Ghana Maritime Authority and IMO launch regional seafarer certification training

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) have launched a five-day regional workshop in Accra to enhance the capacity of seafarer certification examiners and instructors. Held at the Regional Maritime University, the program utilizes the IMO Model Course 3.12 to standardize assessment, examination, and certification protocols across West Africa.

The training aims to address critical competency gaps, specifically noting that only four of the GMA’s 69 seafarer assessors currently hold the mandatory prerequisite qualification. By strengthening these skills, the initiative seeks to ensure strict compliance with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW).

Participants include maritime professionals from Ghana, Liberia, Cabo Verde, Nigeria, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, and Togo. Strengthening these assessment systems is viewed as vital for maintaining the regional standing in the global shipping industry and preparing Ghana for its mandatory IMO Member State Audit in 2027.