A total of 600 youth will be trained as seafarers at the Bandari Maritime Academy to take advantage of the blue economy job opportunities overseas.

The Kenya Maritime Authority, KCB Bank and KCB Foundation have signed a Sh155 million three- year partnership to train the Kenyan youth.

In the arrangement, the youth will receive safety training in shipping and maritime as well as unsecured loan products from the bank to secure visa documentation, embarkation costs, and other travel logistics

Department of shipping, maritime and special envoy for maritime and blue economy principal secretary Nancy Karigithu said that the program intends to give youth loans which they will pay when they get on board.

“We cannot allow that only those who are able to meet those requirements are the ones who will access the jobs because then we will be losing a lot of talent, therefore this is why the idea was born to help and lift young people to get the job,” she said..

Karigithu revealed  that currently there are 2,300 seafarers out of which only 800 have managed to meet out of pocket expenses.

She noted that they have embedded the requirements in the framework for the loan in order to encourage the young people to pay the loan.

The PS said they also expect parents and families to be part of the process to encourage their children to pay back the loan because that is the only way they will ensure sustainability and success of the product.

“We have people who we want to access the loans, therefore first requirement they will sign the commitment and be able to have a sanction which they will voluntarily commit to and accept if they do not pay the money but from the response we have received, they are all committed,” she said.

karigithu said the blue economy sector has the potential to be a key driver for sustainable growth in economy and employment to millions of Kenyans if well harnessed.

The youth will be trained by accredited technical vocational training institutions and vetted by KMA.

KCB Bank Retail director Annastancia Kimutai said they are training the youth so that they may have skills and competence that can help them get job employment hence solve the problem of youth unemployment.

“In Coast region, most opportunities are found in the ocean therefore this is why we are giving these youth an opportunity where we will pay their school fees upfront to come and be trained,” she said.

She said the beneficiaries will start paying the loan after nine months of being employed and if the programs are a success, more youth will be recruited.

The Retail director said their goal is to unlock the access to seafarers in the international maritime fleet for youth and provide bridge finance through joint efforts with KMA and KCB Foundation.

“As a local bank with global solutions, our intention is to continually provide solutions that are geared towards uplifting the livelihoods of our young people,” she said.

Kenya Maritime Authority acting director general John Omingo said that the program was rolled out because youths have been facing the challenge of meeting the embarkation cost of getting on board vessels.

This is because the embarkation costs have mandatory requirements from the international maritime and world health organizations in terms of the medical test, training certifications and other immigration documents which are required by the country’s where the ships are going to dock.

To get all these documents plus the training, Omingo said the cost sums up to about 150,000 shillings depending on the training institutions.

“This is a challenge especially to the young ones that is why we saw the need of working with KCB to grant loans to the potential seafarers on account of what we have assured them,” he said.

“Before a person is given the loan, we go through the process to ensure that they are genuine seafarers because they will have to pay for us to also help others who are coming in,” he said.

He said that the job market for cruise shipping has a capacity of accommodating more than 5000 every year from Kenya if it is done very well.

“We have Kenyans who are qualified to board vessels and through this sustainable process, we will not have such kinds of challenges in future.

Mombasa Deputy Governor Francis Thoya said  the county government is ready and willing to support the program in order to help youth in the county.