LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) of the Philippines and the Maritime Administration of Latvia formally signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the recognition of STCW certificates issued by MARINA, in accordance with regulation I/10 of the STCW Convention during the sidelines of the 11th session of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Sub-Committee on Human Element, Training and Watchkeeping (HTW) on 11 February 2025.

MARINA Administrator Sonia B. Malaluan and Maritime Administration of Latvia Director Jānis Krastiņš signed the agreement on behalf of their respective governments. Under the terms of the agreement, the Maritime Administration of Latvia, as the recognizing party, will issue an Endorsement of Recognition for certificates granted by MARINA, which serves as the certificate-issuing authority.

The agreement ensures that the training and competence assessment of Filipino seafarers comply with section A-I/6 of the STCW Code, with qualified instructors and assessors meeting the required standards. It also mandates continuous monitoring of all education, training, assessment, certification, endorsement, and revalidation activities through a quality standards system, in accordance with section A-I/8 of the STCW Code. Additionally, the endorsement of certificates will be carried out in line with regulation I/2, paragraph 5 of the STCW Convention.

The signing of this agreement further strengthens maritime cooperation between the Philippines and Latvia, reinforces international maritime standards and expands opportunities for Filipino seafarers to serve on Latvian-flagged vessels.

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