Dr. Amin Liew Abdullah, Minister of Finance and Economy II, Brunei Darussalam said, “Seafarers are at the heart of the maritime industry and are essential to ensure the continuity of the global supply chain. As authorities overlooking all the matters that take place in the maritime sector, it is our responsibility to ensure that we work towards their wellbeing. As agreed with the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, in addition to recognising the national certificates for seafarers issued by either of the countries, we will also work towards strengthening the technical and administrative procedures involved in providing these certificates by regularly evaluating the quality standards these trainings and assessments meet. This will significantly upgrade the skills of our seafarers as they will receive higher quality of training, supported by much better training facilities and assessment criteria.”
Extending support to seafarers
The UAE has always been at the forefront of supporting the seafarers’ community and has launched various initiatives that work towards their betterment. By launching the ‘Supporting our Blue Army’ initiative, the nation has worked towards improving the quality of life for seafarers and protects their rights with ship owners and operating companies. Through agreements such as the one with the Maritime and Port Authority of Brunei Darussalam, the UAE aims to recognise and appreciate marine crews, and put them on an equal footing with priority categories.
