The Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA) has secured Indonesian government-sponsored training opportunities for seafarers, maritime education instructors, and administrative officers from its member states.
   
The programmes, announced in a circular letter, signed by the MOWCA Secretary-General, Dr Paul Adalikwu, and addressed to ministers in charge of maritime transport in member states, stated that the training was designed to strengthen maritime education, improve professional competence and enhance the training, assessment and certification of seafarers across West and Central Africa.
 
Adalikwu said the government of Indonesia is offering the scholarships within the framework of MOWCA’s cooperation with its international partners.
 
He said the initiative builds on Indonesia’s commitment to supporting maritime capacity development among MOWCA member states through technical cooperation and knowledge sharing.
 
Adalikwu said the partnership is expected to strengthen professional skills, improve maritime training standards and promote cooperation between Indonesia and West and Central African countries in addressing shared maritime challenges.
   
Through the initiative, he said, MOWCA continues to pursue capacity-building opportunities to develop a more skilled maritime workforce and support the sustainable growth of the region’s blue economy.
   
According to the circular, the programmes include Training of Trainers (ToT) based on the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Model Course 6.09, which will focus on training maritime instructors to strengthen their teaching capabilities and improve the quality of maritime education.
   
He said the training for assessment, which includes examination and certification of seafarers, is based on IMO Model Course 3.12 and is designed for personnel from maritime administrations and training institutions responsible for seafarer certification, as well as officers involved in onboard assessments.
   
Adalikwu said the programme will be combined with an International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code course.
 
According to the circular, the programmes provide opportunities for different categories of maritime professionals to acquire specialised knowledge and improve their contribution to maritime safety, training and regulatory compliance.
 
Adalikwu urged the ministers to disseminate the information to their respective maritime administrations and agencies to ensure that applications are submitted to the MOWCA Secretariat within the stipulated deadlines.
 
The Secretary-General also cautioned prospective participants about Indonesia’s strict laws on drug-related offences, advising them to avoid the possession and consumption of drugs and to obtain travel insurance from their respective countries.