Stars Maritime Academy Advocates For National Carrier.

Foremost private maritime training institution, Stars Maritime Academy [SMA] has called on the federal government to encourage Nigerian seafarers by floating a national carrier which apart from training, will generate revenue for the nation and also assist in building human capacity.

Foremost private maritime training institution, Stars Maritime Academy [SMA] has called on the federal government to encourage Nigerian seafarers by floating a national carrier which apart from training, will generate revenue for the nation and also assist in building human capacity.
Rector of the maritime school, Dr. Reuben Ovai told Shipping Position Daily last weekend during the school’s Passing Out Parade (POP) and end of year ceremony in Ogun state, that with government vessels, graduating cadets from maritime schools will have the opportunity to gain sea time experience.
According to Ovai, if the government can come up with fleet of vessels, it will serve a multi -purpose functions for the growth of the country and it will help in earning foreign exchange in regards to international trade.
He said that such initiative will create employment for jobless seafarers who are yet to be engaged on board vessel.
Apart from these, Ovai noted that in the area of human capacity building, the vessels will also encourage private institutions to train cadets of various maritime schools that are scattered all over the country.
The SMA boss stressed that government owned vessels will solve 80% of the problems that is associated with the maritime sector.
He also commended the cooperation between shipping companies and private maritime institutions in the area of practical experience on vessels by cadets.
“Every trained personnel not only in the maritime, after you have acquired the knowledge, the next thing is for you to search for where you will acquire the knowledge, I don’t believe there is no place for any trained personnel, it may take time, it may not exist where you are looking at, but look at other ways, there are places for you, so how many of them, they are so few that Nigerians cannot absorb”.