More jobs for seafarers in Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan seafarers have been provided with a good opportunity to bag some jobs with international shipping lines as the International Maritime Employers Committee and the Sri Lankan Seafarers enter into an agreement in this regard.

These international jobs are backed with international job security, Palitha Athukorala, labour activist said at a media briefing held at the Ceyline Shipping office in Colombo last week.

He explained that through this agreement they would be able to gener- ate a large amount of foreign investment to the country.

Opportunities would be made available for about 5000 seafarers in Sri Lanka where there are about 30,000 registered.

Currently they would be facing competition from the Philippines, India, China and the Ukraine.

The seafarers pointed out that there was a need for the government to improve their image by participating in trade shows alongside them to gain more mileage.

Some of the company representatives of IMEC pointed out that Sri Lankan seafarers have proved their mettle and said that this was an attractive vocation to take up.

Sri Lanka is said to be increasingly gaining recognition for its seafarers and it was noted that the main aim of this agreement would also be to create more jobs and awareness among the people of this career path.

Moreover, it was pointed out that Sri Lanka is currently a growing market with training schools sponsored by local companies.

Seafarers have generated remittances totalling US$ 300 million last year and it was noted that they have the potential to generate more.