Experts cite global problem on shortage of ship officers

MANILA, Philippines - The maritime industry worldwide is suffering from lack of ship officers because many of them prefer to stay on land with their families after making sufficient earnings, industry experts said during the 11th Asia Pacific Heads of Maritime Safety Agencies Forum which concluded yesterday.

In demand worldwide are master mariners, chief mates and second mates. Delegates from the Philippines and 16 other countries agreed that the industry must come up with schemes to renew the interest in the maritime profession to sustain the development of the industry. One way is to improve public perception on the maritime industry.                                                                     

Commodore Luis Tuason Jr., district commander of the Philippine Coast Guard in the National Capital Region, said the shortage of maritime officers is considered a “global problem.”                                                                                  

In developed countries such as in Europe and Singapore, Tuason said several maritime officers have lost interest in working on ships, opting to stay on land with their families.

“The profession as maritime officers no longer appeal to them. Many of them do not want to be away from their families,” Tuason said. “They prefer that after going on board ships a few times, when they have saved enough money, they would stay on land and just put up a business or join a ship management company.”                                    

Asian countries like the Philippines, China and India are supplying the world’s resources for able-bodied seafarers, apprentice seamen and boatswain, but these positions are classified as non-commissioned officers.

In the Philippines, an aspirant for an officer position would have to pass the examination given by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).                                       

Industry experts also recognized the need to address the problem of pirate attacks on seafarers in the coast of Somalia, Gulf of Aden, Horn of Africa and in the wider expanse of the Western Indian Ocean.

Delegates also agreed on the importance of implementing the Long-Range Identification and Tracking of Ships (LRIT) system.                                                                                      

Last June 16-19, 49 maritime executives, experts and observers worldwide gathered at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel to discuss the strengthening of regional cooperation on maritime safety, security, environmental protection and search and rescue.

Represented in the forum are maritime agencies from Australia, Canada, China, Chile, Hong Kong, Fiji, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, the United States, Vanuatu, and Vietnam, as well as international organizations like the International Maritime Organization, International Labor Organization, International Association of Lighthouse Authorities, Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia Information Sharing Center, and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.     This year’s meeting was hosted by the Philippine Coast Guard.

The next forum would be hosted by South Korea in 2011 and then by Vietnam in 2012.

Tomorrow, 600 foreign delegates will attend the four-day 2010 international diplomatic conference on Seafarers’ Training, Certification and Watchkeeping in Pasay City.                                                                                               

The Philippine National Police will deploy 5,000 elite policemen to secure the perimeter of the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).                               

The conference is hosted by the Department of Transportation and Communications.

The security contingent is composed of units from the Aviation Security Group, the National Capital Region Police Office, the Police Security and Protection Group, the Special Action Force, Highway Patrol Group, Intelligence Group, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, and the Maritime Group. – With Mike Frialde