Riding the Wave of Opportunities
As seaborne trade continues to expand, so too has demand for qualified seafarers. This presents Malaysia, which has been integral to the global maritime supply chain, with an opportunity to realise the economic potential that this sector holds. With hopes to increase Malaysia’s competitiveness in the industry, All Field Maritim Resources (AF Maritim) is providing Malaysian seafarers to meet this global demand. CEO Mhd Ackmal Mhd Amir explains more.
“AF Maritim was set up in 2017 as a manning agency recognised by the Marine Department Malaysia. Our core business is crew management, which covers recruitment, payroll, logistic arrangements, flag state crew documentation, marine and offshore training including STCW Consultation and many more.
Our objective is to enhance the number and placement of our Malaysian seafarers locally and globally. Our client portfolio includes 30 vessels across 11 companies with 70 percent consisting of international companies.
The Market Potential
In 2019, Malaysia accounts for 0.82 percent and 3.28 percent of the world’s share of seafarer supply for officers and ratings respectively, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
Currently, Malaysia does not have the numbers to fulfil the market demand for seafarers locally and internationally. This is unfortunate as Malaysian seafarers are sought after by international companies the likes of CMA GCM and Chemikalien Seetransport. So the demand is definitely there.
AF Maritim wants to help our Malaysian seafarers penetrate the global market. The maritime industry is one of the main drivers of Malaysia’s economic growth. Enhancing the competitiveness of our local seafarers can further facilitate the growth of this industry.
At Full Speed
To achieve this, we are developing a proposal for an upskilling programme to raise the standards of competencies in our existing pool of seafarers as well as to attract new talents into the industry. This will help the domestic maritime sector reduce dependency on foreign seafarers.
Under this programme, the costs of training will be sponsored, allowing seafarers who usually work on contract-basis to advance from junior to senior level, or from ratings to officer. We are looking for funders that can work with us.
Soon we will enter into an agreement with the third largest container vessel. This is a great start as we continue to enhance our footprint globally”