Manila: The local newspaper, the Philippine Star, has reported: “A ban on Filipino seamen in European vessels looms as the local maritime manning industry is likely to fail a make-or-break audit of the European Commission (EC) on Philippine maritime education and training institutions next month.”
The nation’s regulator has not closed down enough sub-standard maritime schools, sources told the newspaper.
“We’re very nervous about it. We don’t know how our government can explain when they ask why some schools they have found deficient are still operating, even remaining as one of the biggest in terms of student population,” a source said.
The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) audit is set for March 18-22. [21/02/13]
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