-house STCW training programs endorsed the academy’s standing as a center of excellence. “In two years, we accomplished a series of milestones that provided a massive leap forward and transformed our training capability to international standards.”

World-class training

The MTAU was awarded an international benchmarking certificate issued by Applied Research International, a world-class maritime training institute and a global leader in the production of simulation and virtual reality training solutions. The MTAU was then officially accredited by the TGA to deliver training for navigation and engineering disciplines in line with the STCW.

“The success story of Hussain Al-Nasrallah will certainly inspire others,” Otaibi noted. “Our journey has just begun. We have many other training related initiatives and projects in progress. With the installation of an engine room simulator and the procurement of a ship captain’s approved curriculum, we’re committed to extending the STCW training programs to even higher levels.”