Deep cultivation of talent fertile soil cohesion to the sea strong-COSCO Shipping Crew Company to implement the "Empowered Crew" project.

To adapt to the major trends of green, low-carbon, and intelligent development in the shipping industry and to solidify the talent foundation for high-quality development in shipping, China COSCO Shipping Corporation recently officially issued and implemented the "Implementation Plan for the 'Empowering Seafarers' Project." As the group's specialized seafarer management company, COSCO Shipping Seafarer Management Co., Ltd. (referred to as the Seafarer Company) immediately formulated detailed implementation rules, refining four major sections and 22 key tasks. Through precise measures, closed-loop promotion, and considerate services, the company is driving the "Empowering Seafarers" strategy from top-level design to effective implementation at the grassroots level.

"Seafarers are the foundation of shipping. The high-quality development of the shipping industry ultimately depends on talent." During the 16th World Seafarers Day celebration event held by the Seafarer Company, the leadership of China COSCO Shipping Corporation explained the core value of the "Empowering Seafarers" project: this concept is transitioning from top-level design to frontline practice—from systematic training of green and intelligent seafarers to the coordinated construction of a full career lifecycle training system, from the seamless connection of a four-tier maritime talent ladder to the implementation of practical initiatives like the "Maritime Vegetable Basket." A transformation centered on "people" is quietly taking place.

Shifting the Development Concept from "Investing in Assets" to "Investing in People"

Green, low-carbon, and digital intelligence are the definitive directions for the development of the shipping industry. New fuel vessels, such as those powered by methanol and ammonia, are being put into operation one after another, and intelligent ship technologies are evolving rapidly—fleets are changing, and so are the requirements for seafarers' capabilities.

As the world's largest seafarer management company, COSCO Shipping Seafarer Management Co., Ltd. manages 42,000 seafarers serving various types of vessels, including container ships, oil tankers, bulk carriers, and specialized ships. For the company, adapting to the green, low-carbon, and intelligent transformation trends in the shipping industry is not only an inevitable trend but also a pressing challenge of the times.

The group's "Empowering Seafarers" project explicitly proposes closely integrating investments in assets with investments in people, increasing investment in the development of seafarers as a core strategic resource. This judgment is based on a profound understanding of industry trends: ships can be built, and equipment can be purchased, but a high-quality team of seafarers must be cultivated systematically.

The Seafarer Company is focusing its efforts on this direction, making precise efforts in the training of new types of seafarers. Focusing on the operational needs of new fuel vessels such as LNG, methanol, and ammonia, the company is prioritizing the T11 and T12 certification processes to ensure that talent supply aligns with the growth of new fuel vessel capacity.

In terms of industry-education integration, the Seafarer Company has deepened its cooperation with institutions such as Dalian Maritime University and Shanghai Maritime University, jointly organizing the "COSCO Shipping New-Type Seafarer Training Class." The training program includes specialized course modules on green, low-carbon, and intelligent shipping. Additionally, the company collaborates with universities to offer part-time master's and doctoral engineering programs, exploring new pathways for cultivating high-level, interdisciplinary maritime talent through practical shipboard projects.

"Traditionally, more attention has been paid to investments in ships and shipping routes—these 'assets'—but this time, the group has explicitly proposed 'investing in people,' placing the development of seafarer capabilities on par with shipbuilding and purchasing. For us at the Seafarer Management Company, the direction is now clearer." This is the most significant sentiment shared across the company.

Addressing Industry Pain Points and Building a Full Career Lifecycle Training System

Fragmented seafarer training—this has been a common challenge faced by the industry for a long time. Different shipping companies have varying training standards, duplicate instructor courses are developed, and training platforms operate independently, leaving seafarers without a clear path for skill development from onboarding to promotion.

Under the coordination of the group's Human Resources Department, the Seafarer Company is leading the "Seafarer Full Career Lifecycle Training System Construction" sub-project. The overall construction approach is based on "one system, one team, one curriculum, and one platform." On August 4, a cross-unit flexible working group held its first meeting, with members from the group's Human Resources Department, Talent Development Institute, COSCO Shipping Technology, and the Energy Company. The group clarified the division of four key tasks and set a goal to develop a high-quality construction plan by the end of the year.

One system addresses "who manages and how to manage"—the group has issued the Seafarer Training Management Measures, establishing a three-in-one training management system that covers all stages of a seafarer's career lifecycle, including onshore, online, and onboard training. The system also defines the responsibilities and authorities of all parties and establishes a mechanism for regular evaluation and dynamic revision of the system.

