Looking at MET in the regions of the world, Asia is - with the distinct
exception of Japan - mainly MT territory, Europe mainly MET territory. North America is
divided; mainly MT in Canada and mainly MET in the USA. Latin America and Caribbean have a
mixture of MET and MT, Africa is mainly MT territory - with the distinct exception of
Egypt.
The trend of development leads from MT to MET. Above all, it is driven
by the most qualified MT students and graduates and by faculty of MT institutes.
MET issues
"The issue for the majority of seafarers is no more whether to
leave the sea but when" (Frank Main, 1970s) is an attitude that has continuously
spread. The education for such change - namely MET - will increasingly be offered. Whether
the opportunities in the maritime sector for a transfer from ship to shore exist in all
countries is another matter. However, with the further development of maritime
infrastructures in a growing number of countries these opportunities will increase.
MET is more expensive than MT. If it is paid for from taxpayers money
then an added value is expected to be identifiable that justifies the additional use of
finance. With the use of increasingly costly equipment as simulators, MET has become
rather expensive in comparison to other technical and vocational education. MET institutes
have to make efforts to reduce education and training costs so that they do not price
themselves out of the market. If the industry contributes part of the costs for MET, then
the pressure for less costly MET increases.
Shipping is no more an industry separated from the rest of the
transport industry. Shipping is today part of a transport chain from sender to receiver.
It is part of intermodal transport. This development coincides with the perception of
shipping as an opportunity for investment from non-traditional sources. At the same time,
the attitude to seafaring has changed, not only that of seafarers but also those of
prospective seafarers. Seafarers do not relate to their working place anymore as "my
ship"; it is for them "the ship on which I am working today" (but not
necessarily tomorrow).
Young people view a seafaring career no more by an assumed romantic and
adventure value but as one of many opportunities to earn an income. This attitudinal
detachment of both shipowners and seafarers from shipping can negatively affect quality
standards.
The call for the development of a "safety culture" can be
seen as an effort to remedy possible shortcomings from an attitudinal detachment. IMO s
International Safety Management (ISM) Code and the inclusion of quality assurance in STCW
95 can also be seen as attempts to compensate for a loss of attachment to, and
identification with, seafaring. Fluctuation of personnel from ship to shore, declining
attraction of seafaring, high costs of MET, integration of shipping
