One of the largest employers of Indian seafarers, Hong Kong-headquartered global ship management Company, Anglo-Eastern Univan Group is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. For the past 38 years, Anglo-Eastern Univan Group’s India-based operations have played a pivotal role in education & training of Indian students, who wish to become world-class merchant navy officers.

Hemang Palan interviews Anglo-Eastern Univan Group’s CEO, CAPT BJORN HOJGAARD.

Excerpts:

1) What is the significance of Indian merchant navy officers globally?

Indian merchant navy officers play a crucial role in supporting the maritime industry, and consequently, international trade and commerce. It is no secret that seafarers are the backbone of our industry and our workforce. We have reiterated this time and again, not just in words but, more importantly, in the actions we take at Anglo-Eastern and within our membership bodies to ensure we are able to deliver on our promise of leading with integrity while nurturing our people and communities.

As a nation, India ranks as the third-largest seafarer supplying nation worldwide, accounting for nearly 10% of the global maritime workforce. This positions India behind only China and the Philippines, which dominate with 33% and 20% respectively. It is worth noting that presently, among the 42 nationalities represented in Anglo-Eastern’s 39,000 strong seafarer-base, 52% of them are from India. This contribution sits at nearly 80% for senior officers across our managed fleet and 94% of senior officers for our tanker fleet alone.

It is also worth noting that the total number of Indian seafarers has seen substantial growth, rising from around 108,000 in 2013 to approximately 250,000 in 2024.

Indian seafarers are recognised for their quality training, technological proficiency, and adherence to international standards. India is included in the International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s White List, which identifies countries compliant with the STCW-95 Convention and Code. This status enhances the attractiveness of Indian seafarers to international shipping companies.

2) How can the global share of Indian seafarers be increased at a phenomenal pace to boost the job prospects for Indian nationals and students?

India boasts one of the largest populations of young, educated graduates seeking career opportunities. Given the country's average per capita income of approximately US$2,500 per year, wages offered to seafarers are quite appealing in comparison.

To grow this further, more investment in marine training institutions in India is encouraged. At Anglo-Eastern, we have long been investing in training our seafarers and have established a base of some of the world’s best officers. Anglo-Eastern Maritime Academy (AEMA) and two of our four training centres, Anglo-Eastern Maritime Training Centre (AEMTC), are located in India.

Anglo-Eastern has also developed dual-fuel handling, bunkering & dual-fuel engine training infrastructure as well as training courses at our training facilities in India alongside demands of the industry, which places Anglo-Eastern in a unique position to internally up skill its talent pool for alternative fuels and future proof their skills for technological advancements.

With the existing training facilities and the presence of maritime activities in India, there are visible maritime leaders and figures, who are able to provide mentorship and act as role models for Indian youngsters who aspire to join the maritime industry.

3) How will Anglo-Eastern continue to contribute to the growth of the ship management sector in India?

India has always been a key base for Anglo-Eastern, serving as home to our multiple crewing offices located across the country, the award-winning Anglo-Eastern Maritime Academy (AEMA), two of our four training centres worldwide, including our flagship centre in Mumbai, as well as our Fleet Performance Centre (AEFPC). We have been investing substantial resources in India, and will continue to do so.

Last year, India’s 61st National Maritime Day Celebrations saw Anglo-Eastern receive two awards in key categories: ‘Outstanding Foreign Employer for Seafarers’ for the 17th time in the last 21 years, and 1st Rank for AEMA for ‘Outstanding Maritime Training Institute’ in the category of Pre-sea training institutes conducting courses for Officer Cadets (Nautical & Engineering) for the second consecutive year. These accolades reflect the hard work of our dedicated team members and aspiring students, as well as our commitment to developing the ship management sector in India. More details as below:

Training and talent pipeline:

AEMA is committed to educating and training future seafarers to the highest standards, ensuring a steady supply of cadets for reliable ship management services. AEMA equips cadets with up-to-date industry knowledge, operational skills, and soft skills. The institute’s advanced training facilities include an expansive mechanical workshop and state-of-the-art simulators, in addition to virtual reality and game-based e-learning. On the faculty side, the academy’s educators include experienced former masters and chief engineers who remain actively engaged with the industry.

Each of our training centres is equipped with state-of-the-art simulators and training facilities to support the career goals of our cadets and seafarers as they pursue further qualifications.

Anglo-Eastern has also developed dual-fuel handling, bunkering & dual-fuel engine training infrastructure at the flagship training centre in Mumbai, which places Anglo-Eastern in a unique position to internally up-skill its talent pool for alternative fuels and future proof their skills for technological advancements.

