NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 17-The government has secured a sea maritime training opportunity following a signed agreement with Denmark that will see cadets train annually onboard Maersk vessels.
Principal Secretary Shipping and Maritime Affairs Geoffrey Kaituko announced that the partnership will avail an opportunity for ten cadets to be trained annually in the program.
The Principal Secretary disclosed the details following an official visit to Copenhagen in Denmark where he visited the Maersk Headquarters and met with vice-president Camilla Jain Hohse
“Sea time is one of the mandatory requirements for cadets before gaining employment on vessels and has proven to a challenge for cadets in Kenya since Kenya doesn’t have a shipping company,” PS Kaituko stated.
Maersk is one of the prime shipping companies in the world situated at Copenhagen in Denmark with subsidiaries and offices across 130 countries.
The deal will also facilitate the employment of Kenya Seafarers onboard their ships both as cadets and engineers by the Danish based company.
“The cadets selection will be conducted shortly and subsequently they will be absorbed by Maersk following the training,” the Principal Secretary said.
Thousands of Kenyan youths miss out on maritime jobs due to the high cost of training.The demand for maritime workers in the shipping industry worldwide has shot up, putting pressure on quality training.
Data from Kenya Maritime Authority shows that Kenyan seafarers placed onboard ships since 2021 are 3,500 with 2,700 recruited between 2023 and 2024.
KMA has 11000 seafarers in its register. Seafarers have complained that the fee for the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping course is astronomical.
The Principal Secretary also made a visit to Danish Maritime Authority with talks focused on the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Kenya and Denmark which was signed in 2021.
PS Kaituko expressed that the MOU will boost maritime education and training through collaboration with Bandari Maritime Academy.
Danish Maritime Authority will also work with Kenya Maritime Authority to strengthen thedual mandate on flag state and port state control through Service and inspection to enhance the capacity of Kenya Ship surveyors and inspection.
“The MOU was previously not operationalized but now we have found priority and mutual interest that we can collaborate it,” he said.
The country also participated in a high-level green shipping conference focused on implementation and adoption of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) strategy.
The regulations on the green-house effect in the shipping industry to reduce carbon emissions are scheduled to be adopted by 2025.
This comes even as Kenya is set to host the African region Conference on green shipping on the 6th and 7th of February 2025 where IMO and Denmark will participate.
“This conference is important since Kenya is a leading voice matters concerning climate change and its effect on African countries and our President H.E William Ruto has been the greatest champion of climate change,” PS Kaituko said.
Source: capitalfm
