Thousands of maritime jobs open for Filipinos

Filipinos make up an estimated 25% of the world’s 1.9 million seafarers, and industry forecasts demand an additional 90,000 marine professionals worldwide. With shipowners preferring Filipino seafarers for their technical expertise, English proficiency, and adaptability, the Philippines is expected to continue as the world’s largest single source of maritime labour.

This year’s expo, themed “Shaping the Future of Filipino Seafarers for Sustainable Shipping,” will bring together leading manning agencies and shipping firms, including Pacific Ocean Manning, North Sea Marine Services, Philippine Transmarine Carriers, Seaspan Philippines, Ionic Manila Manning, Western Shipping Southeast Asia, CMA Ship Philippines, Magsaysay Maritime Corporation, and Seabuoy Crewing Manila. Vacancies are expected to range from entry-level ratings to senior officers.

Aside from recruitment, the three-day event will also tackle wider industry issues, including compliance with stricter regulations, adopting artificial intelligence and other technologies, and the urgent need to retrain crews to align with the shipping industry’s decarbonisation goals. 

Sessions will also be held on seafarer welfare, retention strategies to address high turnover rates, and reintegration support for returning workers. Discussions on the Magna Carta for Filipino Seafarers, which outline the rights and protections for Filipino marine workers, are also on the agenda

Organisers said the expo aims to strengthen the Philippines’ competitiveness in the maritime sector and prepare the workforce for future disruptions. They also emphasised the expo’s push towards efficiency and modernisation, including using facial recognition systems to speed up attendees' entry and enhance venue security.

With Filipino seafarers contributing billions of dollars annually in remittances, the MWMEC is widely considered a strategic platform supporting the country’s competitive edge in global shipping.