Countries that had once established supremacy in maritime trade were now lagging for want of updated technology or lack of interest in seafaring among the youth, experts noted at a daylong international conference on ‘shipping: indispensable to the world,’ the International Maritime Organisation’s theme for 2016, here recently. Speakers dwelt on the challenges facing shipping and ways to address the maritime trade scenario.
Universities have a big role to play, said Devinder Grewal, professor (Indian chair), Port Management, World Maritime University, Sweden. With advanced technology it is important that universities ensure students are prepared for the changes, he said. Like India, Eritrea, was strategically located and the centre of trade until 1950, said Eritrean Ambassador Alem Tsehaye Woldmariam. But the 30-year war of independence with Ethiopia had damaged it completely. Now, the country’s maritime university has turned to Indian professors to train its seafarers, he said.
Prof. Grewal said universities must take cognisance of the reality of changing maritime trends, take cognisance of the multiple uses of oceans and find solutions for the issues. The conference was organised by the Academy of Maritime Education and Training University.