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The Philippine maritime training and certification system will continue to be recognized by the European Commission as it extended recognition of the country’s compliance to the International Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW)
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This means Filipino seafarers’ employment by European shipping lines is safe, at least for now
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The “Philippines has made serious efforts to comply with the requirements, in particular in key areas like the monitoring, supervision and evaluation of training and assessment”, according to the EC
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While the Philippines continues to enjoy such recognition, the EC said some issues still need to be addressed
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49,000 Filipino marine offers and their families stand to gain from EC’s decision
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In the coming months, the Commission intends to provide the Philippines with technical assistance to further improve its education, training and certification system for seafarers
Filipino seafarers’ employment by European shipping lines is safe, at least for now.
This, as the European Commission (EC) extended recognition of the country’s compliance to the International Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW), effectively also recognizing the Philippine maritime training and certification system.
The EC in a statement said the “Philippines has made serious efforts to comply with the requirements, in particular in key areas like the monitoring, supervision and evaluation of training and assessment.”
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said 49,000 Filipino marine officers and their families stand to gain from the EC decision.
The Philippines is the world’s leading supplier of seafarers.
In December 2021, following a detailed assessment of the training and certification system in place, the EC had informed the Philippines that recognition of their seafarer certificates would be withdrawn unless serious measures were taken, including compliance with the STCW.
“The outcome of the analysis allows the EU to extend the recognition of the Republic of the Philippines STCW system,” it said.
Bautista said EC’s decision confirms that the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) adequately addressed many of the findings by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), adding that MARINA worked relentlessly with other stakeholders to address the findings in the EMSA final inspection report of March 2021 as well as EC’s assessment report of December 2021.
The EC said that while the Philippines continues to enjoy such recognition, some issues still need to be addressed.
Bautista assured the EC that the Philippines, through the DOTr and MARINA, will address the issues raised by the Commission.
“We commit to address the remaining areas identified by EC that require further improvement,” Secretary Bautista said.
“We appreciate the constructive cooperation with the Philippine authorities and welcome their efforts to improve the system for training and certifying seafarers,” EC Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean said.
“The Philippines provide a significant and valued part of the European and global shipping industry’s maritime workforce – indeed, with roughly 50,000 Filipino masters and officers currently working on EU-flagged ships. The Philippines can count on our technical support to further improve the implementation and oversight of minimum education, training and certification requirements, as well as living and working conditions,” Vălean added.
In the coming months, the Commission intends to provide the Philippines with technical assistance to further improve its education, training and certification system for seafarers, as was also discussed between President Ursula von der Leyen and President of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the margins of the EU-ASEAN summit last December.
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Bautista welcomed EC’s offer of technical assistance to further improve the implementation and oversight of minimum education, training and certification requirements as well as the living and working conditions of Filipino seafarers.
MARINA, in a separate statement, welcomed the Commission’s decision.
MARINA Administrator Atty. Hernani N. Fabia said the “EC’s decision is a nod to the serious efforts taken by the country since the first EMSA inspection back in 2006.”
The EMSA, on behalf of the EC, carried out a total of 13 inspections of the maritime education, training and certification system of the Philippines from 2006 to 2020. As provided for by the STCW Convention, the EC may conduct an evaluation of the STCW compliance of non-EU member countries prior to recognizing the certificate of their seafarers and allow them to work onboard EU-flagged vessels.
