The Maluku Marine and Fisheries Polytechnic (Maluku MFP), one of the universities under the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) and supervised by the Counseling and Development Agency for Maritime and Fisheries Human Resources (BPPSDM KP), once again held the Basic Safety Training (BST) for the fourth time in Maluku.

This training, which involved 63 participants from various regions in Maluku, was facilitated through a grant from GEF-6 CFI Indonesia under the program “The Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) in Eastern Indonesia (Fisheries Management Area - 715, 717 & 718) Components A, B, and D,” and was a collaboration between MMAF and WWF US as the GEF Agency.

The fourth batch of BST training was conducted from 17 to 26 of June, 2025 by Maluku MFP at the Ambon Fisheries Training and Extension Center (BP3), funded by the CFI Indonesia GEF-6 grant

The BST program was conducted by the Ambon Fisheries Training and Extension Center (BP3), an accredited training institution certified by the national certification body and recognized by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). As a result, BST certificates issued by BP3 Ambon are internationally recognized. During the training, participants took part in a series of activities covering both theoretical and practical instruction on occupational safety, conducted on land and at sea.

The BST program provides foundational understanding of occupational health and safety (OHS) principles, particularly in the context of working at sea. Training topics include occupational OHS programs, risk assessment and management, hazard mitigation, work permit supervision, safety analysis, accident investigation, confined space entry procedures, emergency response, hazard communication, and safety management systems. The training aims to raise awareness and enhance participants' competence in minimizing workplace accident risks.

In addition to theoretical briefings, participants engaged in hands-on practical sessions, including fire extinguisher use, emergency sea evacuation simulations, and life jacket drills. Participant enthusiasm was evident from the first day of training.

The fourth Basic Safety Training (BST) practical session, held from June 17 to 26, 2025, involved 64 participants who were children of fishermen from Central Maluku Regency, West Seram Regency, and Ambon City

The fourth batch involved 64 participants. All of them were children of fishers from Central Maluku District, West Seram District, and Ambon City. Most were high school students or recent graduates. They participated in the training diligently and applied the lessons well.

"I participated in this BST event and was taught many things, such as fire fighting, safety, and good communication. I don't get this kind of knowledge anywhere else and it will be useful for my future, especially when working later," said Zeth Simal, one of the participants from Nusalaut, Central Maluku.

Zeth also acknowledged that the trainees were well trained and educated, and the facilities provided were very adequate. He hopes to be able to share the knowledge gained with others.

“We are very grateful to the organizers and BP3 for providing the facilities and the program, especially to GEF-6 KKP for funding the training so we could participate for free,” said Zeth, representing the fourth batch participants.

This training is expected to be maximally utilized by job seekers, especially fishermen's children in Maluku, to improve their knowledge and skills in minimizing the potential for human error when they work on ships or when they go to sea.

The fourth BST training was mentored by the CFI Indonesia GEF-6 team during its implementation from June 17 to 26, 2025

Maluku MFP, represented by Dr. Ir. Yvonne I. Pattinaja, DEA, highlighted the tangible benefits of the training in the field. She stated that previous batches had shown positive outcomes. “From the evaluation of the first batch, 90.1% of participants secured jobs on fishing vessels after completing the training and obtaining BST certification,” she explained.

The Head of Ambon BP3, Abubakar, S.St.Pi, M.Si, added that employment opportunities in the fisheries sector are growing with the government's implementation of the Measured Fishing Program (PIT). Fishing vessels are now looking for crew members with valid safety and competency certificates. Furthermore, countries like Japan are opening up jobs in the fisheries sector, and the Government of Indonesia has signed a certification recognition agreement with Spain. With a seaman’s book and BST certificate, Indonesian workers can now legally live and work in Spain.

Dr. Adipati Rahmat Gumelar, Project Manager of CFI Indonesia, stated that this training reflects the commitment of CFI Indonesia, MMAF, and WWF US GEF Agency to empower coastal communities.

“This training is intended to act as a bridge, enabling participants to become catalysts. Not only can they work on ships, but with knowledge, experience, and income, they can return to their communities and share what they’ve experienced. This can create a multiplier effect—demonstrating that working on ships is promising, safe, and impactful for their hometowns,” he said.

It is hoped that BST training graduates will more easily obtain jobs in the maritime sector and become reliable seafarers in the future.