Australia, PH OK mutual recognition of seafarers

Australia, PH OK mutual recognition of seafarers
Genivi Verdejo February 11, 2026 https://www.manilatimes.net/2026/02/11/business/maritime/australia-ph-ok...

THE Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) and the government of Australia recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to mutually recognize seafarer certificates.

The agreement, signed at the Marina Building in Manila on Feb. 6, 2026, updates a 2002 arrangement to align with Regulation I/10 of the 1978 STCW Convention, as amended.

Marina Administrator Sonia Malaluan and Australian Ambassador Marc Innes-Brown PSM signed the document, which clarifies Marina’s role as both a certificate-issuing and recognizing administration. The MOU also establishes improved communication and cooperation mechanisms between the two maritime authorities.

Malaluan emphasized the agreement’s importance in maintaining the country’s maritime standing. “For the Philippines, this memorandum reaffirms our commitment to maintaining a robust and internationally compliant system of training, assessment and certification for Filipino seafarers, consistent with global maritime expectations,” she said.

Ambassador Innes-Brown highlighted that the partnership serves both economic and human interests. “Australia values its long-standing maritime cooperation with the Philippines, and this agreement reflects mutual trust in each other’s training and certification systems under the STCW Convention,” he said.

The ceremony also included Australia’s formal endorsement of the Manila Declaration on Seafarers’ Human Rights, Safety, and Well-being. This addition to the bilateral relationship focuses on protecting seafarers’ rights and welfare alongside technical certification, reinforcing a shared commitment to the livelihoods of maritime professionals.

The MOU is expected to facilitate the continued placement of Filipino seafarers on Australian-flagged vessels. It will also serve as a standard reference for port state control authorities when verifying the validity of STCW certificates in both jurisdictions.