The European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) and the European Transport Workers Federation (ETF) have launched a new initiative aiming to identify skills gaps emerging from the digital and green transition in the maritime sector.
The European Maritime Skills Forum will also aim to examine potential remedies to the shortage of maritime professionals entering the industry and the limited mobility between land and on-board positions that currently exists.
The initiative is officially supported by the European Commission and plans to bring together maritime stakeholders from across Europe, including policymakers, industry and transport unions, researchers, and Maritime Education and Training Providers (MET-NET).
“The new joint initiative strengthens the close cooperation between the unions and the industry. It aims to join forces, create synergies, enhance cooperation and bring together the social partners, policymakers, maritime education providers and research institutes,” said Sotiris Raptis, Secretary General of ECSA.
“The Draghi report identifies a skills gap in the European economy, highlighting that 250,000 seafarers will need to be upskilled and reskilled by the mid-2030 in Europe alone for the green and digital transition. The European Maritime Skills Forum is an important step in building a future-proof training and education system for Europe’s maritime industry.”
The Forum plans to build on the outcomes of the EU-funded SkillSea project, which identified a range of challenges such as a shortage of maritime professionals, evolving skills demands, and the need for better cooperation among stakeholders.
Three workstreams focused on green skills, digitalisation and leadership development will be developed for the initiative, addressing issues like training for the safe use of new clean fuels, digital priorities such as cybersecurity and AI, and developing soft skills to improve diversity, resilience, and inclusion in the sector.
The workstreams will meet throughout the year and will report at the next Forum plenary meeting next year to discuss next steps.
