Philippine Transmarine Carriers (PTC) and the Philippine Center for Advanced Maritime Simulation and Training, Inc. (PHILCAMSAT) took part in a high-level engagement between Philippine and Belgian maritime leaders, reaffirming their commitment to advancing international collaboration in maritime education, training, and workforce development.
Representing PTC and PHILCAMSAT, Ms. Karen Avelino joined officials from the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), led by Administrator Sonia B. Malaluan, in welcoming Belgian dignitaries headed by H.E. Maxime Prévot, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium, and H.E. Ambassador Vladislava Iordanova of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in the Philippines.
The meeting formed part of the celebration of the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Belgium and served as a platform to strengthen maritime cooperation in key areas, including digital transformation, green shipping, seafarer development, and maritime industry investments.
During the discussions, Ms. Avelino shared PTC and PHILCAMSAT’s long-standing partnership with Belgian maritime stakeholders, highlighting the organizations’ shared commitment to developing globally competent Filipino seafarers through world-class training and industry collaboration. The visit underscored Belgium’s continued investment in enhancing the competencies of Filipino seafarers through high-quality maritime education and skills development.
The dialogue also explored opportunities to align workforce development with the International Maritime Organization’s 2023 Greenhouse Gas Strategy, including potential collaboration on alternative fuel training to prepare seafarers for the global transition toward greener shipping. MARINA likewise presented its digital transformation initiatives, MISMO and MARINA-BEST, and discussed possible partnerships to support the development of the Philippines’ shipbuilding, ship repair, and ship recycling sectors.
Also presented during the engagement was the European Union–ASEAN Sustainable Connectivity Package (EU-SCOPE) for Seafarers project, led by Mr. Andreas Nordseth, which supports the Philippines in strengthening its implementation of the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) Convention and the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006.
The visit of Deputy Prime Minister Prévot—the first by a Belgian foreign minister since 1993—reflects the growing partnership between the Philippines and Belgium and reinforces the shared commitment of government and industry stakeholders, including PTC and PHILCAMSAT, to building a more sustainable, innovative, and globally competitive maritime sector.
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