Experts Call For Vast Collaboration In Marine Sector

Local and foreign experts at a seminar on Wednesday emphasized on large scale collaboration in marine sector among the sea harbour countries and increased exchange of marine delegates to boost blue economy in the world.

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Apr, 2018 ) :Local and foreign experts at a seminar on Wednesday emphasized on large scale collaboration in marine sector among the sea harbour countries and increased exchange of marine delegates to boost blue economy in the world.

The two-day international maritime academies seminar (IMAS) titled 'Maritime Education and Training' has been organized by the Pakistan Maritime Academy. Maritime experts from seven countries Sweden, Mauritius, Ukraine, Maldives, Malaysia, Kenya and Tanzania have participated.

The event has been organized in collaboration with the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), Qasim International Container Terminal, United Bank Limited, Port Qasim Authority, Association of Builders and Developers Pakistan (ABAD) and Pakistan National Shipping Corporation.

In his welcome address, Commandant Pakistan Marine academy, Commodore Akbar Naqi said this was the second international seminar on maritime issues organized by the PMA, after two years. He was confident that the seminar would be more productive for all participating countries.

Besides, exchange of information among the experts, 400 cadets of the PMA would get a lot of information on many topics. He also informed that 3rd International Maritime Academies Seminar (IMAS) would be held in 2020 in Karachi.

The PMA is a branch of World Maritime University (Sweden) and only public Sector Institute of Pakistan authorized for conducting International Maritime Organization (IMO) courses. It was giving training to cadets and crew for Merchant Navy to serve the maritime industry within and outside the country.

More than 1000 cadets of PMA were working in merchant navies of different countries, he said. He said that after acquiring most advanced equipment within next couple of months, the PMA would stand among the few high profile marine institutes in the world.

Commodre Akbar Naqi informed that the Federal Ministry of Education had been applied for up-gradation of the PMA as a marine university.

Thus, he added, the PMA would be the first Maritime University in the country.

He said that modern training to sea-farers was essential as they would be playing very important role in the growth of an economy. Vice Chancellor of Technical University, Mombassa, Kenya, Professor Laila Abdu Bakar spoke on 'Critical Role of Governments in Funding Maritime Education'.

She said that the marine education should be financed by all stakeholders. Governments, academia and industries should contribute to funding maritime education. She urged for increased collaboration among the sea linked countries for promoting maritime education and trainings.

She showed interest in collaboration between her university and the PMA, which was welcomed by the PMA's Commodre Akbar Naqi. Professor Maximo Q.Mejia Jr., Head of Maritime Law and Policy, World Maritime University, Sweden said the maritime sector could be better explored and developed through public-private partnership.

The governments, ship owners and ship managers, academia and industrial sector should join hands for the boost to blue economy. Commodre Ang Chin from Maritime Institute of Malaysia deliberated on the challenges and economic opportunities with maritime sector.

Malaysia had been working on up-gradation of ports to capture the benefits of China's initiative 'One Belt : One Road'. Seafaring had become an attractive profession in Malaysia, he said. Chief Executive Officer and Program Director , Maritime Academies of Maldives, Captain Adhil Rasheed said shipping was the backbone of trade and more youngsters should be encouraged to join as sea-farers.

'In the future, the world would need highly qualified and multi-tasked sea-farers,' he said. He welcomed the offer by Commodre Akbar Naqi for collaboration. President, Karachi Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Rizwana Shahid, President, Pakistan Employers Federation and member of PMA board of Governors, Majyed Aziz and Ms.

Seema Iqbal from Greenwich University also spoke on different issues of the maritime sector.