Oct 18 , 2025
The Ministry of Transport & Logistics has launched the first-ever Africa Maritime Conference, marking a bold move to position landlocked Ethiopia as a continental hub for seafaring innovation at a time of global talent shortages. At a pre-conference briefing, Frans Joubert, CEO of YCF Manning Ltd, underscored Africa’s untapped potential in the maritime sector. Of the 1.9 million seafarers worldwide, only four percent are African—despite the continent hosting around 150 maritime academies. “We’re on the verge of unlocking significant value,” a conference spokesperson said, pointing to the country's growing role in shaping a unified African voice in global maritime affairs. Cadets undergo six to nine months of bridging training, followed by sea-time placements that yield a 95 percent success rate, well above the continental average of 20 percent. Joubert noted that every 1,000 officer-level seafarers generate about 50 million dollars in economic value, projecting annual returns of up to 100 million dollars if the country scales its training pipeline. The government hopes to expand the national seafaring pool to between 40,000 and 100,000 officers, placing the country among the top five global suppliers. Bahir Dar University President, Mangesha Ayene (PhD), praised the Maritime Center of Excellence for setting new academic standards through international partnerships, producing “certified engineers” that meet global benchmarks. The Ethiopian Maritime Training Institute (EMTI) currently trains 360 students, including its first female cohort graduating in 2025. The country now counts 17 chief engineers and more than 170 officers at management level framework.
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