A delegation from the Embassy of the Netherlands in Manila recently visited Marlow Navigation, reinforcing the strong maritime ties between the Netherlands and the Philippines.
The delegation included Dutch Ambassador Marielle Geraedts, Senior Commercial Officer Patricia Sarmiento-Alvenida, and President of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines, Roy Akker.
Key discussions were held with Marlow’s senior leadership team here in the Philippines, covering major industry topics, such as European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) compliance, the Magna Carta for Seafarers, and the role of Filipino seafarers on the Dutch fleet.
The visit further strengthened growing collaboration between the Netherlands and the Philippines, reaffirming both nations’ shared commitment to maritime excellence, including efforts in workforce development and innovation in training – ensuring cadets and seafarers are proficient, highly skilled, and well-prepared for a successful career at sea.
Around 22,000 Filipino seafarers are estimated to be employed on Dutch-flagged vessels, making them the largest nationality group in the Dutch merchant marine fleet. Meanwhile, over 2,100 Filipino seafarers are aboard crew managed ships under Marlow Navigation’s Netherlands office alone, and over 10,000 on the entire fleet. Given the crucial role of Filipino seafarers in the Dutch fleet and the global shipping industry as a whole, these engagements further help pave the way for future partnerships.
As part of their visit, the delegation also toured Marlow’s partner training centre in Manila, United Marine Training Center, Inc. (UMTC), to witness the training in action. Ambassador Geraedts, who previously attended a cadet graduation and selection ceremony at Palompon Institute of Technology (PIT), witnessed firsthand the education, hands-on training, and high standards required to develop world-class maritime professionals. She also observed cadets in session, including graduates from PIT.
A key highlight was testing the full-mission bridge simulator, where Ambassador Geraedts took the helm, navigating a ship into Sydney Harbour – a testament to the advanced training methods used to prepare future seafarers.
Ambassador Geraedts expressed her appreciation for the visit, sharing on LinkedIn: “Thank you for the opportunity to visit Marlow Navigation, one of the companies that selects and trains Filipino crew members for Dutch vessels, at an impressive facility. They challenged me to use their state-of-the-art simulator to sail a container ship into Sydney port. And I managed to do it without any accidents, with the help of two experienced captains!”
Both Ambassador Geraedts and President Roy Akker praised Marlow’s dedication to training and development, as well as UMTC’s world-class facilities. Roy Akker noted that both Marlow and UMTC are clearly raising the standards for the seafarers of the future, underscoring the importance of high-quality training in ensuring a skilled maritime workforce.
