The Philippines has secured its place anew on the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) whitelist, entrenching the country’s status as major provider of world-class Filipino seafarers in the global maritime industry.
In a statement, the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) said the Philippines was recognized another time for its commitment to maintain a high standard in maritime education, training, and certification for Filipino seafarers.
The IMO whitelist signifies that seafarers trained and certified in the Philippines meet the rigorous international standard set by the IMO Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW) Convention.
Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista said the Manila inclusion in the list is aligned with the goal to establish the Philippines as the ‘Marine Capital of the World’ by providing the global maritime industry with world-class Filipino seafarers.
“Our goal is to entrench the position of the Philippines as the maritime capital of the world by continuously supplying the global maritime industry with high-standard Filipino seafarers,” Bautista said.
He added the Department of Transportation (DOTr) is determined to address challenges faced by the maritime industry to gain the distinction.
After the 2022 IMO Independent Evaluation, the DOTr through the MARINA, exerted efforts to implement consistently and monitor the corrective action for the benefit of almost 50,000 Filipino seafarers employed by European-flagged vessels.
The IMO Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) has confirmed that the Philippines has fully complied with the relevant provisions of the STCW Convention.
