Good news for Ghanaian seafarers as Cabotage law begins implementation

Expect Ghanaian seafarers to be brimming with excitement as the much-awaited cabotage regulation takes effect.

This law will ensure that 50% of officers and 75% of ratings working on ships doing business in the nation’s waters are of Ghanaian nationality. This system provides a viable avenue for the many unemployed Ghanaian seafarers to get some sea time under their belt while promoting skills transfer in areas Ghanaian seafarers have not yet developed expertise in. The cabotage law will cover oil tankers, offshore support vessels, passenger vessels, fishing vessels, and merchant ships, among others. Naval vessels and government vessels are among the exempted categories.

A Principal Maritime Administrative Officer at the Ghana Maritime Authority, George Anti-Kwakye (CMILT), who detailed the modalities of this new regulation to Eye on Port’s Kennedy Mornah on national television, revealed that full implementation, where shipping companies will be obliged to comply, will begin on August 1 of this year.

Ahead of this, he said, a series of consultations with shipping companies, seafarer recruitment agencies, maritime training institutions, and other relevant stakeholders have been held over the past couple of years.

He said the GMA has conducted a crew analysis of all the eligible vessels in Ghanaian waters to ensure compliance. To qualify, companies must fulfill all legal requirements that Ghanaian companies must meet.

An additional highlight of this regime is that Ghanaian seafarers under cabotage will receive remunerations that are equal to those of their foreign counterparts of the same rank when performing the same responsibilities aboard ships.

He also revealed some cases that trigger the exemption clause of the Cabotage Law. “When there is a one-time salvage operation, you can apply for an exemption. Again, when it comes to the manning requirements and after a thorough look at the database of the Ghanaian seafarer register, if those ranks you are looking for are not available and you want to bring a foreign national, you have to apply for an exemption.”

Indeed, the Principal Maritime Administrative Officer said an enforcement team is in place to ensure compliance, and their work is empowered by the fines and penalties stated in the law.

Adding his voice to the discourse, Awudu Enusah, who is also a Principal Maritime Administrative Officer, said prior to the coming into force of Li 2438 (cabotage), the Ghana Shipping Act did not present any restrictions bordering on seafarer employment, putting the Ghanaian at a disadvantage.

He reemphasized the skill transfer opportunity this cabotage system presents for Ghanaian seafarers. "Currently, in our fishing industry, you realize that we have a number of foreigners in there. Even at the rating level, we have a lot of Filipinos in there, so what Li 2438 tries to do is ensure that over a period of time, Ghanaians will take over and acquire the necessary expertise and competence, and then we also have to look at it within a certain context. Security-wise, it's okay that we have such a law in place to protect our maritime space.”