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THE
Philippine unit of Tokyo-based Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha
Ltd. (“K” Line) recently opened its $11-million
“K”
Line Maritime
Academy
(KLMA) in Pasay City as part of its continuing education
for its seafarers.
In a
statement, the company said that the seven-story KLMA,
located at the reclamation area’s central business park,
can train over 10,000 Filipino seafarers annually to
serve onboard “K” Line’s expanding fleet and arrest the
shortage of vessel officers which is expected to run
until 2015.
A first
and one-of-its-kind in the Philippines, KLMA can
accommodate 110 trainees at one time in its dormitories.
According to “K” Line senior managing executive officer
Katsue Yoshida, the opening of the KLMA is a major step
of “K” Line toward its commitment in designing a global
academy to continually train its seafarers.
He said
the move is an affirmation of “K” Line’s faith in the
skill of Filipinos and confidence in the future of the
shipping industry.
“We are
offering a continuing training exclusively to our own
people so they can work within ‘K’ Line global standards
and build a lasting career with us,” Yoshida said in the
same statement.
The
shipping company’s training program includes operational
skills, understanding culture and mental training, among
others.
The
3,380-square-meter training facility has a full-mission
Polaris ship- bridge simulator with six desktop version
bridges, full-mission engine- room simulator, GMDSS
simulator, main engine maneuvering control, electronic
chart display and information system.
It uses
actual training equipment on automatic identification
system, boiler combustion control, marine electricity
and electronics, air-conditioning and refrigeration,
liquefied natural gas-carrier cargo handling, ship
stability, marine auxiliary machineries, lathe machine
operation, gas and electric welding, as well as culinary
courses.
Yoshida
said that courses outside of what the company is
currently offering will also be welcomed including the
mandatory Management Level Course to adhere to the
International Maritime Organization’s Standard of
Training, Certification and Watchkeeping.
Aside
from technical courses, the KLMA also has subjects on
management, social and behavioral subjects to provide
seafarers a well-rounded personality.
“We
cannot achieve corporate growth without efficient ship
management that ensures safe navigation and employing
competent seafarers to support it,” Yoshida said.
With the
comprehensive training programs and a progressive career
path the firm offers, the company hopes to entice more
Filipino youths to pursue careers in shipping.
“K” Line
also has other academies in
Mumbai,
India
and Sofia, Bulgaria, for its international work force,
but the Manila facility is conceded to be the best in
terms of trainings offered and equipment. The KLMA
headquarters and policy center is in
Tokyo,
Japan.
KLMA’s
forerunner, the “K” Line Maritime Training Corp., was
established in 1993 to ensure continuous supply of
globally competitive seafarers for the K-Line Group
through psychological assessment, education and
training.
KLMA is
ISO 9001:2000-certified with its Quality Management
System registered and accredited with the Nippon Kaiji
Kyokai Quality Assurance and the Japanese Accreditation
Board. |
