German-Cypriot ship-owning company Columbia Shipmanagement will employ at least 10 percent more Georgian sailors on their ships, the Georgian Economy Ministry announced on Tuesday.
Per the memorandum of cooperation signed between the Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia and Columbia Shipmanagement on Tuesday, the signatories agreed to cooperate in the field of education, certification and employment of seafarers, as well as to increase employment of Georgian sailors.
Tamar Ioseliani, the Head of the Georgian Maritime Transport Agency, called the meeting with the company’s management “particularly important,” saying Columbia Shipmanagement was “distinguished by its social conditions” and “decently employs our sailors.”
The cooperation between the Batumi State Maritime Academy - in Georgia’s Black Sea city - and the company will also be deepened to provide Georgian students and cadets with naval internships, Ioseliani also announced. She added 40 students had already been selected to participate in international navigation training, saying the figure would increase each year.
Andreas Hadjipetrou, the Managing Director of Columbia Shipmanagement, and other representatives of the company met Georgian sailors and informed them about the company’s future plans while focusing on Georgian seafarers’ professionalism and competence, the Economy Ministry said.
Established in 1978 in Cyprus, Columbia Shipmanagement has 14 cruising companies, manages up to 380 vessels, has 20 cruise ships and yachts and employs 15,000 people worldwide.
It has been employing Georgian sailors since 1999, with more than 1,000 Georgian seafarers working for the company as of today.