Twenty local residents — including those from the Department of Port Administration — are currently attending the two and half week U.S. Coast Guard certified maritime training course, which is being praised by Port Administration director Taimalelagi Dr. Claire Poumele, who says the government needs certified captains for ASG vessels.

Organized by locally based Pacific Marine Services & Maritime Training, the program started Monday with an orientation session, and the company’s general manager Rep. Su’a Alexander Eli Jennings said about 50 local residents — from both the public and private sector — were in attendance.

“This huge turnout for orientation gives a clear indication for the need of such training programs for American Samoa,” Su’a told Samoa News yesterday, adding they are only able to accommodate 20 local residents at this time. Those who are attending the current training course, which started Tuesday this week, will train participants to be licensed as captains for 100 ton and 200 ton vessels. They will also receive a UPV or Uninspected Passenger Vehicle license.

A UPV license allows the licensed operator to carry up to six paying passengers, Su’a said, and pointed out that Pacific Marine Services is first targeting the government due to the urgent need to have licensed captains for ASG vessels, but the training also includes those from the private sector — mainly boat operators for Aunu’u and the Manu’a islands.

On orientation day, Taimalelagi told the gathering that American Samoa needs locally trained and educated licensed captains to operate not only the government fleet but also vessels in the private sector.

Responding to Samoa News inquiries, Taimalelagi said yesterday that Port Administration has eleven staff members attending the certification course and this “program is very important for the Port, being that we are in need of certified Captains for our tug boats and the MV Sili. We also require a certified Captain in the Harbor Master's Office.”

Port Administration currently has four captains to operate three tug boats — Sailele, Tatoso, Tautua — and the MV Sili which requires a captain with a 50 - 200 ton license, Taimalelagi said, and pointed out that this certification program was last offered in 2007.

“We have six seaman who needed to renew their licenses. Further, we have the new catamaran for Manu'a which will arrive next month and we need to recruit a licensed captain who will be located in Manu'a,” she explained. “Thus in this program we have two candidates who are employed by the Port who are from Manu'a.”

She also said that “we have four other candidates from Manu’a, and two are with Marine Patrol" in the program.

Additionally two candidates are from Aunu’u and the pair was recommended by the lawmaker for Aunu’u, Talamatai Elisara Sua. “They are high school graduates and are unemployed and therefore, this will be an opportunity for them to earn a seaman's license and find employment,” said Taimalelagi.

Taimalelagi also said that there are three alia fishermen who are enrolled in the course, which is important for the private sector.

“We have longliners, purse seiners, cargo vessels and cruise ships that enter our Port. How often do we hear of a local Captain on any of those vessels? So this training program is to develop the local capacity of seamen,” she said.

When asked about the importance of the program to the territory’s private sector, she said, “It’s also another very lucrative career for our people.”

She said Tri Marine International, which operates the Atu’u based Samoa Tuna Processors Inc., also has a fishing fleet and their boats can employ locally trained and certified American Samoa residents.

Meanwhile, Su’a said Pacific Marine Services’ next big target for training is the long line fishing industry and they are working on putting together another training program. He said this will also provide an opportunity for others in the community to take up this course and be certified.

“Our main goal right now is to get Pacific Marine Services training programs to be U.S. Coast Guard certified so that we can conduct all trainings”, because currently the company is working with Honolulu-based Maritime License Center, which is a Coast Guard certified training center, Jennings said.