Our Blog
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🌐 Seafarer’s Top Roaming SIM Cards for Internet, Calls & Texts
Connectivity is essential for seafarers today. Staying in touch with family, friends, and colleagues while on long voyages is now easier thanks to roaming SIM cards and WiFi solutions. However, not all ships have reliable internet, and some require costly data usage, limiting communication. Even when WiFi is available on board, seafarers may face: For…
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How to Join the NSA Cadet Scholarship Program
One of the most prestigious maritime scholarships in the Philippines or even abroad is the Norwegian Shipowners Association (NSA) Philippines Cadet Program famously known as the NSA Scholarship. If you want to pursue a career at sea, applying for a scholarship is your best course of action. But before that, you must also meditate deep…
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Search and Rescue Career: A Pathway to Seafaring
For many seafarers, the only way to work on ships and the high seas is to apply for a position in merchant vessels. Unfortunately, most graduates of any maritime course end up confused, helpless, hopeless, and unemployed at the start of their life after school. Everybody knows that this industry is tough for those fresh…
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Basic Training For Seafarers: Updating, Refresher, & Full Course
The Manila 2010 amendments of the STCW Convention came into force on January 1, 2012. However, there is a five-year transitional period wherein the provisions of this new amendment are implemented. After January 2017, all seafarers must meet the 2010 STCW standards. Basic training is one of the foundational, mandatory training courses for seafarers of…
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Schengen Visa Application Guide for Filipino Seafarers
Fortunately, it’s not so hard for seafarers to apply for a Schengen Visa. Most of the paperwork will be handled by your manning agency. There are some forms that need to be completed which are all found in the office. The only challenging part is to wake up early for your appearance in VFS Global…
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🚁 Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX): What Really Happens at Sea?
Among the many unforgettable experiences in a seafarer’s life, participating in a Search and Rescue (SAR) exercise stands out. Unlike port calls or crossing major canals, SAREX drills are rare opportunities that place your ship at the heart of simulated rescue operations where SAR helicopters hover, officers rappel down, and emergency coordination is tested in…
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NBI Clearance Renewal Online Appointment 2024
The NBI Clearance renewal process is one of the fastest services that the Philippine Government has done. With the help of online appointments, you can save a huge amount of time and hassle unlike before when you had to wake up very early in the morning to get an application form. Today, you only need…
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🛳️🇬🇧 A Seaman’s Shore Leave Guide to London
Sailing into the United Kingdom offers one of the most rewarding shore leave experiences a seafarer can have and London is the crown jewel. The city blends centuries-old landmarks with modern marvels, making every visit an adventure. Whether it’s your first trip or your third, walking along the River Thames, standing before Big Ben, or…
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POEA e-Registration Problems, Errors, and How to Fix Them
Since the launching of POEA’s e-Registration campaign, many OFWs and seafarers have found themselves online creating their e-Reg Profile. This was stressed more clearly when a couple of years ago, manning agencies both land-based and shore-based, were required to provide an e-registration Number. I made a step by step clear-cut tutorials with images on creating…
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Day of the Seafarer – A Tribute to All Seafarers Worldwide
Today is the Day of the Seafarer. It’s the day for all Seamen, Seafarers, Mariners, Sailors, Navigators, and Sea Dogs. We are called with different names by different people. We travel and move the world to go forward. There are no such things as too dangerous, too risky, too much, too hot, or too cold for…