Indonesia, represented by the Directorate of Shipping and Maritime Affairs of the Transportation Ministry, went to Spain to follow-up on the MRA of Certification of Fishing Vessel Personnel that was signed circularly by the Indonesian Government on November 14, 2022, and by the Royal Spanish Government on February 8, 2023.
"MRA can bring positive benefits for Indonesia by providing employment opportunities in the fisheries sector with excellent salaries and protection for Fishing Vessel Crew (AKP) in Spain, including official residence permits in Spain, pensions, insurance, and others," the ministry's Director of Shipping and Maritime Affairs, Hartanto, noted in a statement from his office on Tuesday.
According to Hartanto, this MRA is an agreement on mutual recognition of the certification of fishing vessel crews from both countries that refers to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers or IMO STCW-F 1995 Convention, with the scope of cooperation, including mutual recognition of expertise certificates and skills certificates issued by competent authorities in accordance with the STCW-F 1995.
This collaboration also agreed to issue validation as proof of mutual recognition of the certificate, electronic data-based verification, and periodic inspections of training centers, as well as certification that allows someone to work on a fishing vessel, as stated in Chapter I of the attachment to the amended International Convention concerning Training, Certification, and Watch Service Standards for Seafarers (STCW/1978), Hartanto stated.
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However, with regard to the MRA implementation, adjustments are required, including the renewal of the Indonesian AKP rating level certification in Spain, which includes STCW-F 1995, he remarked.
In this regard, the Indonesian Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has prepared a portfolio system for renewing certificates that included STCW-F 1995 for Indonesian AKPs in Spain that is ready to be implemented.
"Therefore, we went to Spain to follow up on the implementation of the MRA through discussions and visits to several related agencies, such as the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Confederacion Espanola de Pesca (CEPESCA) or the Spanish Fisheries Confederation," Hartanto explained.
He noted that meeting with the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries aimed to discuss the development of a portfolio system for renewing Indonesian AKP certification in Spain that includes STCW-F 1995, as well as the Seafarers database that has been built by the Indonesian government.
Meanwhile, at the CEPESCA meeting, he said his side requested information related to the Marinero Pescador Training curriculum implemented by Spain to ensure that training in both countries is compatible. This meeting will also be used to explore the needs of Indonesian AKPs in Spain and to obtain input for better protection for Indonesian AKPs.
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Translator: Ahmad Wijaya, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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