UAE national takes full
command of LNG ship

The shipping arm of ADNOC and its Group of Companies, ADNATCO and NGSCO announced that one of its UAE national cadets has progressed to the rank of a Captain in its LNG fleet.

Captain Saif Al Muhairi, the second UAE national to advance through the company’s successful Cadetship Programme to become a Master Mariner, took full command of the LNG vessel Mubaraz as she sailed from Das Island to Higashi Terminal, Tokyo, according to the company’s Press release.
Congratulating Captain Al Muhairi on his achievement, Ali Obaid Al Yabhouni, General Manager of ADNATCO and NGSCO, expressed his hope that such a significant achievement would motivate the company’s UAE national cadets to strive to become captains and chief engineers onboard the company’s vessels.
“This is another manifestation of the success of the pioneering Cadetship Programme in ADNATCO and NGSCO, which has produced more than 250 UAE nationals since its inception in 1994 with the support of ADNOC and its Group of Companies.
“The Cadetship Programme is also part of the company’s contribution to the employment and development of UAE nationals who already constitute more than 50 per cent of the company’s onshore staff and 40 per cent of the offshore LNG officers while the number of those onboard other ships is increasing significantly in line with company’s expanding fleet and growing status as one of the leading shipping companies in the region.
“With the company’s fleet growing to a total of 30 ships by the end of the year, ADNATCO and NGSCO will require more deck and engineer officers. By sending our cadets on a scholarship to some of the best maritime academies in Australia, Ireland and the UK, we are confident that UAE nationals will steadily and gradually become in charge of most of our fleet.
“It also makes us feel proud that through its Cadetship Programme, ADNATCO and NGSCO plays a great role in the country’s maritime industry as some of our ex-cadets who qualified as deck officers and marine engineers are currently working at different maritime sectors in the UAE,” Al Yabhouni said.
Captain Al Muhairi, who joined ADNATCO and NGSCO as sponsored cadet in 1997, completed his training at the Australian Maritime College (AMC) in 2002 as a qualified officer of watch. He later served as third and subsequently second officer onboard NGSCO ships from 2002 until 2008. He was promoted to chief officer in 2008 and eventually qualified as master mariner in 2010.
2010 saw an increase in the number applicants due to the growing awareness among the youth of the program’s career and educational benefits. There are currently 120 cadets and around 80 Officers who sail onboard the company’s vessels. Most of the officers are working their way up the ranks although a few of them have qualified at senior ranks.
Source: Khaleej Times