On 28 September, the World Maritime University (WMU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ITF-affiliated Marine Transport Workers’ Trade Union of Ukraine (MTWTU), the largest national maritime trade union in Ukraine representing over 50 thousand seafarers and maritime cadets.
The MoU was signed via a virtual ceremony by Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, President of WMU, and Oleg Grygoriuk, MTWTU Chairman, IMO Goodwill Maritime Ambassador to Ukraine and Vice Chairman of the International Federation of Shipmasters’ Associations (IFSMA).
The MoU provides possibilities for collaboration on maritime education and training, seafarers’ welfare and labour standards, maritime policy development, collaborative research, capacity-building activities through seminars and training, the possibility of MTWTU funding academically qualified staff to join WMU’s MSc programme in Malmö, and opportunities for other forms of cooperation and technical assistance.
President Doumbia-Henry welcomed the MoU saying, “Maritime education and training are vital to supporting global maritime trade, as well as ensuring the health and wellbeing of the world’s seafarers. We are pleased to sign the MoU with MTWTU to support maritime capacity building in Ukraine.”
In his remarks, MTWTU Chairman Oleg Grygoriuk thanked Dr Doumbia-Henry for the many years of support she has provided to Ukraine and especially to Ukrainian seafarers and welcomed the signing, “For the MTWTU the MOU with WMU marks a new phase in the development of our organization. For our country as one of the major providers of seafarers to the maritime labour market, it is crucial to do the utmost to ensure seafarers’ quality training, education and further decent and secure employment.”
