Page 38 - IB March 2025

P. 38

‘Solomon Islanders Awarded

Maritime Scholarships’

Four young Solomon Islanders have been awarded maritime cadetship scholarships with PNG marine services
company, Pacific Towing (PacTow). Upon graduating as Officers of the Watch from the international program
of theoretical, as well as practical training, the awardees will initially be employed at PacTow’s tug base in
Honiara. PacTow anticipates offering additional scholarships to Solomon Islanders in its quest to bolster its own
workforce in the region, as well as to help grow Solomon Islands’ next generation of seafaring professionals. As
an equal opportunity employer, the company is particularly keen to recruit additional female cadets.

Founded in PNG in 1977, PacTow introduced its first cadetship
programme more than two decades ago. In 2018, it invested
in another programme focussed purely on fast-tracking the
seafaring careers of women. The ‘Women in Maritime’ cadetship
programme is in partnership with the Australian Government,
Consort Express Lines, and Swire Shipping. Both cadetship
programmes take four years to complete.
The recently awarded Solomon Islander scholarship holders
will undertake approximately eight months of preliminary study
and work experience in Solomon Islands prior to embarking
on their actual cadetships in January 2026. This April will see
the awardees commence nearly two months of basic seafaring
training, including Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) training, at the
Maritime College of Solomon Islands National University. They
will then gain valuable practical work experience at PacTow’s Congratulations (L-R) Winston Sutu, John Lema, Rowena Andresen, and Solomon
Honiara tugboat operation until the end of the year. Maesala for being the first Solomon Islanders to be awarded a Maritime Cadetship
Early 2026 will see the awardees relocate to Fiji to undertake scholarship with the Melanesian marine services company, Pacific Towing.
a full year of study at the National University’s Pacific Centre for
Maritime Studies (PCMS). General Manager of Pacific Towing,
Gerard Kasnari, concedes that he had initially planned for the getting higher, and vessels are becoming more sophisticated. As
awardees to commence their Fiji studies this year. However, he a business, we therefore need to be training a new generation
believes that “the preliminary study and practical experience of maritime professionals—men and women—to ensure that we
they get in Honiara over the next eight months will be a great not only have enough seafarers to operate, but that we also have
advantage to them in the classroom in Fiji.” the very best. Also, as a good corporate citizen, and as a well-
Upon successful completion of their studies at PCMS, the established and successful business that has prospered from
cadets will undertake two years of sea-time training. Consort our operations in the region, it is important for PacTow to ‘give
Express Lines, one of PacTow’s sister companies and PNG’s back’. Helping Solomon Islands grow its maritime workforce
largest coastal shipping operation, will provide the cadets is just one of the ways we’re doing this. We would also like to
with coastal shipping experience. International experience, on invest in maritime scholarships for young Fijians if our business
considerably larger and more technically advanced vessels on expands further there as planned.”
some of the world’s busiest shipping routes, is slated to take
place on Swire Shipping vessels. The cadets will also work on ***************************
PacTow’s fleet of tugs during this two-year period where they
will assist vessels berth and unberth, as well as be exposed to PacTow has had a permanent business operation in Solomon
emergency operations such as salvages and oil spill responses. Islands since 2012. In addition to its core business of harbour
Once the cadets have completed their two years of sea-time, towage, it has conducted a number of salvages in Solomon
they will return to PCMS in Fiji for additional study and their Islands’ waters. Likewise, it has conducted salvages in Fiji where
exams. Upon graduating as ‘Officers of the Watch’—either Deck it also has a registered business.
or Engine—they will take up full-time employment with PacTow. PacTow is Melanesia’s largest marine services business. It
However, their qualifications will also enable them to later secure employs more than 250 staff and has a fleet of 20 vessels. It
employment across a broad spectrum of maritime operations provides a broad spectrum of marine services, including towage,
throughout Melanesia, as well as much further afield. emergency response, commercial diving, life raft services, and
Kasnari notes that “Melanesia has an aging seafaring salvage. PacTow is part of a larger sea and land logistics group
workforce; the international standards which we operate to are wholly owned by Steamships Limited.
To learn more about PacTow: www.pacifictowingmarineservices.com