Dr. Momoko Kitada, Professor and Head of Maritime Education & Training at the World Maritime University (WMU), emphasizes the need for a shift from quantity to quality to attract and retain the future maritime workforce. A key priority in this effort is making the maritime industry appealing to future generations considering maritime careers.
She notes that social skills among younger generations differ significantly from those of older generations, particularly in terms of communication methods. With the potential for radical changes in future maritime operations, the interpersonal skills required in the workplace may also evolve. To adapt to this changing environment, Dr. Momoko Kitada suggests that mutual mentoring between older and younger generations is a valuable strategy for bridging these gaps and adjusting to new work processes.
SAFETY4SEA: What are the future skills for the next generation of shipping? How do you feel industry’s challenges will impact the maritime workforce?
Dr. Momoko Kitada: According to WMU’s research project, Transport 2040: Impact of Technology on Seafarers, funded by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), WMU identified what future skills are needed for the maritime workforce. In the short term, until 2026, skills relating to emergency response, cybersecurity, vessel inspections and environmental awareness are important among others. In the mid term, 2027-2030, green skills relating to modern propulsion systems, new fuels, advanced automation and control systems, and ship operational software, are on demand in order to adapt to greener and smarter shipping. For the long term, 2031-2040, soft skills will become increasingly important to stay resilient, flexible and up-to-date for new environments. The maritime industry’s challenges will increase the need for adaptability and leadership skills. Such talents are on demand for other industries as well. Therefore, one key element that we should think about is how to make the maritime industry attractive for future generations who consider maritime careers. The maritime industry must appeal to future generations and this is what all of us need to think about with urgency.
S4S: How will the industry’s workforce look in 2030? What can we expect to remain the same, and what will be different in the shipping industry regarding training and learning?
M.K.: By 2030, officers at management level will be aging worldwide while officers in operational level and ratings will remain the same in terms of age distribution. This is concerning because advanced skills, including digital skills and ICT, are often needed for officers at management level. The latest research conducted by WMU, looking at integrating 21st century skills into STCW competences and the implications for maritime education and training, also suggests that officers need more comprehensive training in 21st century skills. It is clear that the maritime workforce needs reskilling and upskilling in the coming years and we also need to shift from quantity to quality regarding the maritime workforce.
S4S: In your view, has the industry been successful in embracing and upskilling maritime professionals? What are the lessons learned and what should be the next steps to embrace the young talents?
M.K.: As Head of Maritime Education and Training (MET) at WMU, I feel that MET is becoming extremely important for the maritime industry, but it is clear that not all governments and companies are investing in education and training. There are many important areas relating to safety, security and the environment, and these areas are evolving and expanding due to new trends such as digitalization, decarbonization, and occupational safety and health. investing in education and training is necessary to achieve effective policy development and implementation. Expertise is required to design and develop effective training and conduct assessments in order to achieve intended learning outcomes for different target groups, including officers, ratings, and shore-based personnel. The WMU MET specialization in our MSc in Maritime Affairs offers a comprehensive programme for the increasing need for MET specialists. WMU can also provide customized professional training to help organizations and governments meet the challenges of effectively upskilling maritime professionals.
S4S: What is your advice to young people in order to improve their soft skills (i.e. communication, teamwork etc) that are considered vital for their career development?
M.K.: This is a tough question. If the work process remains the same, we assume that interpersonal skills, including communication and teamwork, are important to get the job done. Social skills in the young generation are very different from those of my generation. Their day-to-day communications in cyber space differ from how older generations tend to communicate in physical space. If the work process in the future maritime operations changes radically, the interpersonal skills required will change, too. I think that mentoring in both directions, from older to younger as well as from younger to older is one way to adapt to a new work environment.
S4S: With the energy transition and changing technologies in shipping, where do industry stakeholders need to focus to support seafarers?
M.K.: The focus should be primarily on the safety of seafarers when operating ships with new fuels and technologies. WMU is a partner for the Maritime Just Transition Task Force (MJT-TF) project on developing the baseline training framework for seafarers in decarbonization. The project examines the areas of safety concerns when dealing with three alternative fuels – methanol, ammonia and hydrogen – and develops training materials and instructor handbooks for safe usage of new fuels by seafarers. Proper training of seafarers with new fuels is an urgent need and the IMO HTW Sub-committee also decided to prioritize it by separating from the Comprehensive Review of STCW Convention and Code and establishing a new working group at the next HTW11.
S4S: If you could change one thing across the industry from your perspective, what would it be and why?
M.K.: Transitions we face are an opportunity to modernize our mindset and what I hope to see is gender equality and diversity incorporated into the process of smart and green shipping in order to come up with innovative solutions for global challenges. We have to be conscious about just and equitable transitions when designing our future and making it more attractive for young people. Such important discussions will be the focus of the 4th WMU International Conference on Gender Equality that will take place in May 2025.
The views presented are only those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of SAFETY4SEA and are for information sharing and discussion purposes only.
