Greater focus should be placed on recruitment of seafarers and ensuring quality crews are going onboard, says crew change specialist Boers Crew Services

Shipping companies and training centres should focus on bringing in the right people to the industry to ensure a wider pool of maritime professionals are remaining in their careers at sea, says Peter Smit, CEO of BCS Group - Boers Crew Services.

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The Netherlands-based company regularly sees crew changes being cancelled due to long delays for visa applications and crew shortages, and believes the industry should focus on attracting the right people to the job and ensuring there is enough progression to keep employees interested in the job. to the job and ensuring there is enough progression to keep employees interested in the job.

Mr Smit said: "It is important we are attracting the right people to work out at sea and remain in the seafaring profession. Training centres and colleges, particularly in the Philippines, seem to have no trouble attracting people to the profession, but the issue lies with keeping them out at sea. Why are the majority of crews who go through the training not ending up onboard? That's what we need to be asking.