By Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio, Reporter
THE government should consider investing more in developing the skills of seafarers through such measures as the acquisition of a training ship for maritime school students, a shipping executive said on Thursday.
Most cadet seafarers find it difficult to get hands-on ship training, according to Jesse H. Maxwell, chief executive officer of Magsaysay Shipping and Logistics group.
“The government can help support them by investing in a ship that can accommodate cadetship training,” he told BusinessWorld.
The Philippines is the top provider of shipboard labor, according to the Maritime Industry Authority.
In 2021, the European Maritime Safety Agency threatened to decertify Filipino seafarers due to weaknesses in their training.
“The recent EU (European Union) warning highlighted perennial problems in the training, and most importantly, education of aspiring Filipino sailors,” a 2024 Maritime Fairtrade report stated.
“A lot of schools don’t provide onboard training, so that’s the limiting factor,” Mr. Maxwell said.
“What happens is you have seafarers who finish the first three years, but can’t get their one year of onboard cadetship training,” he added, noting that some seafaring students switch careers due to the long waiting time for onboard training.
Philippine seafaring schools should also “do whatever they can” to give their students the needed cadetship training, he said.
“Let’s not take in so many students if the cadet jobs aren’t available so there isn’t so much of a mismatch,” said Mr. Maxwell.
In 2023, the Commission on Higher Education imposed a five-year moratorium on the opening of new maritime school programs as it clamps down on noncompliant seafaring schools.