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Maritime firm looking to assist local seafarers become certified for int’l vessels
(Kaieteur News) – In a bid to address the shortage of local seafarers who are qualified to work on international vessels, Guyanese maritime firm Pandora Energy Inc/Western Logistics is placing greater focus on assisting aspiring workers to be certified.
The company was on hand at the University of Guyana’s (UG) Open Day and Job Fair last Friday and Saturday at the Turkeyen Campus. Business representative Shekiella Hollingsworth spoke with Kaieteur News about the efforts the company is making to assist local mariners to be properly trained and certified to meet global standards.
Business representative of Pandora Energy Inc./ Western Logistics Shekiella Hollingsworth (right) with her colleagues Ronaldo Gangaram (left) and Elizabeth Earnest.
“We are trying to have a strong number of Guyanese involved and ensure they are well qualified,” she shared, adding, “We also advise them on where they can go to obtain the necessary certifications and guide them on how they can advance to work on international vessels.”
The company also provides chandlery services, supplying vessels with food, fresh produce, and beverages, but Hollingsworth noted that the main objective is on workforce development within the maritime industry.
“We are all about Guyanese. We want to bring more local seafarers onto these vessels,” she said, noting that many of the ships they crew and manage operate internationally and require specific documentation and certification.
According to Hollingsworth, a major challenge is that many local seafarers are only certified to work on domestic vessels and lack the qualifications needed for international assignments. “What we are seeing is that many applicants only have documentation for local vessels. They are not able to transition to international ones.”
She observed that this gap has created difficulties for employers seeking to fill positions. “We are short of seafarers. People are applying, but they don’t have the required documents. Sometimes they come expecting to work on local vessels, and when we explain the requirements for international ships, we lose them,” she added.
To address this, she said the company acts as a bridge, connecting aspiring seafarers with the appropriate agencies and institutions to obtain internationally recognised certifications. In fact, she pointed out that many Guyanese have already benefited from such guidance.
The initiative, she said, is not limited to experienced workers but the company is also targeting students and young people interested in entering the maritime field, encouraging them to pursue the qualifications needed to access global opportunities.
“Guyanese don’t necessarily have to leave the country to access international work,” she said. “With the right training and documentation, they can work on vessels right here and still gain global exposure.”
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I am very thankful and full of admiration for your efforts. As a mariner with 20 years of teaching and training the good people of Trinidad I feel that this country has not taken the same positive approach that you have. Congatulations on your initiative. Respect.
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