THE Philippines and Belgium, with diplomatic ties spanning 80 years, have strengthened their maritime alliance on digital transformation, green shipping and seafarer development.
Officials from the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), led by Administrator Sonia Malaluan, met with a Belgian delegation to strengthen bilateral maritime cooperation. High-level discussions centered on digital infrastructure, green shipping, seafarer training, and industry investments.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Prévot led the visiting dignitaries alongside Ambassador Vladislava Iordanova. History marks this as the first visit by a Belgian foreign minister to the Philippines since 1993. Executives from Philippine Transmarine Carriers (PTC) and PHILCAMSAT also attended to review shared industry initiatives.
Delegates toured the International Food Services (IFS) Maritime Catering Training Centre in Parañaque during the state visit. The facility showcases Belgium’s active investment in upgrading the skills and global competitiveness of Filipino seafarers.
Marina presented its flagship digital platforms, MISMO and Marina-BEST, which automate regulatory operations. Representatives from both nations then discussed aligning workforce capabilities with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2023 Greenhouse Gas Strategy, focusing on alternative fuel training.
Malaluan invited Belgium to invest in the Philippines’ shipbuilding, ship repair, and ship recycling sectors. Partnerships in these areas will leverage Belgium’s technical expertise in sustainable industrial practices to modernize local infrastructure.
Project leader Andreas Nordseth concluded the meeting with a review of the EU-Asean Sustainable Connectivity Package (SCOPE) for Seafarers. The initiative supports the Philippines in implementing the STCW and Maritime Labour Conventions to secure a compliant seafaring workforce.
