Date:29/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/29/stories/2008032954250500.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Campaign to woo students to pursue seafaring career

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: “Solving the manpower crisis in the maritime sector” will be the main theme of the 45th National Maritime Day programme which would be observed on April 5 in commemoration with the sailing of the first Indian ship “S.S. Loyalty” from Mumbai to London.

Giving details of the celebrations in Chennai, the Principal Officer of Mercantile Marine Department of the Directorate-General of Shipping, P. Misra, told a news conference here on Friday that a sustained campaign would be embarked upon in educational institutions to woo Plus-Two students to pursue a seafaring career. “There is acute shortage of trained marine officers and it is estimated that by 2015, the shortage of marine officers is likely to triple to 27,000 from the present 10,000,” Dr. Misra said.