India’s NUSI Warns of Oil Exploration Training Shortage
Indian shipping trade union the National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI) has asked the Indian Ministry of Shipping for financial help toward the training of maritime workforce in oil exploration activities.
The union’s General Secretary, Abdulgani Serang, said NUSI has requested financial aid and incentives from the Ministry through National Shipping Board for training the maritime workforce at NUSI Offshore Training Institute (NOTI), currently operated by NUSI-ITF Trust.
NOTI trains the workforce that operates specialized vessels, or small-sized ships, catering to various needs of oil exploration activities.
“I am extremely happy that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his budget speech stated to incentivize oil exploration activities across India's vast coastline,” Serang said. “The government should also incentivize training of an Indian maritime workforce needed for oil exploration activities.”
Serang said the union has sent a letter in regarding this matter to the National Shipping Board, to put forth their demand.
“Currently, an offshore maritime workforce catering to oil exploration activities is scarce in India, mainly due to the lack of world-class training facilities in our country,” Serang explained.
“We cannot, therefore, run into the risk of letting foreign maritime workforce fill the future vacancies, considering the fact that a boost is expected on the oil exploration front.”
