Target to recruit up to 1K youth in merchant navy

Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 2

With employment avenues shrinking in the wake of Covid outbreak, the Himachal Seafarers Association (HSA) has set a target to recruit 500 to 1,000 youths from Himachal in merchant navy and gradually increase the number to 10 per cent of total yearly recruitment.

About 7,000 seafarers from Himachal will act as ambassadors for job creation, helping and assisting job seekers who wish to make a career in the merchant navy, said Capt Sanjay Prashar, member, National Shipping Board, and founder member of Himachal Seafarers Association.

“We cannot bring ships to Himachal but we can definitely bring shipping jobs to the state. The HSA would become an interface between the Himachali youth and shipping companies, private players and training institutes to provide jobs to the aspirants,” he said.

The HSA would act as a knowledge sharing partner and four institutions — Ganpat University, Ahmadabad, International Maritime Institute, Noida, Hindustan Institute of Maritime Technology, Chennai and Eurotech Maritime, Kochi — have agreed to start online classes for preparing job aspirants after Covid eases and the Government of India issues guidelines for new batch and entrance exams.

About 18,000 people are trained to enter merchant navy by 155 training institutes every year and there are lots of job opportunities on cargo ships, cruise line and oil/gas vessels, Prashar added.

The association came into existence during the lockdown itself and 13 chapters of the HSA are in place. The heads of these chapters would tie up with maritime institutions and schools to help students of Class X and XII (Science) prepare for merchant navy.