(28 October 2025, Singapore)
Ladies and gentlemen, it is a privilege to welcome you on behalf of the Shipping Administration.
The Ukrainian Maritime Event, held and effectively organised in Singapore, is a confirmation that the global maritime community recognises the high professionalism of seafarers from Ukraine.
Today, such recognition is more valuable than ever. A Ukrainian seafarer employed contributes not only to the sustainable development of global seaborne trade and safety of navigation. A Ukrainian seafarer employed provides crucial support for resilience of the Ukrainian economy amid the struggle against the russian aggressor.
Foreign-flagged ships, their crews, and Ukrainian port workers – the russian federation considers all these a “legitimate” target for naval mines, missiles, and drones.
russian terrorist strikes concentrate on the Special Maritime Corridor, through which Ukraine – for two years already – independently exports agricultural products to fifty-five countries worldwide, thus supporting the global food security.
Instead of words, I would be grateful for watching this video and for the emotions you might share with us.
The system for training of Ukrainian seafarers has also suffered. A number of educational and training institutions – in the Crimea and devastated Mariupol – were seized by the occupation authorities. They attempt to illegally issue seafarers’ qualification documents, identity documents, and records of service in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories. It is yet another demonstration of blatant disregard for rules of international law.
russia destroyed with artillery fire a magnificent building of the Kherson State Maritime Academy – the university was forced to relocate to Odesa, reducing the number of training programs to a minimum.
In these wartime conditions we, at the Shipping Administration, understand how important it is to maintain institutional capacity. At the end of last year, the Maritime Safety Committee of the International Maritime Organization reiterated that the Ukrainian procedures for certification and training of seafarers fully comply with the STCW Convention requirements. Furthermore, areas of our activity related to seafarers’ education and their documents were certified properly within an independent audit of the Quality Management System.
We are determined to maintain this high standard. We will continue to rapidly process tens of thousands of applications annually, conduct computer-based examinations to verify qualifications, in Ukraine and abroad, as well as develop digital services, such as online document verification. We closely monitor the comprehensive review of the STCW Convention within IMO and implement amendments. For instance, training programmes with competence on preventing harassment, in accordance with resolution MSC.560(108), have already been approved for Ukrainian training institutions. Work is underway to integrate the International Labour Organization instruments into the legislation of Ukraine.
Furthermore, the Shipping Administration pays special attention to the welfare of Ukrainian seafarers during our international contacts. We strengthen bilateral ties as regards the Memoranda of Understanding on the mutual recognition of diplomas and certificates, in order to expand the employment opportunities. We adopt best practices for implementation of the STCW and STCW-F Conventions within the framework of long-term technical assistance projects, arranged together with the European Maritime Safety Agency and the Italian Coast Guard.
We believe that such cooperation of responsible maritime nations under international law can bring the russian aggressor to a just peace. The whole world sees the importance and effectiveness of countering the “shadow fleet”. Among its elements are russian masters of “dark” ships – malicious and self-confident abusers of universally recognized maritime safety standards. We urge shipowners and flag administrations to reject the recruitment of seafarers who are nationals of russia – inter alia, to cut off a latent channel of foreign currency inflows financing the aggression.
Choose Ukrainian professionals instead! Choose a sustainable and safe future for global merchant shipping! Слава Україні!