TIM eMagazine Volume 4 Issue 1 | Page 16

Maritime MARINA hosts 2nd APEC Strategy Planning Meeting for Seafarers T he Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) hosted the 2nd Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Strategy Planning Meeting for the Seafarer Excellence Network of the Asia Pacific (SENAP) on 03-05 April 2019. The Korean Institute of Maritime and Fisheries Technology (KIMF) assisted in organizing the three-day meeting. The SENAP is a comprehensive network that promotes information sharing and skills transfer between the seafarers, the academe, and other industry stakeholders. At the three-day meeting, the APEC delegates finalized the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the establishment and the sustainable operation of the SENAP. The APEC member economies also discussed the development of a seafarer 16 career path from maritime education and training, pre-sea service, recruitment, sea service, post-sea service, and further professional development. KIMFT President Lee Dong Jae emphasized the importance of extending support and sharing of best practices among experts in the production of efficient maritime workforce in the APEC community. “With the strong cooperation between APEC economies, the establishment of SENAP has taken shape to what it currently is – a substantial platform for achieving seafarer excellence through a network of maritime education and training best practices, capacity building programs, as well as maritime policies and regulations across the region,” KIMFT President Lee Dong Jae said. The MARINA likewise encouraged the APEC delegates to be unwavering in their efforts to promote the welfare of the seafarers and the development of the maritime industry. “We continue to beam with pride because of the passion and unity among APEC member economies to develop a maritime workforce known for their professionalism, moral standards, and excellence in service. Let us implement greater efforts to promote skilled maritime labor mobility within the APEC community and other nations in need of our seafarers,” MARINA – STCW Office OIC Executive Director Rear Admiral Virme Torralba said. marina.gov.ph