Container Shipping Line And Seafarers Representatives Open Indian Centre

INDIA – Last week container shipping line Safmarine  joined together with the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF), the Sailor’s Society and international food producer Cargill, who have interests in the region and for whom Safarine act as freight and logistics providers, for the double opening of the Kakinada Maritime Community Centre and the ITF Seafarer Centre in the port of Kakinada in India. These centres aim to equip the local seafaring community with the necessary resources needed in the maritime industry.

These centres will be managed by UCSWA, the local partner of the Sailors’ Society, who will be responsible for providing ongoing support for seafarers who call there requiring information for their career development at sea. The centre will also support qualified and experienced seafarers by offering courses in order to enhance their areas of expertise.

The centres provide a number of welfare and community recreational facilities for local seafarers, their families and to retired, former and disabled seafarers. They will also be a valuable source of education for young people who are interested in following a career in the maritime industry by providing information, assistance and quality maritime training.

Safmarine’s Global Sustainability Manager Larisa Thuije who attended the opening ceremony commented: “Safmarine fully supported the construction of the building as part of its programme for sustainable development through education. We are proud to be working with a diverse group of partners who support responsible economic development and who bring positive, measurable improvements to the communities in which we operate as a company. This joint collaboration also supports our ‘People Making the Difference’ philosophy by helping to uplift the lives of the people in local communities through education.”

Photo: The local community from and around Kakinada helped with the building of the Centres.