PH, Australia sign pact on mutual recognition of seafarer certificates
Australia’s Ambassador to the Philippines Marc Innes-Brown with MARINA Administrator Sonia Malaluan signed a MoU on mutual recognition of seafarer certificates that will ensure continued employment of Filipino seafarers on Australian-flagged vessels and reduce administrative barriers.
Signed in Manila, Australian and MARINA says the pact allows seamless shipping and trade logistics between the two maritime nations.
In 2024 and 2025, he said Australia was visited 52 times by Philippine-flagged vessels, the highest number in the past five years.
“For Australia, these measures mean smoother trade and more efficient maritime operations – supporting our ongoing ambitions under Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040,” Innes-Brown said.
The new accord follows the successful re-election of both Australia and the Philippines to the International Maritime Organization Council and the 80th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic ties this year.
“For the Philippines, this memorandum reaffirms our commitment to maintaining a robust and internationally compliant system of training, assessment, and certification for Filipino seafarers, consistent with global maritime expectations,” she said.
The Philippines is one of the world’s largest providers of shipping manpower in the world.
A bulk of Filipino seamen or more than 20% of the world’s 1.2 million sailors are manning oil tankers, cargo ships, luxury liners, and passenger vessels worldwide.
