Foreign shipowners wary about PH plan to be ‘crew change’ capital

The Philippines’ recent announcement to become the world’s major crew change hub, while initially received positively by maritime stakeholders, was greeted with uncertainties by several foreign and local employers particularly those who have experienced the realities of hiring Filipino seafarers and conducting crew change in the country during this pandemic times.

Last week, the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) during the 39th Meeting of the Maritime Transport Working Group of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) said the country has already opened the Ports of Manila, Bataan, and Subic for international crew change and is looking to open more of its international ports for crew change purposes.