SAFETY, SEAFARERS AND SEA 

Across the vast oceans, a vital force keeps the world's economies afloat: seafarers.  Men and women alike play a crucial role in the maritime industry, ensuring the smooth flow of global trade. We rely on them to transport a staggering 80% of the world's goods across vast stretches of ocean.

Imagine a network of over 80,000 merchant vessels, each a complex machine carrying everything from everyday necessities to industrial materials. This global fleet, registered in over 150 countries, is manned by a remarkable 2 million seafarers. Their work is vital, yet often unseen.Their dedication requires sacrifice. Long stretches at sea mean time away from loved ones is a reality. While the world benefits from their efforts, their jobs can sometimes lack the stability of traditional careers.

Safety is the unwavering foundation of the maritime industry. This year, as we commemorate Seafarer's Day, the #SafetyTipsAtSea campaign takes center stage.  This initiative highlights the critical importance of creating a safe working environment for all seafarers, a multicultural workforce who navigate the world's oceans.

Unfortunately, recent times have seen a rise in ship attacks, adding another layer of stress and danger to their already demanding jobs. This underscores the urgent need for increased vigilance and robust safety protocols.Despite these challenges, seafarers remain committed. They navigate complex waters, adhering to strict safety protocols. They are trained to handle emergencies with calm competence, ensuring the well-being of their crew and the cargo entrusted to them. These are the unsung heroes of global trade, the seafarers who deserve our recognition and unwavering support.

WOMEN, WAVES AND WISDOM

The maritime industry is undergoing a transformation, demonstrating its inclusivity and boundless potential, largely driven by women. However, despite the industry’s growth, the participation of women in seagoing careers remains limited compared to the shore-based opportunities.  The Marine industry in Sri Lanka is predominantly a male driven industry and the participation of woman represents a significant smaller proportion.  While the global maritime industry is witnessing a gradual rise in female representation, Sri Lanka has a uniqueopportunity in recruiting women for seafaring roles.

Sri Lanka’s tradition of valuing women’s contributions, and its commitment to gender equality, runs a few decades into the past.  As early as 1960, Sri Lanka produced the first female prime minister of the world, igniting a whole new generation of women willing to contribute their efforts across the spectrum of our workforce. Since then, they have served as the backbone of the Sri Lankan economy contributing immensely across industries such as tea, garment manufacturing, rubber, and overseas worker remittance. If the revival of 1970 is something to go by, then Centrum Marine aspires to ignite a new generation of female seafarers to be trained in numbers to alleviate the global shortage of quality seafarers faced by ship owners and managers which is estimated as 88,000 officers by 2025 as per the BIMCO manpower report 2015.

To celebrate a future where 150 talented women navigate the seas as seafarers though the “She can Sail the Sea initiative, a collaborative effort is crucial. Global ship stakeholders, and maritime organizations must play a role to unlock a wealth of talent demonstrating a genuine commitment to supporting women at sea.

PEOPLE, PASSION AND PROFESSIONALISM

Centrum Marine Consultancy is a provider of Marine HR services founded in the year 2020 by Kalinga De Silva with a team that possess over 60 years of collective experience. The company has made tremendous headway in globalizing these professionals as a brand of excellence around “Sri Lankan Seafaring”, showcasing the world-class training and experience that Sri Lankan seafarers possess backed by ship owner friendly attitude due to the personal traits such as loyalty, whilst positioning them as one of the best resources in the world for ship owners and ship managers to draw from. As a frontrunner in the Marine HR industry in Sri Lanka and a champion for gender diversity has spearheaded the launch of Sri Lanka’s first dedicated Female cadetship program “She can Sail the Seas”. This initiative facilitates the training of 15 vibrant female candidates by providing them with full paid scholarships paving their way into a rewarding and exhilarating seafaring career. To achieve this, Centrum Marine has joined forces with Peter Döhle Schiffahrts-KG assisted by CINEC Sri Lanka’s leading Maritime Education & Training (MET).The selected 15 cadets have received sponsorships totaling to $103,250. Centrum Marine &Peter Döhle Schiffahrts-KG have shared equal responsibility by financing 50% each respectively.

This scholarship program the first ever to take place with female cadets, extends support to 15 deserving female cadets in the maritime industry who require financial assistance to advance their education and pursue their careers as female officers at sea. In addition, Centrum has augmented a series of soft skill training in partnership with Peter Döhle Schiffahrts-KGfollowed by 12 months of onboard training, ultimately leading to guaranteed employment on vessels.

To inspire and spark the potential amongst Sri Lanka youth aspiring to excel in a sea-going career, Centrum aims to recruit 400 well trained officers across the next thirty months bringing an economic contribution of approximately $ 40 million to the country.  As part of that journey, Centrum is geared to design and equip candidates with valuable skills and knowledge, provide meaningful career guidance, and foster a supportive and encouraging environment that will indeed benefit them. Aligned with this thinking, Centrum Marine is proud to be the initiator of several programs that offer female& male cadets not just a job but a life-fulfilling career.

Article by Centrum Marine Consultancy, 
Colombo, Sri Lanka.