2,000 mariners complete OMSA security training

The Offshore Marine Service Association (OMSA) says that the 2,000th mariner has now been trained under the OMSA Ship Security Officer Training Program.

OMSA is the national trade association representing U.S.-owned vessels that work in offshore oil and gas fields in the United States and around the world. The association has more than 250 members.

Some 450 vessels are participating in the OMSA Alternate Security Plan program.

"OMSA's members take the Coast Guard's security requirements very seriously." OMSA's President Ken Wells said, "The supply boats, crewboats and other vessels which work in the offshore sector are vital to nation's energy supply. These vessels are American-owned, American-crewed and American-built, which means that they are well-positioned to monitor the offshore platforms that provide more than 25 percent of our nation's oil and gas needs. In terms of security, the Coast Guard has called the crewmembers the 'eyes and ears' of the oil patch and we agree that they are the first line of defense when it comes to reporting any suspicious activity offshore. With that in mind, we wanted to make sure that our crews were fully trained for the important role that they play in ensuring security on offshore vessels."

Under the OMSA Security Training Program, companies send supervisory employees through a "train-the-trainer" program which qualifies them to train vessel captains and their crews.

Other provisions of the program allow third party providers to train vessel crews. OMSA training providers include Louisiana's technical and community colleges Delgado Community College, Young Memorial, Louisiana Technical College (La Fourche Campus) and commercial training providers such as Houston Marine Training, Sea School and individual training consultants

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