One team addresses "who teaches and how to teach"—the group has established the "Seafarer Training Instructor Management Measures," which define the full-chain management rules for instructor selection, certification, training, assessment, and incentives, and has built a group-level seafarer training instructor database.

One curriculum addresses "what to teach and how to learn"—the group has developed a curriculum system covering the entire career lifecycle of seafarers, including courses for onboarding, pre-deployment, onboard training, promotion, and continuing education. The curriculum development standards are unified, and a mechanism for regular updates has been established.

One platform addresses "where to learn and how to manage"—the group has built a unified online training platform for seafarers, enabling functions such as course management, online learning, exams and assessments, training records, and data analysis. The platform supports three scenarios: onshore centralized training, online self-learning, and offline onboard training.

The four "ones" aim at a single goal: to ensure that every learning experience of a seafarer is recorded and every stage of their growth is supported.

Smoothing Career Paths and Activating Intrinsic Motivation for Talent Development

The greatest appeal of a seafarer's career lies in having a clear growth path. In the design of the "Empowering Seafarers" project, career growth has been listed as an independent section, highlighting its importance.

The group has established a four-tier system for outstanding maritime talent: "Setting Sail," "Riding the Waves," "Navigating the Seas," and "Reaching Far." The "Setting Sail" pool targets maritime graduates recruited within the past three years, focusing on early identification and potential development. The "Riding the Waves" pool targets outstanding operational and support-level personnel, emphasizing the cultivation of versatile core talents. The "Navigating the Seas" pool targets top management-level talents, focusing on enhancing dual ship-shore management capabilities. The "Reaching Far" pool targets top-tier maritime leaders, aiming to cultivate high-level talents who represent the group's maritime expertise and have industry influence and exemplary leadership.

The four-tier system does not exist in isolation. The Seafarer Company is promoting the integration of the "Maritime Management Trainee" program, the "50-100-1000" project, and the seafarer-to-shore transfer system with the group's four-tier talent system. This integration also aligns with the group's "Nurturing Navigation, Starting Navigation, Long Voyage, Leading Navigation" cadre talent system—allowing seafarers to transition from sea to shore and from frontline roles to management positions. Career paths are no longer a "one-way street."

"In the past, after becoming a captain or chief engineer, it was unclear what the next step would be. Now, I can see a complete path from 'Setting Sail' to 'Reaching Far,' and I even have the option to move to a shore-based role. It gives me confidence," said a captain who has worked at sea for over a decade.

Fostering Warm Care to Make Seafarers' Rights Tangible and Accessible

Empowering seafarers is not just about building capabilities and pathways; it is also about caring for the individuals themselves.

The lack of fresh vegetable supplies during long ocean voyages has long been a pain point for frontline seafarers. Under the guidance of the group, the Seafarer Company systematically reviewed operational data from 26 pilot vessels, including those in the energy and special transport sectors, and submitted work recommendations to the group. The group is now coordinating with various shipping companies to implement solutions based on the actual conditions of the vessels. A clear path for promoting the "Maritime Vegetable Basket" initiative is gradually taking shape.

In terms of physical and mental health protection, the "Preventing Work Injuries and Maritime Diseases" campaign is being actively advanced. A three-year rotational training plan for ship safety supervisors and ship cooks has been launched. The "Heartlight Lighthouse" mental health service system is gradually being established. In terms of seafarer care, initiatives such as "Red-Blue Co-construction," "Seafarers' Wives Liaison Stations," and the "Seafarer Station App" are being integrated and upgraded, creating an online and offline care network that is reaching more seafarer families. Regarding practical measures for seafarers, the Seafarer Company is leveraging the advisory role of Captain Ni Di, a deputy to the National People's Congress, to conduct special research on issues such as the difficulty of shore leave and cumbersome medical examination procedures. The company is working on improving and optimizing solutions to facilitate convenient shore leave for Chinese seafarers at domestic ports and to implement a "one examination, two certificates" system for seafarer medical check-ups.

From investing in assets to investing in people, from fragmented training to full lifecycle development, and from one-way career paths to dual ship-shore integration—under the guidance of the group, COSCO Shipping Seafarer Management Co., Ltd. is leveraging the "Empowering Seafarers" project to transform the concept of "seafarers as the foundation of shipping" into tangible, perceptible actions, laying the most fundamental and core talent foundation for building a strong maritime nation.