Next generation of Sri Lankan seafarers

Thursday, 30 September 2021 00:51 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Engine Cadet Dulan Chanuka

“I hail from a family of seafarers and from an early stage of my life I was told about how important the maritime industry was to all of us and I was fascinated by all the experiences that were shared at family gatherings. What struck me the most was how my family members looked after one another and they attributed that to the financial stability gained through long careers out at sea. I was also told about how it is a liberating experience to be a seafarer, and this motivated me to become one myself as I have always wanted to travel to visit new places and push myself,” Dulan Chanuka, an engine cadet at Centrum Marine, excitedly said.

Dulan began his seafaring journey by joining a Maritime Institute after being introduced to it by his uncle who is the Chief Engineer onboard a container vessel. During the course of his studies, he learned through word of mouth of a company who had a cadetship program to promote Sri Lankan cadets among foreign ship owners and applied for a slot at Centrum’s Cadetship Program (CCP).

“I learned about Centrum Marine through fellow students at my academy and after visiting the crew portal on their website, I was happy with what they offered and spoke to Mr. Tharindu Perera, who warmly welcomed me to submit my CV and relevant documents to be reviewed. After a series of interviews, I was successfully drafted into the CCP.”

Prabuddha Edirisinghe onboard FSL Kelang in Port of Klang, Malaysia

Prabuddha Edirisinghe, an experienced oiler had this to say, “I have completed two contracts with Centrum and I have to say I am highly impressed by the capability and efficiency of the team at Centrum especially during this pandemic. Centrum have been immensely helpful with me getting my vaccination and giving me an opportunity during this distressing time. What gives me further confidence is how they treat us irrespective of rank, each individual is respected and valued.”

Deck cadet Hansana Hirusha

“I don’t have a family background in seafaring and was worried about the lack of opportunities for cadets who did not possess any connections. I had heard about rumours of having to pay a facilitation fee in exchange for a seagoing slot. This was distressing as my family had a difficult time during the pandemic and my father unfortunately lost his job when tourists were unable to come to Sri Lanka. This was when Centrum Cadetship Program (CCP) came to my rescue and I was selected to go onboard a Singapore flagged 1800 TEU container vessel that would be calling the Port of Colombo regularly. I am determined to do my best as a representative of not only Centrum but Sri Lanka as well,” Hansana Hirusha a deck cadet for Centrum Marine, said proudly.

This is the story of 3 young Sri Lankan seafarers from different backgrounds finding their feet in the industry and who aspire to be the best

All seafarers emphasised on being affected by the constraints of the global pandemic. Hansana’s father who was the sole breadwinner in the family was recently made unemployed due to the virus and the young cadet said he was proud to finally be able to contribute to alleviate the stress on his family. Prabuddha, the breadwinner of his young family consisting of his wife, infant daughter and himself was extremely thankful that he was not only able to secure employment but also securing a contract that made it possible for him to be present for his family milestones.

Life onboard

The life of a seafarer is not for everyone and there will be difficult moments, but the experience gained in working in an outfit will mould the men and women of the merchant navy to be part of something much bigger than themselves.

“I will meet people from different walks of life onboard and further with a variety of reasons as to why they became seafarers to begin with. Some join for the financial stability and independence it offers and some for the non-monotonous and challenging job roles that comes with it. Whatever the reason, we work like a well-oiled machine that enhances the overall performance of the vessel. You have to like what you do and aspire to do your best. You will be away from home for long periods of time and some days are more challenging than others but it’s important to rely on each other to get through those stages.”

“There is a common misconception that seafarers are unable to contact their families while they are out at sea but that is far from the truth. We have much faster internet out at sea than we do on land,” he said laughingly.

Between the shifts on board, there is time off to do other activities to keep yourself mentally and physically sound. A ship manned by Centrum has modern facilities such as Wi-Fi, a gym and an entertainment area where seafarers can relax, train and forge lifelong friendships, said Prabuddha Edirisinghe.

Aspirations of Sri Lankan seafarers

Hansana’s goal is to further his career with Centrum Marine and hopes to eventually become a Captain of the merchant navy. “I want to continue working here. My understanding is that whether an employee wants to become a Captain or move to the offices ashore, Centrum’s hire to retire policy will make it possible for us to stay with the company,” he said.

None of them deny that it is a stormy market for seafarers, but they believe that there are many opportunities available provided that you put in the required hard work and effort.

“Positive things are happening to make Sri Lanka a hub for Marine HR. It’s encouraging to see the creation of more seagoing opportunities for youngsters like myself. Even though there is still a lot more that can be done by the Government, I hope they don’t stop here but continue working to take Sri Lankan seafaring to greater heights,” said Prabuddha.

(The writer is MD of Centrum Marine Consultancy who has been instrumental in creating seafaring opportunities for Sri Lankans over the past decade with global principals. His brain child the National Marine HR Policy for Sri Lanka, is now being discussed with the Merchant Shipping Secretariat to tackle the global shortage of 150,000 seafarers and propel Sri Lankan seafarer numbers from 16,000 to 50,000 within the next six years to combat this deficit.)