Japan’s top shipping companies are taking steps to support the next generation of seafarers.
NYK Line, MOL, and “K” LINE, together with the Japanese Shipowners’ Association (JSA), have started discussions to donate a new large training vessel to the Japan Agency of Maritime Education and Training for Seafarers (JMETS).
The move aims to strengthen Japan’s maritime workforce and support the critical infrastructure behind ocean transport.
JMETS has faced growing challenges in recent years, including aging vessels, rising fuel costs, instructor shortages, and fewer on-board training days. A recent MLIT report outlined these concerns and called for reform.
In response, the industry is stepping in. The new ship would help secure more training capacity and improve conditions for students with different skill levels and goals.
The first stage will involve drafting the ship’s specifications and starting talks with shipbuilders. If all goes to plan, the vessel could be ready by around 2030.
Industry leaders say they hope the initiative will support JMETS’s long-term strategy and help secure a stable pipeline of skilled Japanese seafarers for years to come.
