‘EU maintains recognition of Filipino seafarers’ certificates, preventing monumental crisis’

The Philippines has been deemed compliant with international maritime standards, meaning Filipino seafarers aboard European Union-flagged ships will not be at risk of losing their jobs. The decision by the European Commission Directorate General for Mobility and Transport follows assurances by the Philippines that it had addressed concerns raised in a 2016 report over the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers. Around 50,000 Filipino seafarers deployed in member states of the EU would have been at risk of redundancy had the country not secured its compliance with standards. The Philippines is one of the largest sources of seafarers to the global shipping industry.