By Theckla Gunga – EMTV News, Port Moresby
National seafarers who passed away were remembered this morning by fellow men and women from within the maritime industry.
Though the industry is still in its infant stage in the country, Chief Executive Officer of the National Maritime Safety Authority (NMSA), Paul Unas, said the industry needs more manpower.
One-minutes silence was observed to remember those who have contributed towards the development of the industry.
A dedication service was hosted in Port Moresby as a way of recognition for the work of all seafarers in the country.
A seafarer is a person who works on a ship. Seafarers contribute towards the economic development of any country through the shipment of goods.
On a global scale, the maritime industry supports 90 per cent of the goods sold throughout the country.
June 25 was selected by the United Nations to acknowledge the work of seafarers throughout the world, with over 1.5 million seafarers working in the industry across the world.
For Papua New Guinea, we have between 4,000 to 5,000 seafarers; however, that is still not enough.
Seafaring was once a male dominated field but women such as Cindy Manau have pursued a career in the industry.
Manau is an engineer with a Class Four certificate. She entered the maritime industry at 19 years of age and has sailed the waters of PNG for 10 years.
Seafaring remains a dedicated profession and requires commitment. But many times, the work of seamen and women goes unrecognised.
“It is very challenging, especially when working amongst PNG men. But if you respect them, they will respect you,” Manau said.
With these challenges at hand, CEO Unas says discipline is still an important factor and wants to see an increase in the amount of people perusing seafaring careers.
