Fiji has had a steady number of seafarers employed in international vessels and a good number of them are senior mariners.

However, the Maritime Safety Authority says they’re finding a major challenege to get student seafarers from FNU’s Maritime Academy serve their sea-time on international vessels.

MSAF’s Acting Chief Executive Captain Philip Hill says that while they’re looking at engaging more seafarers internationally, student seafarers are finding difficulty serving sea time on international vessels.

“Because most of our internationally recognized certificates you will be required to serve on international vessels so once you cover your international sea time than you become fully qualified and that qualification and that competency is a recognized certificate of competency.”

However, Captain Hill says there are enough local vessels providing local sea time.

He adds most senior seafarers are carrying Fiji’s flags on board international ferries and vessels as Masters and Chief engineers sailing around Europe, South East Asia and other parts of the world.

“There’s a lot of revenue coming into the country from these seafarers. The last data we had was with close to 200 seafarers we have abroad, we were getting in close to $20m revenue.”

Meanwhile, seafarers around the country will gather in Suva this morning to celebrate World Maritime Day with a procession from the flea market ending at Sukuna Park where the main formalities will be held.