Malta needs a maritime academy to be able to provide the trained professionals needed across the world in this sector, Transport Minister Joe Mizzi said.
Speaking during the Economist Business Roundtable held in Malta, he said that the academy could cater for some of the skills that would be most needed, from seafarers to maritime lawyers and research analysts.
Certification and regulatory requirements are changing constantly and require ongoing training of crew. In a separate section of the rountable, the CEO of Louis Cruise, Kerry Anastassiadis said there were 6.1 million seafarers in Europe who required certification books, and who suggested that Transport Malta could look into becoming a certifier.
Economy Minister Chris Cardona also addressed the roundtable, giving an update on the 28 consortia who were to be invited by the end of this month to submit proposals for the maritime hub being created on the site of Malta Shipbuilding, which envisaged a maritime academy, as well as oil and gas services, ship repair and superyacht services. The consortia were being given 13 weeks in which to submit their proposals.
The maritime sector was one of the economic sectors tackled during the roundtable, and generated a number of thought-provoking ideas. Surveyor Paul Cardona was unequivocal when it came to the shortcomings of the past.
“To make Malta a hub, as is being proposed, we need to have technical training. And instead, what have we done? In the past 10 years, we destroyed the Drydocks and the national shipping line. We have killed an industry.
“I was an apprentice at the Drydocks myself – why did we allow the apprenticeship programme to dwindle away?” he said.
“We could have an academy but even if we could find people from overseas to run it – we do not have enough people here to man it – it would not be enough on its own. The students also need hands-on training which they just cannot get any more. There are still some people who are skilled enough to train the next generation but in 10 years’ time they just won’t be there any more.”
Mr Cardona also spoke about superyachts and said that he was being told that it was more expensive to winter in Malta than in Cannes.
“Since superyacht services were privatised, fewer yachts have come here because prices went up. But it is important to get yachts here in winter because that is when work is generated,” he said.