The future of maritime training took center stage at the 5th SAFETY4SEA Manila Forum 2026 held on April 16, 2026, at the Sheraton Manila Hotel, where industry leaders examined the growing gap between seafarer supply and operational readiness.
Speaking at the event, Magsaysay Learning Resources, Inc. (MLRI) President Dr. Alex M. Enriquez emphasized that the maritime sector is not facing a shortage of talent or graduates, citing strong institutional support across maritime schools, training institutions, and assessment centers.
He stressed that the issue is not supply, but what happens between graduation and leadership readiness—the real bottleneck is structured training. Framing it as a conversion challenge, he noted that the focus should not be on how many seafarers are produced, but how many become truly ready.
He concluded by calling for structured training that integrates technical excellence with human competence to bridge the gap and ensure a future-ready maritime workforce.
The panel also included Elburg Shipmanagement Philippines Inc. Data Management Manager Antonio Vittorio Terrei, who raised concerns on workforce aging, officer shortages, and the need for structured career development pathways, including talent development programs. He was joined by Mintra Senior Vice President Capt. Sartaj Gill and The Hood Platform Founder and Managing Director Josephine Le, who highlighted the importance of reskilling, upskilling, and strengthening soft skills to meet evolving industry demands.
