The European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) and the European Transport Workers Federation (ETF) have joined forces to launch the ‘Seafarers Go Digital’ initiative. This initiative is a collaborative effort between ECSA and ETF to address the challenges of digitalization in the shipping industry and its impact on seafarers.
Recognizing the importance of adapting international regulations, training programs, and operational practices to embrace digital technologies while safeguarding the rights and well-being of seafarers, the initiative focuses on key areas such as onboard digitalization, cybersecurity, internet access, e-certification, and digital skills. It also aims to promote policy recommendations for enhanced cooperation between industry stakeholders, policymakers, and unions.
The ‘Seafarers Go Digital’ initiative aims to promote digitalization as a tool rather than an objective, mitigate over-reliance on digital tools, provide user-friendly tools with training for seafarers, involve seafarers in testing digital tools, and streamline administrative procedures. ECSA Secretary General, Sotiris Raptis, emphasized the importance of upskilling and reskilling seafarers to work safely with new digital tools, while ETF Secretary General, Livia Spera, highlighted the opportunities digitalization offers to enhance the attractiveness of maritime professions and ensure a sustainable future for seafarers.
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