ADDIS ABABA, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Africa Maritime Conference 2025 kicked off on Tuesday in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, with a call for collective action to unlock Africa's vast seas and inland waters, expand the maritime workforce, and enhance global competitiveness.
The conference, held under the theme "Africa: the Next Frontier of Global Crewing Supply," brought together maritime academies, shipping companies, manning agents, and diplomatic representatives from across Africa and beyond.
Speaking at the event, Ethiopian Minister of Transport and Logistics Alemu Sime underscored the need for African countries to harmonize their maritime training institutions with the demand of global shipping companies to supply a competent workforce that the global shipping industry urgently needs.
"The world faces critical shortages of skilled seafarers, with the projected shortfall of nearly 90,000 officers by 2026," Sime said, adding that with the increasing number of maritime universities across Africa, the continent will be an important base for global crewing and maritime development.
Francois Joubert, chief executive officer of YCF Manning, a global maritime workforce management company, told the conference that Africa holds a limited share of the global seafaring market, although it enjoys abundant maritime resources.
"Of the 1.9 million seafarers worldwide, Africa accounts for just 4 percent. With roughly 150 maritime academies across the continent, there is significant untapped potential," he said.
Highlighting that Africa is bordered by the Atlantic and Indian oceans, with 38 coastal and island states and some of the world's youngest and most dynamic populations, Joubert said Africa is well-positioned to address the shortage of seafarers and to become a dominant crewing force by 2030 and beyond.
"The world is running a shortage of seafarers, engineers and officers who keep 80 percent of global commerce moving," said Joubert, noting that African countries are in the rightful place to fill this critical gap.
The conference, which runs until Thursday, aims to produce a coordinated strategy to leverage Africa's human capital, regulatory frameworks, and logistical advantages to position the continent as a strategic player in the global shipping industry. ■
