Call to implement plans to produce more officer grade seafarers

Walter Liyanarachchi

There is a drastic shortage of officer grade Maritime seafarers in Sri Lanka and at a time the shippers from World over have found Sri Lanka, this most competitive and efficient hub, a constructive plan should be implemented to cater to the requirement of seafarers, Lanka Maritime Training Academy Managing Director Capt. E.S.M. Senanayake told Daily News. Presently nearly 15,000 officer grade seafarers are needed Worldwide to have a satisfactory shipping service, he said.

The government authorities should encourage approved maritime training establishments in Sri Lanka to help the Sri Lankan Youth to grab this opportunity of becoming high ranked seafarers. By expanding this field which was neglected for a long time would be able to earn more foreign exchange by providing employment-abroad Senanayake said.

Merchant maritime Education has to be guided under the stipulated guidelines and all institutions conducting Merchant Maritime Training has to adopt the model course put up by the IMO in order to regularise and to standardise this training in a global way.

Also it is required that all Maritime administration as well as schools conducting manytime related training to in order to maintain ISO certified quality operation and standards, he said.