The Philippines secured its place anew on the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Whitelist, entrenching the country’s status as a major provider of world-class Filipino seafarers in the global maritime industry.
The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) said in a statement the Philippines was recognized anew for its commitment to maintaining high standards in maritime education, training and certification for Filipino seafarers.
As a roster of parties, the IMO Whitelist signifies that seafarers trained and certified in the Philippines meet the rigorous international standards set by the IMO Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW) Convention.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said the inclusion in the list is aligned with the government’s 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 standards Filipino seafarers,” Bautista said.
He said the Department of Transportation (DOTr) is determined to address challenges faced by the maritime industry for the country to achieve such a reputation.
After the 2022 IMO Independent Evaluation, the DOTr through the MARINA exerted efforts to consistently implement and monitor the corrective actions for the benefit of almost 50,000 Filipino seafarers employed by European-flagged vessels.
The IMO Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) confirmed that the Philippines has fully complied with the relevant provisions of the STCW Convention.