The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), Lloyd’s Register OneOcean, and the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) of the Republic of the Philippines Department of Transportation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on a pilot project for the integration of seafarer certification systems and development of a new mobile application.
The pilot aims to reduce the administrative burden of paper-based seafarer endorsement and verification processes while improving efficiency for key stakeholders, including flag administrations, Port State Control, seafarers, and shipping companies.
The project will explore the feasibility of digitising certification processes with a focus on security, interoperability, and ease of use, with the goal of reducing reliance on paper-based certificates and their associated challenges, such as process delays, increased error risks, and inconsistencies across different national requirements.
“Through LR OneOcean, we are now applying our expertise to explore how digital solutions can streamline certification, making processes more efficient for seafarers, flag administrations, and the wider industry,” said Nicholas Goubert, Co-CEO and CPTO of Lloyd’s Register OneOcean.
“Working alongside ICS and MARINA on this pilot project is an exciting opportunity to bring together different perspectives and expertise to explore a digital certification approach that could benefit the entire maritime sector, improving accessibility, security, and regulatory compliance in a meaningful way.”
The project will test a secure system to consolidate and store all seafarer certificates, providing real-time access for stakeholders while also allowing seafarers to take ownership of their data and control its use.
The pilot is also aligned with recent amendments to the STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers) Code, which came into effect on 1 January 2025, encouraging the transition to digital certification.
As part of the initiative, ICS, LR OneOcean and MARINA will develop an initial API integration to link MARINA’s Integrated Seafarers Management Online System (MISMO) to the pilot platform. Following successful validation, MARINA will consult its seafarer community of around 400,000 Filipino seafarers to gather feedback on digital certification requirements and adoption strategies.
