Many Countries Looking for Indonesian Seafarers

Many countries have expressed their wish to recruit Indonesian sailors in various foreign marine and fishery industries, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad said here on Wednesday.

illustration : Indonesian Seafarers

"Following increasing demand for Indonesian sailors from many countries, the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry (KKP) will make a new breakthrough to meet the request," Fadel said.

The minister said that in his European visits, many representatives of countries in Europe have told him that they needed a lot of Indonesian seafarers for their cruise ships. Fadel said many countries in Europe needed more Indonesian sailors because the people there were no longer interested in that job.

It made him realize that a lot of job opportunities are available abroad for the Indonesian sailors and therefore his office would make a breakthrough by creating a cross-ministerial program of holding an International Job Fair on Marine and Fisheries (I’JO F.M 2011).

The minister explained that his office in cooperation with the Manpower and Transmigration Ministry, National Education Ministry, and Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Ministry would organize the I’JO F.M 2011 in Jakarta from May 23 to 25.

Meanwhile, head of KKP Human Resources Development Department, Syarief Widjaya said I’JO F.M 2011 would be the biggest event this year. Syarif said at least 50 leading national and international companies in maritime and fisheries fields, such as fishing companies, fish farming companies, marine and fisheries product processing companies, labor recruitment agencies and other companies planned to take part in the event.