Industry attachment for officers in the Marine Department
Circular Ref: A(21)161
Issue Date: 21 Sep 2021
Members may be aware of the recruitment of Assistant Marine Officer/Assistant Surveyor of Ships (AMO/ASoS) ranks by the Hong Kong Marine Department (MarDep).
Members are invited to note that in January 2019, representatives from MarDep gave a presentation to the Association's MET Sub-committee, wherein, they explained how the new entry requirements for AMO/ASoS would help attract more local students.
They further advised that the number of annual intakes of AMO/MO and ASoS/SoS to MarDep at the time were not substantial. On the adequacy of seagoing experience and professional qualifications for AMO/ASoS to discharge their duties in MarDep, they explained that the AMO/ASoS would need to undertake a rigorous designated training programme. Upon completion of the training programme that will last for four years, and has been approved/accredited by professional institutions in the field, it is expected that the incumbents would be equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills required of the profession and for carrying out the duties in MarDep.
Earlier this year, MarDep provided us with an update on their recruitment efforts for the Assistant ranks of the Marine Officers (MO) and Surveyor of Ships (SoS), the progress of the designated training programme for these officers and the expected timing for the industry attachment.
As per the latest update, we understand that MarDep has recruited some 22 assistant rank officers. They need to send out the officers under the programme in batches.
The Marine Department plans to send out 5 Assistant Marine Officers and 3 Assistant Surveyor of Ships on attachment to shipping companies/ organisations / classification societies in the first quarter of 2022, and another 3 Assistant Surveyor of Ships in the third quarter of 2022, the time when the first batch of assistant rank officers, recruited in early 2019, would have completed the in-house and on-the-job training within Marine Department for three years.
The attachment for each officer will last up to six months.
Further details can be found in the presentation attached at Annex 2 and the one-page information sheet attached at Annex 3.
Members are encouraged to provide MarDep with secondment opportunities to the officers (at no cost to the company).
Interested members are requested to reach out directly to MarDep as per the contact details provided in the letter attached at Annex 1.