Minister of Works and Infrastructure, Jearlean John pointed to a crisis situation in the local marine sector as she addressed the opening ceremony of the Shipping Association of Trinidad and Tobago’s inaugural shipping and logistics conference on Thursday.
“We are facing a quiet but urgent crisis in pilot-age where the average age of our marine pilots is 50 years. The danger is not the age itself but the gradual erosion and potential loss of this specialized workforce resulting in the inability to handle routine traffic volumes. This is a present challenge, not a future one. As such, the government is commited to working with the maritime community to build structured training pathways which will serve to attract the next generation of marine pilots, tug operators and dock masters.”
Minister John said government would work with the University of Trinidad and Tobago, the Shipping Association of Trinidad and Tobago, vessel operators and other industry stakeholders to develop practical solutions to address the issue.