Filipino cruise ship crew cited

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino crew members of the Italian-based Costa Concordia cruise ship was recently accorded the Seafarer of the Year Award at the Lloyd’s List Global Awards 2012 in London for their exemplary display of skill and professionalism when the ship struck a reef in Giglio Island, Italy last January.

The prestigious award is given by the UK-based Lloyd’s Register, one of the most important maritime industry classification societies in the world.

Receiving the accolade on behalf of the Costa Concordia crew members are Assistant Bar Manager Sheila Canlas and waitress Janice Aguda.

“When the cruise ship Costa Concordia struck a reef off the island of Giglio on Jan. 13, international attention inevitably focused on the actions of the master. But what was largely missed in the media storm that ensued were the genuine examples of bravery and professionalism displayed by members of the crew. There were 4,229 people on board the vessel at the time of the casualty, and while the tragic loss of life caused by this regrettable incident will rightly be the subject of forensic investigations for some time to come, it should not be forgotten that without the skilled response of the majority of the crew, the loss of life could have been far higher. Our judges this year concurred with the view of Filipino crewing supplier Magsaysay who nominated their crew aboard but also wanted to acknowledge the bravery of others, that the actions of the professional and honorable seafarers that night should be publicly recognized,“ the citation reads.

Magsaysay is the leading human resource provider of global cruise lines and hospitality industries, managing two Costa Cruises training schools in Indonesia and the Philippines.