Promoting maritime training in the shipbuilding industry
MOWCA visit provides insight into the capabilities available in Equatorial Guinea for the construction, repair and maintenance of vessels
EQUATORIAL GUINEA: A delegation from the Maritime Organization of West and Central Africa (MOWCA) visited the Asaba Shipyard in Malabo to explore models for combining academic training, practical experience, and professional training in the naval industry that provide young Equatorial Guineans with training that is more closely linked to the real needs of the market.
During the tour, the delegation visited the construction and repair workshops, the slipways and the maintenance areas, and was able to closely observe the 15-metre-long boat whose construction has already been completed, with a cruising speed of 25 knots.
The visit provided insight into the capabilities available in Equatorial Guinea for the construction, repair and maintenance of vessels, and explored possible mechanisms for cooperation between the shipyard, the OMAOC and its maritime training institutions
At the same time, the possibilities of leveraging Asaba's capabilities to provide ship repair, maintenance and construction services to OMAOC member countries have been studied, reinforcing Equatorial Guinea's position as a maritime and industrial platform in the Gulf of Guinea.
The initiative promoted by the Ministry of Transport, Telecommunications and Civil Aviation responds to a long-term vision: to train a new generation of Equatorial Guinean professionals over the next five years, capable of progressively assuming responsibilities in all strategic areas of the maritime-port sector.
Equatorial Guinea boasts a privileged geographical location, ports, naval infrastructure, and a growing presence in regional maritime organisations. The next step is to complement these capabilities with the most important asset for ensuring their sustainability: highly trained and specialized national human resources.
In this way, the country aspires not only to effectively fulfil its responsibilities as a Flag State, Port State and Coastal State, but also to progressively consolidate itself as a regional benchmark in maritime training, port services, naval industry, maritime security and the blue economy.
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