50 coxswains licensed to improve safety in Lake Victoria

Ships at the abandoned Kisumu Port. The Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) has licensed 50 coxswains in the last one year to help minimise accidents in Lake Victoria. (PHOTO: COLLINS ODUOR/ STANDARD)

The Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) has licensed 50 coxswains in the last one year to help minimise accidents in Lake Victoria.

The 50 coxswains, capable of handling boats and ferries of up to 24m long, are expected to increase movement across the lake as the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) moves to revive and upgrade the Kisumu Port and other smaller landing piers, which have not been in use for nearly 10 years.

They are also expected to form part of shipping crew in renewed transport across the lake to Uganda’s Port Belle and Mwanza in Tanzania.

KPA Regional Rescue Co-ordination Centre Manager David Muli – who has been examining the 50 coxswains who graduated in three different lots in September, last year, and January and April, this year – expressed confidence that they would help in improving transport of cargo and people over the inland waters, easing pressure on the roads.

“Certified coxswains can pilot small motorised boats and ferries with cargo or passengers. Over Lake Victoria, for instance, they can competently ply East African cross-border routes,” he said.

The lake has been experiencing an upsurge of accidents in which many people have lost their lives due to what experts  attribute to lack of training for coxswains and unseaworthy vessels.

 STRATEGIC PLANS

The college for coxswains, situated at the Korando peninsular, some 15km from Kisumu town, is one of the institutions that KMA is banking on to create a pool of manpower to raise interest in maritime jobs.

It was founded by Vitalis Leo – who was for 11 years the chief engineer of the grounded MV Uhuru – in April 2014.

The KMA is also seeking to partner with colleges and universities to improve maritime training as part of strategic plans by the East African countries to increase trade.

The Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, one such institution, has graduated the first batch of five marine engineers ever produced since independence, marking a turning point for the industry. The five, including a woman, are currently in Korea for practical courses.

Mr Muli said the development of such maritime schools would help to create a pool of marine professionals “with competent abilities to ply global waters, thus improving the shipping industry.”

Mr Leo said the move by KPA to take over the port would restore investors’ confidence to bring in large vessels.

The college, he said, has introduced advanced courses to train maritime engineers and ship pilots and crew ahead of the planned lake port revival.