Presently, there are more than 2,000 Indian youngsters being trained at our training institutions which offer one of the world’s largest new cadet training programmes.

Besides addressing the potential skill shortages by facilitating upskilling opportunities, we also pay attention to our overall talent pipeline with the annual on boarding of an additional 500 trained officers from our academy to our ships. This ensures a steady flow of seafarers that have relevant skill sets able to cater to all our clients across ship and fuel types, while also enabling the backfilling of positions and transitioning of talent for upskilling projects alongside our Career Care Programme which monitors and provides guidance to all seafarers about their career progression with specific focus on promotions to next professional level, transition from ratings to officers, re-skilling to a different type of vessel and transition to shore jobs.

Meanwhile, Anglo-Eastern initiated one of the world’s largest and most extensive seafarer wellbeing programmes – We Care, which touches the lives of more than 32,000 seafarers and their communities every year.

 Digitalisation:

Digitalisation is one of the dominant trends in the maritime industry. As we continue to build our capabilities in this area, at our fleet performance centre (AEFPC), which was established in 2019 in Mumbai, our dedicated team of experts leverage data collected from day-to-day vessel performance monitoring and translate these into actionable insights. In 2024, a total of 16,537 voyages were monitored with outlined improvements resulting in a reduction in fuel usage of 63,151 MT and reduction in CO2 emissions of 189,453 MT. Taking steps like these allows us to optimise processes, building efficiencies that can be leveraged to benefit the industry while tapping into the skillsets of Indian graduates both onshore and offshore.

4) What are the challenges ahead for the maritime skilling infrastructure in India?

As a starter, it is critical that we protect our seafarers from undue harm and discrimination. There are cases where seafarers have been wrongly implicated in criminal activity without sufficient evidence. As a community, we need to ensure risks like these are mitigated to ensure those considering embarking on a seafaring career are able to do so without fear or prejudice.

In directly addressing the challenges of maritime skilling infrastructure, it is essential to adopt more simulators and live-assessment-based training, particularly in moving away from traditional paper charts and sextants, which are now seldom used on modern vessels.

The industry should also enhance training programmes to meet the demands of increasingly complex ships, especially to those utilising dual fuel and ammonia. At Anglo-Eastern, we have developed dual-fuel handling; bunkering & dual-fuel engine training infrastructure at our flagship training centre in Mumbai, ensuring appropriate training resources are available for our seafarers to continue to up-skill themselves in an ever-evolving maritime world.

We are aware that there is so much more that needs to be done, and we cannot do this alone— it requires joint efforts from local governments and industry players to build a more wholesome maritime community, of which training infrastructure is an essential part.

Additionally, streamlining the Certificate of Competency (COC) examination system will allow seafarers to complete their assessments in multiple phases, enabling them to work while fulfilling their examination requirements with shorter leave periods.

Finally, incorporating more soft-skill training is also crucial as the maritime industry is fundamentally a service-oriented field and centred around people.

5) What is your message and advice to young Indian students who wish to become skilled mariners and merchant navy officers?

The maritime industry offers a wealth of opportunities for those passionate about the sea. With dedication and the right training, you can navigate the vast oceans, team up with like-minded crew members and shore professionals, manage ships, and ensure the safe transport of goods or/and passengers across the globe.

With 70% of our seafarers being promoted in-house and a 95% overall retention rate over the last 5 years, we believe in the benefits of investing in our people, and we have seen the growth of many seafarers transforming to various functionalities/positions at sea and ashore. In fact, a large part of our management team has formerly been on Anglo-Eastern ships while they gained solid experience and transferable skill sets at sea.

Working in the maritime industry is a rewarding career, where you can experience diverse cultures and various scenarios, and in a way, with appropriate training and guidance, they will provide opportunities to grow your skill sets and help you shape a global perspective.

Furthermore, after accumulating sufficient experience at sea, the world is open to you if you seek to further your career ashore.

To those who are interested in becoming a seafarer and are keen to join us—at Anglo-Eastern, we prioritise integrity and uphold the highest standards for the benefit of our clients and seafarers alike. We provide diverse opportunities, offering long-term commitments in collaboration with shipowners worldwide. We seek authentic individuals who possess a true passion for ships and share the following qualities: spirited, genuine, practical and empathetic.

As you pursue your ambitions, remember that with hard work, teamwork, determination, and a commitment to excellence, you can make a difference in the maritime world.