XI International Seminar“Quality Shipping: XXI Century Standard”

SEAFARING CAREERS: RAISING THE PROFILE.LATVIA’S EXPERIENCE

Ansis ZeltiņšDirectorMaritime Administration of Latvia

St Petersburg, 22-23 October, 2008

HYSTORICAL BACKGROUND

Major competence from soviet time 95% of Latvian seafarers work on foreign

flag vessels Vast majority use service of local crewing

companies Not unified system of certification Not standardized educational programs Comparatively high number of fraud

STRATEGIC GOALS

Highly competent seafarers Quality education Elimination of frauds

SOLUTIONS

Change of national legal framework Principles of certification Increased document protection Industry involvement New concept of national maritime

education system

PRINCIPLES OF CERTIFICATION

Management level certificate after management level professional program

Engine Room Simulator course mandatory for engineers

All seafarers are certified, including ratings and non-STCW officers

Two-level examination for new STCW qualification applicants

NEW EDUCATIONAL CONCEPT

STCW officers on ships above 500 GT trained on the basis of secondary education

QMS is a mandatory requirement for educational institutions and training centers

Combined professional bachelor’s programs (operational+management) as well as masters programs

Lifelong educationProfessional courses for management level officersMaritime educational programs agreed by the Registry

of Seamen

CURRENT DATA ON SEAFARERS

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

2006 2007 2008

Masters andofficersRatings

Fishermen

Domestic andauxilary fleetTotal

Statistics of certified Latvian seafarers

CURRENT DATA ON SEAFARERS

Deck department 2754

Masters above 3000 GT 909

Engine department 2668

Chief Engineers above 3000 kW 901

Non STCW officers 660

Ratings 6728

Deck ratings (O/S, A/B, Bosun) 4673

Engine ratings (oilers) 2055

Non STCW ratings 1841

Total: 14 651

Latvian seafarers on international merchant fleet vessels

CURRENT DATA ON SEAFARERS

Up to 40 years of age 40 – 50 years of age 50 – 60 years of age Over 60 years of age

12% 40% 37% 11%

Masters

Up to 30 years of age 30 – 40 years of age 40 – 50 years of age Over 50 years of age

19% 21% 30% 30%

Officers

Up to 30 years of age 30 – 40 years of age 40 – 50 years of age Over 50 years of age

36% 23% 23% 18%

Ratings

Split of age between Latvian seafarers

MARITIME EDUCATION

Graduates in 2008

Deck department

Engine department

Latvian Maritime Academy

(academical)

72 24

Maritime School

(vocational)

57 18

Liepāja Maritime College

(college)

94 110

OFFICERS’EDUCATION

Qualification % with academic education

% with college education

Master on ships of 3000 GT and more 59.12 39.3

Chief mate on ships of 3000 GT and more 26.53 72.11

Watch officer on ships of 500 GT and more 16.54 82.82

Chief engineer on ships of 3000 kW and more 34.8 63.31

Second engineer on ships of 3000 kW and more 17.3 81.15

Watch engineer on ships of 750 kW and more 9.7 89.1

Total: 28.6 69.99

Percentage of academic and college education of Latvian officers

LEONARDO DA VINCI Pilot project “Seafarer Certificate Forgery: the Threat Undermining the Quality

of Training (GETQUALITY)”

EU funded project Launched on 1 October 2006 4 countries, 7 partners

Goals: Awareness of the situation Development of anti-fraud tool package Safeguard to protect ships from seafarers without genuine

documents Improve co-operation among maritime seamen’s registers and

educational institutions increase the reliability in recognition of certificates among

members of the IMO

NUMBER OF ISSUED CERTIFICATES

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

2004 2005 2006 2007

Masters

Navigators

Engineers

El. Engineers

Ref. Engineers

GMDSSoperatorsRaitings

FORGERY

2004 2005 2006 2007

Officers’ competency certificates 30% 24% 13% 8%

Ratings’ competency certificates 28% 14% 24% 12%

Educational diplomas 28% 35% 37% 49%

Course certificates 14% 21% 24% 22%

Certificates of medical fitness 0,5% 1% 2%

Unlicensed entries in Seamen's books 4% 10%

Statistics of document forgery

RAISING PUBLIC AWARENESS OF SEAFARERS PROFESSION AND MARITIME

INDUSTRY

THE KEY IS REALISTIC INFORMATION ABOUT:

Maritime industry (different segments) The scope of job opportunities through different

segments Importance of marine industry to everyone’s daily life Nature of responsibilities onboard

Thank you!