Nobody need lose sleep over the final audit by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) in October. In our blog post of 23rd June, we cited three reasons for not expecting the EU to derecognise Philippine crew certificates. All will be pleased, of course – not least the EU shipowners, who cannot, realistically, do without Filipino seafarers. But should anyone break out the champagne?
Notwithstanding an EU stamp of approval, or probably because of it, we foresee that maritime education will remain commercialised; a good number of diploma mills will go on existing; state inspections will still be an old boys club exercise; and corruption will continue to bedevil the system.
The truth is that EMSA and the European Commission, by whose authority EMSA conducts the audits, are not only up against a Philippine system that has long cried out for reforms. They’re also faced with a materialistic culture that has commodified seafarers and turned many maritime schools into cash registers. Changing that culture will take years, even decades. ~Barista Uno
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Barista Uno,
I enjoy reading your insights. Your views and the views of others here are rooted on facts and truth. You have the practical side of what we will expect in the future of this EMSA audit but again due to the unique Filipino quality of “madiskarte” meaning can easily find a way to solve a problem, Filipino seafarers will constantly be in demand from foreign principals due to their unique way of solving problems onboard and their quick ability to adjust in any situation.
Thanks very much, Virginia. I, too, wish that the Philippines would get the EU thumbs up – not because the country deserves it but because an EU ban on Filipino seafarers would be disastrous.
Correct assessment. The stuffy euros will never cut off their nose to spite their own face. Without Filipinos their fleets are dead in the water…literally. Cruise ship industry would go kaput!
Shareholders would never stand for any of it! So follow the money. Auditors will hand out many wrist slaps but will overlook most issues.
Sadly, I predict the Manila schools that DO change for the better will cost more to attend. They will get it. Eventually the system will change. But it will take a long time to shake out the corrupt old guard. A decade? Probably.
Keep up the blog. Most euros and Americans have NO idea of what you speak…but must learn to assist with change.
A bit of pruning will be beneficial at the end. There is so much ‘dead branches’ in our top heavy maritime industry, sucking most of the sustenance and threatening to snap the stem.
The proverbial elephant has to be eaten one spoon at a time. We should be actually thankful to EMSA for turning the heat up, but like what everyone already knows, it is not enough.