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The Strategic Solution to man power problem

_{NOVEMBER 2011}

Despite the seeming proliferation of Filipino seafarers as suggested by a sizable crowd of officers and ratings that continue to loiter daily at the Luneta Park looking for jobs, recruitment of qualified seafarers remain tight, indicating the lingering manpower shortage for the global fleet.

     It is ironic that this situation continues even amid the prolonged economic crisis that resulted in the persistent depressed freight rates and significantly meager cargos for oceangoing vessels.

     Industry leaders have identified the strategic source of the shortage and warned that unless government and industry groups, both seafarers’ and employers’ alike get their acts together, there would be no easing up of the strong demand for marine officers in the foreseeable future.

     At the 1st Philippine Seafarer Congress, Mr. Ericson Marquez, President of Filipino Association for Mariners Employment (FAME), made an insightful presentation why in spite of the economic uncertainties that hover global shipping for a number of years now headaches over recruitment of officers persist.

     At the same time, Mr. Marquez, President and Chief Executive Officer of several reputable manning companies, laid out mid-term as well as long-term proposed solutions to the manpower problem covering not only marine officers but also people for the cruise industry.

     Mr. Marquez also holds key posts in a number of industry groups, among them the Philippine Association of Manning Agencies and Shipmanagers (PAMAS), the Philippine-Japan Manning Consultative Council (PJMCC) and the Joint Manning Group (JMG), the biggest group representing employers of Filipino seafarers.

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