Kenya set for first maritime training vessel from South Korea

Kenya’s plans to modernise its maritime sector have received a major boost after South Korea offered to donate a training ship for seafarers, including cadets.

This is also a relief to universities and the Bandari Maritime Academy (BMA), the latter of which offers maritime training but has struggled to provide students with sea time training.

It is estimated that a modern training vessel costs at least Sh7.8 billion, and most institutions are unable to raise the money.

The former Seafarers Union of Kenya (SUK) general secretary Andrew Mwangura says most maritime training has largely been theoretical instead of skill-based due to the unreasonably high cost of acquiring the training ship.

It is a must for cadets to go for sea-time training to qualify for employment on international ships. 

The Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs, Hassan Joho, said recently South Korea is willing to donate one of its many training ships to Kenya.

The CS said Kenya has never had a training ship, and there were no immediate plans to procure one, maintaining that the ministry is now working on logistics to get the vessel into Kenyan waters. 

“We do not have one and did not even have plans to procure one. We are now working on logistics [to have it delivered by South Korea],” Joho told the committee led by Lydia Haika recently. 

Recently, BMA and Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) signed an agreement with major shipping lines in a bid to secure sea-time training. 

KPA Managing Director Capt William Ruto signed an agreement with Maersk Line for a 12-month training of cadets, while BMA inked a deal with CMA CGM. 

In 2018, the then-president Uhuru Kenyatta witnessed the signing of an agreement between Mediterranean Shipping (MSC) and Kenya National Shipping Line (KNSL) at the BMA aimed at securing 2,500 seafaring jobs for Kenyans as well as training opportunities on board the shipping firm’s vessels.

However, implementation of the ambitious agreement has stalled following an alleged lack of political goodwill after the exit of President Uhuru’s administration.

Joho’s announcement comes at a time when several of Kenya’s maritime institutions offer specialised training in maritime studies amid the lack of training vessels.

They include the Mount Kenya University’s (MKU) Malindi Maritime Academy, which was launched a year ago. 

Other colleges include BMA, Technical University of Mombasa, Habourview Maritime College, Kenya Railway Marine School in Kisumu, Premier Maritime Training Institute in Nkubu, Meru, Pioneer University in Murang’a and the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), respectively. 

Mombasa-based former SUK secretary general, Mwangura, termed Joho’s deal a commendable effort to align Kenya’s maritime sector with economic and diaspora welfare, noting that Kenya is yet to tap its huge potential in the blue economy.

He added that Joho’s vision to streamline ship registration to attract both local and international shipping companies could position Kenya as a competitive maritime hub, potentially increasing diaspora remittances, which reached Sh643.5 billion in 2024.

“However, his proposal lacks specificity on implementation timelines and regulatory frameworks,” said Mwangura. 

He said the focus on maritime training initiatives is a forward-thinking approach to equip Kenyan seafarers with globally competitive skills.

“To strengthen this initiative, Joho should outline a clear roadmap, including partnerships with international maritime bodies to ensure compliance with global standards like those of the International Maritime Organisation,” said Mwangura.

Additionally, addressing potential bureaucratic hurdles and corruption risks in the registration process is critical to building investor confidence,’’ he said. 

But the immediate former general secretary of the Seafarers Union of Kenya (SUK), Mr Stephen Owaki, said although the acquisition of a training ship is a good deal, the challenge for Kenya lies in its management and the lack of goodwill in blue economy projects. 

He cited the current neglect of the RV Mtafiti, which was donated to the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) by the Belgian government.

“The issue is not getting a vessel donation from South Korea. It is the lack of proper management and goodwill. The government currently lacks goodwill in blue economy projects,” he noted. 

He wondered why the ambitious Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and the government signed in 2018 that promised 2,500 jobs and training opportunities had stalled under the current administration. 

“In my opinion, we are our own enemies. We have good ideas, but we do not implement them because of personal and political interests. This will not move our country forward,” Owaki noted. 

He argued that signing MOUs with major shipping lines for jobs and training opportunities should be the first step. 

“We should not be excited about getting one vessel for training. How many students require sea training? One vessel is definitely not enough,” he noted.

Mr Owaki also took issue with the government’s delay in issuing Seafarers Identity Documents (SIDs) to allow them free movement abroad. 

“The issuance of SIDs has been postponed many times while seafarers wait to get free movement abroad. Joho has now promised that the document will start being issued in October, which is next month. Why this frustration?” he posed. 

Mwangura noted that the acquisition of a training ship for seafarers could reduce vulnerabilities highlighted in the parliamentary committee’s enquiries into rogue recruitment agencies. 

He urged CS Joho to prioritise partnerships with accredited maritime training institutions and secure funding to make the training programmes accessible to low-income Kenyans.

“A critique here is the absence of a plan to integrate these training programmes with existing educational frameworks or to address gender disparities in the maritime sector, plus the inclusion of women and youth in targeted training programmes could broaden the talent pool and enhance inclusivity, aligning with national development goals,” he explained.