Lyna Mohamad
Brunei Gas Carriers Sdn Bhd (BGC) and the Brunei Maritime Academy (BMA) under the Institute of Brunei Technical Education (IBTE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Maritime Talent Pipeline Achievement Ceremony yesterday.
The signing was witnessed by guest of honour Permanent Secretary (Energy) at the Ministry of Energy and Interim Managing Director of the Petroleum Authority of Brunei Darussalam Haji Azhar bin Haji Yahya at The Empire Brunei, Jerudong.
BGC Managing Director John Douglas Cook and IBTE Acting Chief Executive Officer Dr Haji Mohammad Zamri bin Haji Sabli signed the MoU.
John Douglas Cook in his welcoming remark said BGC looks forward to having the five new cadets under the MoU onboard.
The signing marks BGC embarking on a journey to support the growth of local talent in the maritime industry.
“Our main objective in signing this MoU is to help cultivate sustainable development of the maritime industry in the country and increase initiatives to boost local employment.”
He said the MoU supports the learning of future mariners by providing an avenue for experienced BGC officers to become adjunct lecturers, further fuelling the talent pipeline for potential future seafarers.
The managing director said BGC has always pushed and supported the initiative of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s government to see the development of local talent since its establishment in 1998.
“We have seen BGC achieve this feat on several occasions such as the delivery of BGC A-Class vessels Amani and Amadi in 2014 and 2015, where 98 per cent of the ships crew were Bruneian seafarers.”