As part of its quest to train Nigeria seafarers in the area of shipping to international standard, Landfall Transport and Towage Nigeria Limited has embarked on a five – day training programme for some of its staff. The intensive hands-on training was organised by Calabar- based Matral Maritime Training Centre.
The programme was held at the flagged- off at the Continental Shipyard in Lagos with 50 participants in attendance.
As part of its quest to train Nigeria seafarers in the area of shipping to international standard, Landfall Transport and Towage Nigeria Limited has embarked on a five – day training programme for some of its staff. The intensive hands-on training was organised by Calabar- based Matral Maritime Training Centre.
The programme was held at the flagged- off at the Continental Shipyard in Lagos with 50 participants in attendance.
Consultant to the institute and frontline master mariner, Captain Abiodun Omoteso told Shipping Position Daily on the sideline of the training last week, that there is the need for the institute to meet adequate prerequisite in maritime training which covers certification and standards.
According to him, Landfall provides the platform for the training which he described as being of international standard for the purpose of training students about the technical know – how of shipping.
‘’What we have done to go a bit ahead of others is to (sort of) certify the course which would be acceptable anywhere in the world’’.
He commended the General Manager of Landfall Transport and Towage Nigeria Limited; Kalusky Yechiel for bringing the new initiative in the area of manpower development for the Nigerian maritime sector.
Captain Omoteso noted that for maritime training to be effective and also be up to standard there is the need for a conducive environment whereby maritime activities are highly concentrated.
“The environment means a lot when it comes to maritime training because it is not proper to put a maritime school just anywhere and that is why we felt it is proper to embrace an environment where shipping activities play a dominant role’’.
He said at the end of the training, certificate of competence will be awarded to the participants.
The master mariner also urged the Federal government to look inward by creating an enabling environment for the Nigerian seafarers, adding that there is a lot to be done to make their lives better.
He called on the government to embrace private sector participation in the area of training seafarers in the country citing instances of the training by Landfall Transport and Towage Nigeria Limited.
In his response, General Manager, Landfall Transport and Towage Nigeria Limited, said that the idea of the training was the company’s means of following international standard and to entrench such ideas into the Nigerian maritime sector.
‘’What we are doing in the last four years is to try to bring this new idea as something common. Everybody should look at the training and the standard that we are bringing in as something common and not special, because it used to be special, but now, it is a routine ‘’, he added.
He noted that for seafarers to be acquitted with the ‘mandatory’ STCW there is the need for them to have first hand information about first aid, which according to him is part of the training exercise being impacted to the students.
‘’ Every crew members going on aboard a vessel must pass the mandatory, which involves first aid and also fire fighting, so all our crews have mandatory’’, he pointed out.
According to him, there are basic and advance training in first aid, noting that the programme currently on is the advance stage which students have been trained in.
Landfall goes the extra mile when it comes to such training of students and we are here to bring a standard that is acceptable in the world’’, Yechiel added.
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