– Pratik Bijlani
Offing Group Pvt Ltd has created Marpool (Maritime Pool), an innovative effort aimed at addressing the suffering of unemployed seafarers.
Marpool was founded following a comprehensive survey undertaken by the Offing Group, led by late Capt Purnendu Shorey and Capt Anupam Raizada. The survey, which was performed in three phases, intended to determine the number of jobless seafarers in India. First, it investigated DG-approved colleges and their reported placement rates. Second, it included a social media poll to assess students’ financial commitment to completing the Deck/Engine Cadets & GP training course. Finally, another social media poll assessed the service charges asked of GP Rating trainees for job placements. All survey reports are available on the website www.offing.biz.
The survey results were stunning. To give you a perspective: In 2021-2022, 3393 students registered in GP Rating courses, but only 1272 were placed, leaving approximately 2000 students unemployed per year. These youngsters and their families face a substantial financial load. The initial survey found that the 6-month GP Rating Course cost between 2.5 and 3 lakh rupees, which is a significant amount for the average Indian family. Many parents took out loans to cover these fees, which increased the pupils’ financial load. The second survey revealed an even more alarming issue: agents sought approximately 4 lakh rupees as a “service charge” to arrange positions for GP Rating students, which is clearly unlawful.
Marpool intends to address these issues by establishing a pool of Unemployable Candidates and giving them with the necessary training and support to gain employment. Offing Group works closely with IMBA, which was created in 2019 by Capt Kunal Uniyal. This collaboration intends to provide courses and work prospects for persons who, although having completed DG-approved courses, are nonetheless unemployed and struggling financially.
IMBA provides specialised courses in commercial shipping. IMBA’s curriculum includes ship brokering, ship chartering, weather operations, port management, maritime law, and arbitration, among other topics. These courses, particularly those in brokering and chartering, are in high demand because to the unavailability of such specialised training programmes.
Capt Uniyal sees Marpool as an opportunity to satisfy the demands of the commercial maritime industry by using the untapped potential of unemployed seafarers. The commercial shipping industry is large, with numerous companies seeking personnel with technical credentials. Candidates who have been looking for a sailing job for more than three years may find that the correct commercial shipping training can lead to a variety of work prospects.
IMBA offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, including the Executive Maritime Business Management course, which is designed for applicants with a BSc in Nautical Science who have been unable to secure sailing positions. Once enrolled, IMBA aids these individuals in getting employment interviews with shipping businesses, with the goal of providing job offers from day one.
Marpool is more than simply an idea; it is a lifeline for many sailors who are unemployed and struggling financially. Marpool and IMBA are working to create a more inclusive and supportive maritime community by ensuring that every individual who enters the industry has access to job possibilities. This initiative demonstrates Offing Group and IMBA’s dedication to improving maritime education while also creating long-term career opportunities for people.
Capt. Anupam Raizada’s vision for Marpool in the next years is that this initiative, hopefully, is not required, and all candidates are gainfully employed.
Marex Media