Jobs for 10K Pinoy seamen up in Japan until 2010
Japanese shipping companies plan to hire 10,000 seamen from the Philippines between now and 2010.
Eduardo Menese, president of the Philippine-Japan Manning Consultative Council, said Japan will increase its merchant fleet of 2, 223 as of the end of 2006 to 3, 000 ships by the end of 2010, and further to 4,000 by 2015.
Out of the 12,000 seamen Japan needs in the next three years, manning companies are looking at the Philippines as a source for 10,000 seafarers, according to a Philippine News Agency report.
At present, 30,000 Filipino seamen are manning Japanese vessels, making them the single biggest nationality hired by Japanese shipping companies.
About 80 percent of newly-built Japanese vessels are manned by Filipino crew, Manese noted.
NYK Lines, one of the biggest shipping companies in Japan, plans to increase its fleet from the current 787 vessels to 938 by 2010.
Mitsui OSK Lines will also add 400 ships to its current fleet of 803 by 2013, while K-Line will increase its 468 fleet to 700.
PJMCC has been conducting an assessment exam among second year students of BS Maritime Transportation and BS Maritime Engineering as an initiative to strengthen maritime education standards.
"We have already started it last year. And hopefully, we can continue it in the coming years," Manese said.
Japan has been suffering from a scarcity of seafarers for ocean-going vessels as a result of its aging population.
From a peak of 56,833 in 1974, it reached an all-time low of 2,625 Japanese seamen in 2005, or just the same figure that the world's most populous countries, China and India can provide. - GMANews.TV
Eduardo Menese, president of the Philippine-Japan Manning Consultative Council, said Japan will increase its merchant fleet of 2, 223 as of the end of 2006 to 3, 000 ships by the end of 2010, and further to 4,000 by 2015.
Out of the 12,000 seamen Japan needs in the next three years, manning companies are looking at the Philippines as a source for 10,000 seafarers, according to a Philippine News Agency report.
At present, 30,000 Filipino seamen are manning Japanese vessels, making them the single biggest nationality hired by Japanese shipping companies.
About 80 percent of newly-built Japanese vessels are manned by Filipino crew, Manese noted.
NYK Lines, one of the biggest shipping companies in Japan, plans to increase its fleet from the current 787 vessels to 938 by 2010.
Mitsui OSK Lines will also add 400 ships to its current fleet of 803 by 2013, while K-Line will increase its 468 fleet to 700.
PJMCC has been conducting an assessment exam among second year students of BS Maritime Transportation and BS Maritime Engineering as an initiative to strengthen maritime education standards.
"We have already started it last year. And hopefully, we can continue it in the coming years," Manese said.
Japan has been suffering from a scarcity of seafarers for ocean-going vessels as a result of its aging population.
From a peak of 56,833 in 1974, it reached an all-time low of 2,625 Japanese seamen in 2005, or just the same figure that the world's most populous countries, China and India can provide. - GMANews.TV
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