Advancing Sustainability and Competitiveness in the Philippine Maritime Transportation Sector

Advancing Sustainability and Competitiveness in
the Philippine Maritime Transportation Sector

Written by:
Rayan Dui, Miguel Paolo Paredes, Reynaldo Bautista Jr.
Department of Marketing and Advertising
College of Business
DLSU-Manila

Introduction

Filipino seafarers play a vital role in the global maritime workforce, comprising about 25 percent of the world’s 1.65 million seafarers and earning the Philippines the reputation as the “crewing capital of the world” (Galam, 2025). Their strong global presence reflects shipping companies’ reliance on their competitiveness, availability, and internationally recognized training. Beyond their operational role, they also make a significant economic contribution, remitting about US$6.7 billion in 2022 and US$6.94 billion in 2024, providing vital support to the Philippine economy (Philippine Information Agency, 2024). Through targeted regulatory development and harmonization in accordance with international maritime agreements and national implementing laws, this policy brief supports the viability of the Philippine domestic maritime transportation industry. Its foundations are (a) more stringent inspection of METIs; (b) more successful enforcement of fair labor and welfare standards for seafarers; and (c) a review of MARINA’s streamlined and open certification and licensing procedures. In addition, EMSA’s compliance findings pose reputational and deployment risks. To guarantee compliance, competitiveness, and longterm sectoral sustainability, these amendments are based on the STCW Convention, the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC, 2006), and other pertinent IMO environmental treaties. Gaps in environmental, sociocultural, and economic systems continue to limit sustainability in the maritime transportation industry, which accounts for 90% of global trade (Richter, 2016). The long-term viability of the industry and the competitiveness of Filipino seafarers are threatened by persistent problems such as inadequate training facilities, discriminatory recruitment practices, and onerous certification procedures. Given the risks of seafarer displacement and the constraints of global compliance, it is imperative to address these systemic deficiencies. The creation of a more robust, competitive, and sustainable maritime sector will be made possible by a unified policy roadmap that emphasizes improved regulation, just labor practices, and effective administrative procedures.

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