Philippines President Advocates Seafarer Training for New Fuels

January 13 ------ The Philippines holds the title of the world’s largest supplier of seafarers to international shipping, a designation that President Marcos Jr. emphasized during the ‘Shaping the Future of Shipping: Seafarer 2050’ event in Manila. He expressed pride in the country’s status as the seafaring capital of the world and highlighted the economic opportunities it generates. The President committed to enhancing maritime-related policies and protecting the welfare of seafarers and their families.

A pressing challenge for the shipping industry, as recognized at the summit, is the need for decarbonization, particularly training crews to handle alternative fuels like methanol and ammonia safely. This event, hosted by key maritime organizations such as the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF), and the Filipino Shipowners Association (FSA), gathered stakeholders from various sectors including shipping companies, government agencies, and labor unions.

President Marcos Jr. pointed out that the shipping sector is at a crucial turning point marked by significant transformations driven by sustainable fuel adoption and advancements in digitization and automation. He emphasized that a critical component of this transition will be the investment in a highly skilled workforce capable of operating, maintaining, and managing the vessels of the future. To this end, he pledged that Philippine authorities would collaborate with the shipping industry to provide essential training for seafarers. He directed the Maritime Industry Authority and the Commission on Higher Education to work closely with industry stakeholders on upskilling and reskilling Filipino seafarers, particularly in preparation for the impending shift from conventional fuels to green ammonia expected between 2030 and 2050.

He called for collaborative efforts, urging national government entities, multi-layer organizations, and private stakeholders to identify strategies to ensure a reliable supply of skilled workers to meet the growing demands of the shipping industry, anticipated to rise significantly by 2050.

Since taking office in June 2022, President Marcos Jr. has actively engaged in addressing seafaring-related issues. Notably, he intervened with the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) to resolve longstanding concerns regarding the standards of maritime training in the Philippines, alleviating a looming threat of banning Filipino officers from serving on European-flagged vessels—a concern that had persisted for 15 years. The recent recognition of Filipino seafarer certifications by Europe also brings relief to the shipping sector, solidifying the importance and value of Filipino seafarers in the global maritime landscape.

Source: maritimefairtrade.org