Moldovan maritime administration employees are trained on modern naval management

Between 4 and 6 November 2019 a study tour aiming to further support the development of the maritime sector in the Republic of Moldova was organised. The visit took place within the framework of the European Union (EU) funded technical assistance Project „Support to the Reform of the Transport Sector in the Republic of Moldova”.

was organised in the framework of the European Union (EU) funded technical assistance Project “Support to the Reform of the Transport Sector in the Republic of Moldova”. 

Recently, representatives of the Naval Agency of the Republic of Moldova were introduced to modern and competitive maritime management aspects, focusing on running an open ship registry. The training was organized in Malta, where the maritime administration, namely the Merchant Shipping Directorate of the Malta Transport Centre, is running an open ship registry at EU standards. 

The participants have learned from the first source how an open ship registry is organized, staffed, how it functions and is funded in order to be efficient and competitive. They have been introduced to the necessary institutional and legal framework for a maritime administration to function as a regulating and supervising authority. They have learned how a maritime administration achieves full compliance with the current EU legal framework provisions regarding Recognized Organizations, Flag State and Port State control functions.

The study tour also provided information on how the legal services of a competent maritime administration are organized in order to ensure continuous and effective monitoring, adoption and implementation of the new EU and IMO maritime regulations and instruments with their amendments. Quality standards like ISO standards were also discussed, on how they should be applied to have an impact on the maritime administration procedures and operational performance. Also, the participants have been presented with a clear view of the distinct roles and the relationship between the maritime administration and the port authorities.

„We are honoured that we’ve been able to facilitate the know-how and first-hand experience transfer to Moldovan Naval Agency’s representatives from managers and operational officers of an EU member state top-level maritime administration running an open ship registry such as Malta”, said Dimitris Kostianis, Maritime Expert and Deputy Team Leader of the technical assistance Project. 

The study tour contributes to one of the technical assistance objectives which is training of Naval Agency’s staff and transfering EU best practices in the field of ship registration and Flag and Port State control functions. 

The main goal of the 18-month EU-funded project „Support to the Reform of the Transport Sector in the Republic of Moldova” is to contribute to the transport sector reform in line with the transport chapter of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement. Technical assistance and capacity building services are provided aiming to support legal approximation and policy development for fulfilment of the commitments undertaken in the transport sector by the Republic of Moldova.