The Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) has opened a five-day regional training programme to strengthen the capacity of seafarer examiners, assessors and instructors to uphold international standards in maritime training and certification.

The programme, being held at the Regional Maritime University (RMU), Nungua, brings together maritime professionals from Ghana and six other African countries to update their knowledge and skills in assessment, examination and certification of seafarers.

Participants are drawn from Cabo Verde, Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Liberia, with the training expected to promote the sharing of knowledge and best practices in maritime assessment across the participating countries.

Speaking at the opening, Mr Mubarick Masawudu, Deputy Director-General of the GMA, said the quality of maritime assessment was critical to ensuring that seafarers entrusted with vessels, cargo and human lives possessed the requisite competence to perform their duties safely.

He said examiners and assessors played an important role in protecting lives at sea, safeguarding vessels and cargo, and maintaining confidence in the maritime industry, since a certificate of competence was an assurance that its holder had the knowledge and skills required for the specific job.

“A certificate of competence is a promise; when we issue one, we are telling the ship owner in Singapore and a family awaiting ashore in Takoradi that a holder can be trusted with machinery, cargo and the lives of the people aboard a vessel,” he stated.

Mr Masawudu said the training was being conducted under the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Model Course 3.12 and aligned with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW).

He said the programme was particularly significant as Ghana prepared to undergo the IMO Member State Audit Scheme in 2027, explaining that the qualification of assessors and the integrity of examination systems were among the areas that would fall within the scope of the audit.

“By the end of the workshop, we expect the assessor to come out well-updated and charged to even do better in their quest to ensure that the Ghanaian seafarer is able to compete with peers globally,” he stated.

Mr Masawudu urged the participants to use the training to strengthen professional standards and share knowledge and best practices that would help prepare the next generation of competent seafarers.

Mr Milton Alfredo De Jesus Baron Perico, Lead Facilitator, said the training would update instructors on the latest methods for assessing, examining and certifying seafarers.

He said growing global concerns about air and sea contamination required maritime professionals to continuously deepen their knowledge and capacity to respond to emerging challenges.

Mr Perico said the IMO had implemented strategies to reduce emissions from ships and promote the use of cleaner fuels, developments that required corresponding updates in maritime training.

He expressed confidence that the training would contribute to improving safety, security and environmental standards in the maritime sector in Ghana and the participating countries.

“Together, we are ensuring that maritime professionals continue to uphold the highest standards of maritime training and certification. I’m confident that the insights and discussions will pave the way for greater achievements in the future,” he said.

Background

The work of maritime examiners and assessors has direct implications for safety at sea and the sustainability of the maritime industry. By determining whether seafarers have acquired the competencies required for their duties, they help ensure that those responsible for operating vessels, handling cargo and performing other critical functions are adequately prepared.

Sound assessment and certification systems also help protect people, property and business interests by strengthening confidence in the competence of maritime professionals. Weak assessment systems, by contrast, can undermine safety and confidence in maritime operations.