RIYADH — The NextWave Seafarers pilot project was introduced at the IMO headquarters in London by Saudi Arabia, represented by the Transport General Authority (TGA) and Bahri, in partnership with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). The project supports cutting-edge research and promotes international collaboration in this vital field while training maritime academy cadets from Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Saudi Arabia’s Permanent Representative to the IMO, Eng. Kamal Al-Junaidi, and Dr. Jose Matheickal, Director of the IMO’s Technical Cooperation and Implementation Division, signed the agreement during the IMO Sub-Committee on Human Element, Training, and Watchkeeping (HTW) meeting.
With a total expenditure of about SR2,625,000 ($700,000), the project will be carried out between 2025 and 2026 with an emphasis on capacity creation. By giving SIDS and LDC maritime academy students practical training experiences on Saudi boats, it seeks to address the under-representation of seafarers from these regions in the global shipping workforce.
Between 2025 and 2026, the project’s first phase will give 20 cadets from these nations onboard training on Saudi vessels, giving them the hands-on experience and fundamental skills they need to launch their maritime careers. In order to promote more international involvement in initiatives of this kind, the initiative also aims to improve cooperation between shipping corporations and IMO member states.
The initiative will also carry out a global study to examine the obstacles that maritime students from SIDS and LDCs encounter while trying to break into the industry. These include difficulties fulfilling the necessary service time for certification and restricted access to sea-time training.
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