MoUs without jobs? Kenya's seafarer strategy under scrutiny

Despite a recent announcement by the Kenya  Maritime Authority (KMA) of Kenya signing a series of Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with several countries, aimed at expanding employment opportunities for Kenyan seafarers, the industry players say there is little cause for celebration just yet.

While Kenya has made commendable steps in positioning itself within the global maritime sector, significant gaps remain that must be addressed to fully realise its potential.

KMA Director General, Omae Nyarandi, recently confirmed that Kenya had successfully concluded new Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) with major maritime administrations, including Panama, Palau, Liberia, Jamaica, Saudi Arabia, the Commonwealth of Dominica, and most recently, Singapore.

According to him, about 5,000 Kenyan seafarers are currently employed on ocean-going vessels, including cruise ships. However, he noted that the country has the capacity to grow this number to as many as 50,000, enabling it to compete more effectively with leading maritime labour suppliers such as the Philippines.

While Kenya delays in implementing the MoUs, other African nations appear to be further ahead in leveraging maritime opportunities. Ghana, South Africa and even landlocked Ethiopia, which operates its own shipping line, have stood out as leading examples in the continent.

Through KMA, the Kenyan government has been actively pursuing bilateral MOUs with various countries to ensure mutual recognition of seafarers’ certification. One such agreement with Panama dates back to November 27, 2017, marking an early step in these ongoing efforts.

Another agreement between Kenya and Jamaica was concluded in 2020, followed a year later by a similar pact with Liberia. In 2021, Kenya also sealed a notable deal with the Republic of Palau.

These agreements, anchored in the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), form the backbone of global maritime labour mobility. They enable Kenyan officers holding locally issued Certificates of Competency to serve on vessels registered under foreign flags and vice versa, without having to repeat the entire certification process.

Independent maritime consultant Andrew Mwangura emphasises that these are not mere administrative exercises but pathways to real economic opportunity for thousands of young Kenyans.

‘’This is not merely a bureaucratic formality; it is about creating tangible economic opportunities for thousands of Kenyan youths,’’ Mwangura said.

He notes that Kenya’s presence on the prestigious International Maritime Organisation’s White List affirms that its training and certification standards meet the strictest international requirements, theoretically opening doors across the world.

However, the practical reality is that clear, reciprocal bilateral agreements that truly facilitate access to jobs in the global shipping industry.

Kenya has so far signed such agreements with a number of countries. A key milestone was the 2020 deal with Jamaica, followed by a 2024 agreement with the Republic of Korea that also created opportunities for capacity building and joint research. Most recently, in late 2025, Kenya entered into an MoU with Saudi Arabia at the IMO headquarters in London, a move expected to expand employment prospects for Kenyan seafarers on Saudi-flagged ships.

Yet despite this diplomatic momentum, critical questions remain about the actual benefits of some of these agreements. What tangible gains accrue to Kenyan seafarers from arrangements with countries that control relatively small shipping registries? For instance, Jamaica and Palau each account for only a modest share of global tonnage, while the Commonwealth of Dominica, despite having over 8,000 vessels on its register, offers limited practical opportunities for Kenyan seafarers.

Such agreements, while useful on paper, may not significantly translate into jobs on ocean-going vessels, where demand is highest.

Mwangura argues that Kenya’s approach needs to be both ambitious and strategic. The country, he says, should aim to secure at least 36 agreements with major maritime nations and flag states to ensure broad and reliable access to the global labor market.

‘’While some flag states may unilaterally recognise Kenyan certificates due to our White List status, formal agreements remove ambiguity and create a more reliable pathway for employers to hire Kenyan talent. This is where the disconnect between policy and practice becomes painfully evident,’’ he pointed out.

He argues that the most glaring consequence of this sluggish and misdirected approach is the missed opportunity for the young cadets.

‘’Reputable international shipping companies like Anglo-Eastern, ING Shipping, and BWEK Epic Kosan routinely offer coveted cadet training berths and employment on ocean-going merchant vessels,’’ he said.

Many of these opportunities are tied to specific flag states, such as the Marshall Islands, a nation with one of the largest and most influential ship registries in the world. Without formal recognition agreements with such influential flags, Kenyan cadets are effectively sidelined, losing out to peers from countries that have taken a more focused and proactive approach. The berths go to cadets from nations that have been more proactive and strategic in their maritime diplomacy.

Mwangura says this challenge goes beyond individual job losses as it raises broader concerns about the viability of Kenya’s maritime ambitions. The country frequently speaks of harnessing the Blue Economy and becoming a regional maritime hub, yet progress is undermined by the lack of a globally competitive and mobile workforce.

‘’We speak eloquently of the Blue Economy and our desire to become a regional maritime hub, yet we backpedal on the fundamental enabler of that dream: A world-class, globally mobile workforce,’’ the maritime official added.

He states that the lack of sustained political goodwill to prioritise and finalize agreements with the right partners sends a damaging signal to international employers and, more importantly, to Kenyan youth who have invested years in maritime training, only to find the gangway to global employment blocked.

KMA, Mwangura said, has both the mandate and technical capacity to drive this agenda. The existing legal framework outlined in the Merchant Shipping (Training and Certification) Regulations already supports the recognition of foreign certificates and the negotiation of agreements. What has been lacking, however, is sustained political commitment to prioritise maritime labour export as a key economic strategy.

‘’What has been missing is the high-level, consistent push to make maritime labour export a national priority. It requires treating these MOUs not as diplomatic photo opportunities to be collected indiscriminately, but as critical economic instruments that must be pursued with strategic intent targeting the flag states that actually control global shipping,’’ Mwangura stresses.

Kenyan seafarers, he adds, are well-trained, certified and eager to prove themselves on the global stage and they only need stronger institutional backing from the relevant government agencies.

Mwangura notes that the State needs to set a clear target, mobilise the necessary resources, and aggressively pursue outstanding agreements with major maritime nations that matter.

‘’For every month we delay, another training berth is filled by a cadet from a competing nation, and another Kenyan dream drifts further out to sea. The course is clear: It is time to set sail with purpose, toward waters that actually lead somewhere,’’ he said in conclusion.