> Future of shipping
Will there still be any seafarers in the future?
It used to be that seafarers would typically work right up until they retired. Nowadays, that’s no longer automatically the case. Enrolment for training programmes is also changing. What does that mean for the future of the sector? 7 Dutch maritime colleges share their views.
Vonk Den Helder
Jan ter Haar
lecturer in
maritime subjects
“When I started at maritime college in 1981, the director already said that seafaring was a dying profession. It’s now more than 40 years later, and I still sometimes hear that same message. But the reality is precisely the opposite. There’s a big demand for well-qualified people. Anyone who chooses this career path will almost always be able to find work, not only at sea but also ashore, in ports, with shipping companies, and in marine technology. The central government in The Hague knows that as well. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, the Royal Association of Dutch Shipowners, and the shipping companies themselves recognise that many more students will be needed in the years ahead so as to keep the sector strong and future-proof. But that means more needs to be done than at present. The seafaring profession simply isn’t being promoted enough. If we want young people to choose it as their career, we need to show them just how special it is – it’s technical, international and adventurous, and it offers excellent career prospects. The sector needs people. And we need to work together to recruit them much more actively than we do at present.”
Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences
Chantal Valentijn
programme manager
“Over the past 5 years, the number of students enrolling has remained fairly stable at about 50 a year. Some 75 per cent of them go on to graduate. I wonder if the number of enrolments really is decreasing. There was an enormous peak in around 2014, but about 20 years ago we had the same number as at present. Unfortunately, we don’t know what it was like before that. What we mustn’t forget is that there are fewer people on board ships than there were 20 or 30 years ago, so fewer are needed. But I think there will always be a demand for Dutch seafarers. Their directness, their problem-solving skills, and their excellent training make them attractive employees.”
De Ruyter Maritime and Logistics College, Vlissingen
Arno Siereveld
education manager
“This academic year we had 57 students enrolling; before that the figure was lower. We hope it will stay about 50; that’s the minimum number we need to keep the programme running. I’ve noticed that after their first mandatory internship in the merchant navy many of our students switch to marine engineering and offshore engineering because of the terms and conditions of employment – higher pay, not so far from home, and more on-board facilities. Those factors are attractive for students. I think our alumni spend an average of five years at sea. It’s a profession for the young: as soon as seafarers start a family, they often switch to working ashore. Incidentally, there are some really good job opportunities there. The naval officer study programme is in fact the best technical training programme in the Netherlands.”
Each year, the Royal Association of Netherlands Shipowners monitors the enrolment figures for maritime education. Following the peak in 2014, those figures have continued to fall.
Nova College
Patrick Randel
programme manager
“We have 2 sites, IJmuiden and Harlingen. We now have 1 class of students at both; up until 10 years ago, there were 2 classes. The number of enrolments is slowly falling, despite the fact that we are investing more and more time and money in promoting the programme. In that regard, we work closely with the other vocational and higher professional education programmes. The sector is under pressure, even though maritime transport is a vital sector for the Netherlands, one that also offers job security. However, there’s too much financial pressure involved in running these programmes. That’s why a joint approach is needed from schools, sector associations, and the government in order to keep this type of education going. Seafarers play an important role in promoting the profession. They can ensure a fantastic work placement experience for students on board, and they can really get them enthusiastic about the profession.”
STC Group Rotterdam
Brevan Huijkman
education manager
“In recent years, we’ve had about 120 enrolments a year, spread across our 3 sites. There used to be far more, but after a sharp decline, the number has fortunately been stable for the past few years. About 20 students opt for an MBO 2 vocational programme, whilst the rest choose MBO 4. I’m pleased to see that more and more women are choosing to train for this profession; the number is low, but it’s growing. Unfortunately, we have few students from a migrant background. We do make an effort to recruit them, for example in collaboration with the city of Rotterdam. I think the seafaring profession will always continue to exist. Despite all the technology and plans for unmanned ships, you still need to have humans on board. You don’t just leave a cargo worth millions bobbing around unattended out there on the ocean. And Dutch seafarers are highly sought after and will continue to be so because of their problem-solving skills and their clear, concise communication.”
Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences
Iris Bijker
programme manager
“We always used to get about 40 enrolments a year, but in 2021 that figure fell to about 25, whereas the cost of the programme is high. Our Executive Board has therefore decided to put the programme on hold: we will not be accepting any new students next academic year. Despite reports in the media, no decision has yet been taken on the future of the programme. As a university of applied sciences, we wish to continue contributing to the development of maritime know-how and education. That’s why we are exploring how that can continue to have a place within our institute’s teaching and research in the future. A number of institutions are facing low enrolment figures. It can’t go on like that forever. Perhaps we should place more emphasis on all the opportunities this qualification opens up. There are a lot, both within and outside the shipping sector.”
HZ University of Applied Sciences, Vlissingen
Bertha Ooms-de Waal
training manager and
subject teacher
“In 2017, we had 70 students, after which the figure fell to 33. Fortunately, it’s now on the rise again; last year we had 45 new students. We are putting a lot of effort into it, too. We’re organising a Maritime Experience Day. Secondary school pupils will then be able to spend a day finding out about the programme and the atmosphere on and around a ship. I’ve found that that helps attract new students. We are also actively recruiting in Belgium, which doesn’t have a maritime training programme at tertiary level. Quite apart from the intake debate, I’ve noticed that merchant shipping is becoming less and less popular as a career path. Many graduates choose a career in marine engineering – it offers good fringe benefits and a good salary. That’s important, of course, but we also need to take a broader view. How important does the government consider our sector to be? When I was at sea, for example, there was still the seafarer’s allowance, i.e. an additional tax deduction, but that no longer applies. I think it would help if the government realised just how valuable our sector actually is.”
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