Monday May 18, 2009
Alam sees drop in cadet sponsorship programme
By SHARIDAN M.ALI
THE Malaysian Maritime Academy (Alam), the country’s premier maritime training institution, sees only a 20% to 25% drop in the cadet sponsorship programme although the shipping industry is experiencing a significant downturn.
It was reported that about 485 container ships with a total capacity of 1.42 million 20ft equivalent units were taken out of service and idled as of March 30.
Chief executive officer M. Adthisaya Ganesen said it was a fact that shipowners were more careful about their training budgets this year.
'Recent International Maritime Organisation reports have projected a shortfall of over 80,000 ship officers in 2012'....Alam CEO M.Adthisaya Ganesen. “However, they realise that the need for continual training is vital and, therefore. Alam only sees a 20% to 25% drop in the sponsorship programme this year,” he told StarBiz in an e-mail interview.
He added that it would not be wise to drastically cut back on training as that would cause shipowners to be unprepared when the industry recovered.
“A modest reduction in intake is likely to match the manpower demand in the future. Recent International Maritime Organisation (IMO) reports have projected a shortfall of over 80,000 ship officers in 2012.
“The development of human capital has to be continual to ensure that we have enough seafarers to cater to future manpower needs.
“It takes about 10 years to churn out a ship captain or chief engineer, and if shipowners halt training even for two to three years due to the economic downturn, it will have an adverse impact on manpower supply in the near future,” he said.
In its continual effort to improve maritime education and training (MET), he said, Alam had recently organised an international mini-conference and workshop, together with GlobalMET, entitled “Comprehensive Revision of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW): The Way Ahead for Regional MET & Maritime Industry”.
GlobalMET is a global maritime education and training association.
“The event this time dealt with the ongoing comprehensive review of the STCW, which will be finalised by next year, and we needed to get the industry’s feedback so that their concerns could be channeled to IMO in good time.
“GlobalMET had just attained consultative status at IMO and it is in a good position to pursue matters related to standards of maritime education, training and certification at a global level,” he said.
On other matters, he said MET institutions were working towards integrating the latest education technology to make the courses more attractive.
“Similarly, shipowners and ship management companies must respond with higher levels of communication technologies onboard. The present generation is more used to remaining connected at all times,” he said.
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