The Hindu Business Line : `Sea profession losing its popularity among students'

Sea profession in the country is losing its popularity to other professions such as information technology and management, according to Capt B.S. Barve, former Nautical Adviser to the Union Government.

Delivering the keynote address at a seminar on `Winds of change in shipping,' organised by the Mangalore chapter of Company of Master Mariners of India and the Mangalore unit of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers, here on Friday, he said that youngsters with good turnout at the 10+2 level are not competing for sea-going berths as they used to.

"The number of cadets from cities are reducing and those from other areas are not even aware of the profession. The students in these areas need to be made aware of the sea career," he said.

Specialist Group

Stating that the manning pattern of ships is likely to change, he said the polyvalent manning has come to stay. Maersk Line has started a full-fledged training for polyvalent officers. "They intend to man all their ships with such certified officers," he said. The ship owners who employ seafarer officers on their ships opine that the quality of training institutes is not good enough. Mr P. Tamilvanan, Chairman of NMPT, who inaugurated the seminar, said that major ports in the country are likely to handle around 615.70 million tonnes of cargo by 2011-12. The Union Government has drawn up a national maritime development programme to develop infrastructure at major ports, he added.

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