The International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) have launched an ambitious initiative to tackle the global seafarer shortage while creating career opportunities for aspiring seafarers from developing nations.
The NextWave Seafarers Project was officially unveiled with a Letter of Agreement signed by Mr. Kamal M. Al Junaidi, Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia to IMO, and Mr. Jose Matheickal, Director of IMO’s Technical Cooperation and Implementation Division (TCID). The signing ceremony was witnessed by IMO Secretary-General Mr. Arsenio Dominguez, alongside senior representatives from the Transport General Authority (TGA) of KSA and Bahri Shipping Line.
Scheduled to run from 2025 to 2026, the initiative will provide 20 cadets from Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) with one year of onboard training through Bahri Shipping Line, a leading Saudi maritime company. The project aims to establish a sustainable and scalable training framework, addressing barriers like access to placements and financial support while promoting gender diversity by encouraging women cadets to join.
This program seeks to address the maritime industry’s urgent workforce challenges, particularly the officer shortage, as 1.9 million seafarers currently move over 80% of global trade. IMO Secretary-General Mr. Arsenio Dominguez emphasized the initiative’s transformative potential for young seafarers, while Mr. Kamal M. Al Junaidi underscored the vision to inspire other nations and companies to adopt similar frameworks.
Source: Swifteradio.com
