Firm Welcomes Gov't moves To Upskill Seafarers (1)
                     Firm Welcomes Gov't moves 
To Upskill Seafarers
UPSKILLING. Wilhelmsen Ship 
Management vice president 
for marine personnel Anette 
Bjerke Hoey (left) and 
Wilhelmsen vice president of 
marketing and 
communication Esther Gan. 
Hoey says they welcome 
government policies that aim 
to further improve the skills of 
Filipino seafarers. (Photo by 
Joann S. Villanueva)
MANILA – As the maritime industry shifts towards 
decarbonization and digitalization, officials of a leading 
maritime recruitment and fleet management firm said 
government policies that would further improve Filipino 
seafarers' skills are “very much welcome.”
 
In a briefing on Thursday, Wilhelmsen Ship 
Management vice president for marine personnel 
Anette Bjerke Hoey said they have increased the 
number of Filipino seafarers in their team, citing the 
availability of supply and their skills.
 
Hoey said they have about 5,000 Filipino personnel from a 
pool of 10,000 seafarers.
She said about 40 percent of the Filipino seafarers in their 
company are officer ranks, and about 2 percent of them are 
female.
The company has a cadet program, which allowed the 
entry of more Filipino seafarers by 194 percent in the past 
five years.
 
The Philippines is among the countries in the world that have a 
large supply of skilled seafarers and Hoey said Wilhelmsen has 
been relying on this supply for the past 43 years.
With the innovations and 
shifts in the maritime 
industry, such as towards 
decarbonization, she said, 
“We are determined to 
equip our local recruits 
with technical and soft 
skills competence that is 
required to operate future 
ships safely and 
efficiently.”
 
Asked about any particular focus for government policy 
reforms for seafarers, Hoey said they have not faced any 
negative experience among their Filipino crews.
 
She said the company is “very much concerned about the 
changes in the decarbonization and the future ships that are 
coming in.”
 
She added that the ongoing changes in the industry and the 
need to upskill their crew is a must, thus the continuing 
program to further improve their personnel’s technical skills.
 
“On our end when it comes 
to (the) competence of the 
crew, we are very much 
focused on getting their 
technical skills up. Of 
course, any policy that the 
government gives will be 
(an) additional welcome for 
us to increase the skills of 
our crew,” Hoey told the 
Philippine News Agency 
(PNA).
She said career progression is among the primary focus of the 
company when it comes to their crew, citing progress in 
“developing our Filipino officers to gain experience in highly 
complex vessel segments like LPG, (liquified petroleum gas), 
LNG (liquified natural gas), and cruise.”
Vessels called LPG or LNG tankers are carrier ships that are 
specifically designed to transport natural gas.
 
 
“This added vessel segment experience adds significant 
value in their career growth ahead,” Hoey added. (PNA)
 
News Source: Philippine News Agency
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