The European Commission has decided to continue recognizing seafarer certificates issued by the Philippines, despite concerns over the quality of education provided by private maritime schools in the country. This decision follows a concerted effort by the Philippine government, with support from various shipping organizations, to address the issues raised by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) regarding the standards of training and certification for seafarers. The European Union has also committed to providing further technical assistance to help improve programs for this crucial sector of the maritime community.
The issue gained prominence after EMSA released a report highlighting deficiencies in the Philippines’ maritime training and certification standards, concerns that date back to a 2006 report identifying significant gaps more than a decade ago. The EMSA report noted that Philippine maritime education fell short of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers guidelines. As a result, the European Commission had warned that it would withdraw recognition of Philippine seafarer certificates unless the identified issues were promptly addressed. If this action were to occur, it would have effectively barred Filipino seafarers from gaining employment on EU-flagged vessels.
In response, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. personally intervened, assuring EU officials of his country’s commitment to rectify the issues and meet European regulatory standards. His dedication was echoed during discussions with EU leaders, notably EC President Ursula von der Leyen at the EU-ASEAN summit in December 2022.
In announcing the decision to retain recognition of the Philippines’ seafarer certificates, Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean expressed appreciation for the cooperative efforts of Philippine authorities, acknowledging their initiatives to enhance the quality of training and certification. The shipping community, recognizing the Philippines as a major source of manpower, strongly backed the continuation of certificate recognition; Filipino seafarers constitute around 14% of the global workforce, with approximately 50,000 currently working on EU-flagged vessels. This situation has been exacerbated by ongoing global challenges, including the war in Ukraine, which has disrupted the supply of seafarers from affected nations.
ECSA Secretary General Sotiris Raptis welcomed the recognition, noting the collaborative efforts made to improve the certification system, which plays a pivotal role in European shipping and trade. As part of initiatives for systemic improvement, President Marcos proposed establishing an advisory board. Consequently, a new International Advisory Committee on Global Maritime Affairs (IACGMA) was launched in January 2023, involving expertise from various maritime stakeholders to ensure that certification and training standards are upheld.
The cooperative approach among stakeholders, including shipowners and maritime organizations, emphasizes a collective commitment to addressing challenges and ensuring that global seafarer training standards are maintained. ICS Secretary General Guy Platten highlighted the importance of Filipino seafarers in the global maritime workforce and reaffirmed the significance of the European Commission’s decision as an endorsement of the Philippines’ dedication to improving training compliance with international regulations.
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