Tanzania: Marine sector faces understaffing as few interested in sector

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30 Sep 2010

The marine services in the country face a bleak future as many people are not interested in studying the profession. Information released yesterday in dare s Salaam show that the country would face shortage of 27,000 seafarers by 2015 if immediate measures will not be taken to encourage many people to learn the profession.

Speaking during the International maritime Organisation day in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, Mr Omar Chambo said that this was a result of many youth shunning out the studies in the section.
He said that this makes it crucial for developing countries like Tanzania to improve seafarers training environment as a way of convincing more youth to join seafarers studies.
“This has also resulted in high cost of fees... as a result our government is expecting to endorse a regulation under which we will establish a Maritime Education and Training Fund,” he said.
Mr Chambo said also that the fund would help to improve the only maritime college in Tanzania as the government understands challenges facing the Dar es Salaam Maritime Institute (DMI).
“The fund will also be used to either offer grant or loan to cover training in marine navigation, pilotage, marine engineering, management of shipping enterprises and the like,” said Mr Chambo adding that apart from long courses the fund would also be used to sponsor those undertaking short courses too.
For his part the Secretary General of the Tanzania Association of Seafarers Union (Tasu) Mr Mchafu Nkoma urged the government to purchase many cargo ships as a way of creating employments to its people.
“Currently we have 980 registered members, but there are a total of 12,000 seafarers in this country, most of them are not employed because the government does not possess even a single cargo ship,” said Mr Chakoma.
“We are just producing human resources which we are not utilised,” added he.
Mr Chakoma said the country should not depend on foreign companies for employment of its seafarers.
Mr Ahadi Chacha, the deputy Director General of the Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (Sumatra) said that his organisation aims at improving the seafarers welfare which includes provision of education in a bid to put them up to date with modern ships.
During the event a total of three Seafarers were awarded with certificates and Sh500,000 for assisting in the rescued other passengers who were travelling in different vessels.

Source: The Citizen