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July 13, 2022
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- Confitarma calls for urgent decisions to deal with the
shortage of Italian seafarers
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- Among the proposals, to finance the necessary basic training courses
to embark young people on board ships and allow
temporarily the embarkation of quotas of non-EU seafarers on
cabotage trades
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It is to be hoped that the economic resources provided for in the
National Recovery and Resilience Plan can be put to
disposition of the Higher Technical Institutes of the Sea in times
quickly and effectively. Giacomo highlighted it
Gavarone, president of the technical group "Human Resources and
Industrial Relations" by Confitarma, and Salvatore d'Amico,
President of the Technical Group "Education and Human Capital"
and the Young Shipowners Group of Confitarma, as part of the
observations and proposals of the shipowners' confederation
Italian to cope with the shortage of Italian seafarers, who in
particular creates serious difficulties especially for services
cabotage and for the operation of ferry ships.-
- Specifying first that the gap between supply and demand of
seafarers is a structural phenomenon of character
world long denounced by important associations
international such as BIMCO, d'Amico noted that "for
facing this problem the Italian armament has long been
investing heavily in the training of workers
Maritime. I remember - added d'Amico - that the various ITS of the Sea
they are an excellence in the national training scene because, after
the achievement of the diploma, allow employability rates
close to 100%. For this reason, the activity of ITS should
be greatly expanded and, to this end, the hope is that the
important economic resources provided for in the PNRR can be put
available to ITS quickly and in a way
effective for the realization of new courses, in particular, those
to obtain the certification of engineer officer, for the
which there is a clear lack of vocation on the part of the
new generations».
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- Gavarone specified that, "compared to the past, thank you
to the union agreement for the boarding of students in 2020, is
significantly increased the number of officer students on board
on ships of Italian flag: every day on board ships
armed by the companies associated with Confitarma - explained Gavarone -
on average, two official students are on board. On the occasion of the
next contract renewal Confitarma will not subtract
discussion with the trade unions on this matter
the increase in the allowance granted to that person,
it being understood that the student, during the period in which he is on board,
carries out training and training activities.'
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- "It is good to know - continued Gavarone - that of the
more than 1,100 seafarers from which shipping companies suffer from the
shortage about 1,000 are not official, but seafarers qualified to
machine, mechanical workers, motorists, brass, electricians,
sailors, up to a very substantial share (over 500)
of room staff (waiters, apprentices and room children) and
kitchen (crew cooks and kitchen children). Such a situation - has
clarified Gavarone - is determined by multiple factors, a
depending on the number of professional figures: for example, the lack of
specialized machine qualifications or that of the crew cook
is clearly due to access requirements to the above
figures now totally outdated and the lack of specific courses
of training that do not allow, therefore, the normal replacement
generational of maritime workers who, over time, go into
pension. For the other figures, in particular those who carry out
edge the so-called room services, the phenomenon that we find of
front these days is extremely complex and the factors
that are determining it are multiple. Without fear of denial
we can say that, on the one hand, the increase in the number of
ferries entered into operation in the last few years has determined
a greater need on the part of shipping companies to
these professional figures, and on the other, the strong restart of the
tourism has understandably led many seafarers to choose
occupations "on the ground". The combined effect of these two
factors is contributing very significantly
widening the gap between supply and demand'.
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- "It would therefore be important - underlined Salvatore
d'Amico - remove all current barriers, regulations and
operational, at the entry of young people into the labour market
maritime. In addition to the coveted reform of the placement of people
of the sea (including the updating of the access requirements to the
professional figures), young people must be financially supported
who want to undertake the careers of the sea by financing at least
in part the basic training courses necessary to embark on board
of ships, along the lines of what is being done with the "good"
driving licence" for road hauliers. All these initiatives,
if put in place quickly, they could generate, already
within a few months, new Italian maritime occupation".
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- "To solve this summer's emergency immediately
avoiding the detention of ships and the consequent strong inconveniences
especially in the connections with the islands - concluded Giacomo
Gavarone - there is, however, no other way than to allow
temporarily to shipping companies that prove to have
unsuccessfully made calls to people's placements
of the sea - subject to the authorization of the trade unions -
the embarkation of quotas of non-EU seafarers on cabotage trades.
Flexibility for a mobile industry such as the maritime industry
is an indispensable element to ensure the operation
of ships'.
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- Via Raffaele Paolucci 17r/19r - 16129 Genoa - ITALY
phone: +39.010.2462122, fax: +39.010.2516768, e-mail
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