Dutch ship pay rise for Indonesian sailors

Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesian sailors will have the chance to work on Dutch vessels at higher rates of pay following the signing Tuesday of a collective labor agreement.

The Indonesian Seafarers Association (KPI) signed the agreement with the Netherlands Maritime Employers Association (Nemea) for both crew and officers, providing them with a gross monthly salary ranging from US$1,520 to $4,586.

The agreement also allows Indonesian sailors to move or be transferred to vessels flying the flags of other European countries with similar remuneration systems.

Nemea Chairman Aaert Korteland R.A. hailed the agreement for ensuring labor safety for Indonesian seafarers working for European shipping companies as well as for supporting the booming Dutch shipping industry.

"The Dutch shipping industry requires thousands of crew and officers to fill in job vacancies in its current fleet of 4,700 ships, ferries and cargo carriers," he said.

"More seafarers from Indonesia will be required because we are still ordering 4,000 more new vessels to replace old ones."

Korteland was speaking during the agreement signing ceremony at the state-run Indonesian Merchant Marine Academy (STIP) in Marunda, North Jakarta.

He also called on state-owned merchant marine academies to improve the quality of their teaching to allow their graduates to compete with seafarers from the Philippines, Thailand and South Korea.

Meanwhile, STIP rector Rusman Hoesein said Nemea should allow his students to work as apprentices on Dutch vessels while they were finishing their studies.

Some 18,000 Indonesian seafarers work on non-European ships for monthly salaries of between $2,000 and $3,000 because the payment is not based on the international standards.

Senior offices and captains of Indonesian ships earn far less, between $500 and $1,500 per month, the lowest salary in the industry in Southeast Asia.

KPI chairman Hanafi Rustandi said the organization encouraged Indonesian crew, fresh graduates of Indonesian merchant marine academies and senior officers to work on European and American ships.

"We have enhanced cooperation with the academies to hold certified training programs to improve the quality of Indonesian seafarers, enabling them to make a smooth adjustment to the work environment on European and American vessels," he said.

"There are about 15,000 Indonesian seafarers working for American and European shipping companies. But only 100 are employed as captains, chief engineers and other top positions because of the low quality of education in the academies."

The International Maritime Organization recognizes the graduates of five state-run academies in Jakarta, East Java, Central Java and South Sulawesi. Indonesian crew are required to take advanced programs to improve their specialized skills.