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Mr John Haakestad (left), trainer, Ghana Marine Training Centre, interacting with Mr Nuertey Adzeman (2nd left), Local Content Committee Member, Mr Seth Nii Dowuona Owoo (back), Managing Director of Swire Adonai Services Limited, and Mr Egbert Faibille (right). Picture: Maxwell Ocloo
The centre is a joint venture between Swire Pacific Offshore and Adonai Shipping, international service providers for the offshore oil and gas industry.
The facility seeks to provide a comprehensive marine training programme for professionals in the sector, using modern facilities.
The facilities have the ability to fully simulate the working range of classes and types of offshore support vessels in a safe and well-managed setting.
Safety management, anchor handling (from basic level through to teaching the advanced skills required for working in deeper water), dynamic positioning (both operations and system maintenance), electrical and control systems engineering and engine room operations are some of the programmes that would be taught at the centre.
Supporting manpower development
At a ceremony to open the facility yesterday, the Director of Swire Adonai Service Limited, Mr Ryan Smith, said the centre had the vision of becoming a local education facility for Ghanaian seafarers, providing dynamic positioning, safety and other training courses.
The initiative, he said, was informed by the concept of the development of local content and human capacity.
He commended the government for the measures put in place to shape a sustainable industry since the discovery of oil 10 years ago.
Training is critical
In his address, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Petroleum Commission, Mr Egbert Faibille Jr, said training in oil and gas was a critical pathway which could not be overemphasised.
It was for that reason, he said, that the government launched the accelerated oil and gas capacity-building programme with the objective to develop a competent local human resource to participate in the industry.
Mr Faibille indicated that through bilateral arrangements with international organisations such as the World Bank, the government had established a number of training centres in technical schools and universities to train students and professionals.
“The local content regulations also emphasise on skills and technological transfer to Ghanaians, therefore, it is commendable that the Marine Training Centre is opening to support manpower development for the industry,” he added.
He urged the management of the centre to collaborate effectively with industry to ensure that the training programmes were aligned with the needs of industry, as well as conduct continuous auditing of its programmes to meet the changing times.
