The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) has inaugurated its training and and research development arm in Bacolod City.
Named as MARINA Training Institute (MarTI), it is located at the Panaad Park in Barangay Mansilingan and was constructed to improve the capacity of MARINA and other partners to innovate and operate modern technologies, to spearhead programs to help the country tackle the changing trends in the maritime industry and to serve as a systematic educational and training system and facilities for all maritime professionals.
MARINA Administrator Vice Admiral Robert A Empedrad said all the MARINA personnel must be trained first before the Agency will be able to provide good and excellent training to the maritime professionals, to the crew of our ships, to the ship building, and to the whole maritime industry of the Philippines.
“I always believe that the development of the maritime industry will catapult our country to become an economic powerhouse. We should prioritize maritime industry development because we are an archipelagic nation. We have so many islands that are not connected," said Empedrad.
“The MarTI will likewise undertake, promote and coordinate related maritime research and development program. Ito ang pinakamahalaga. As far as I’m concerned, the most important aspect of the MARINA is the research and development, which can also be made into provision here in MarTI,” he added.
The inauguration ceremony of MarTI also featured two training courses.
“We are conducting two training courses composed of 69 participants from the MARINA and our stakeholders, and we are giving these for free. This is what we call selfless service’ to our industry," said Empedrad.
The MARINA, through its Shipyards Regulation Service (SRS), led by Director Engr. Hernandez, conducted its first face-to-face capacity-building training, which was the Intact Stability Training (Track 2), for the MARINA personnel from MARINA Central and Regional Offices on 24-26 May 2022. This training revolved around the conduct of Inclining Test and Lightweight Survey, Basic Intact Stability and the Requirements and Criteria for different types of ships, as well as the latest discussions and developments of intact stability in the IMO.
The other training course was the Modified Basic Safety Training (MBST) for Crews of Ships.