Colombo Port Trains Seafarers for Watch Keeping Certificates

The Colombo Port has provided training for 50 seafarers with Continuous Discharge Certificates (CDC) for the first time. The Mahapola Ports and Maritime Academy (MPMA) of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) conducted a four-month training program on Deck Rating and six short-term courses for seafarers with CDC. Practical training aboard maritime vessels at the port began on February 28, 2024, on four Tug vessels and two dredgers operated by the SLPA. The training is expected to last about two months.

Upon completion of the training, the Ports, Shipping, and Aviation Ministry will issue the seafarers with the Watch Keeping Certificate, enabling them to seek employment on foreign vessels. Certificates were awarded to the trainees by Ports, Shipping, and Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva at the SLPA’s Mahapola Ports and Maritime Academy. The Minister highlighted the employment opportunities for trained seafarers in foreign countries and emphasized the need to increase the fleet under the Sri Lankan flag.

The Minister expressed his intention to seek special Cabinet approval to increase the fleet under the Sri Lankan flag, as the Ceylon Shipping Corporation currently owns only two vessels. This initiative aims to provide more employment opportunities for trained seafarers and to expand the presence of Sri Lankan vessels in international waters. The practical training provided at the Colombo Port will equip seafarers with the necessary qualifications to pursue careers aboard foreign vessels, enhancing their prospects in the maritime industry.

Source .