Certified Samoan sailors now have another job opening in New Zealand after two years of recruitment challenges brought on by the COVID-19 global pandemic. 

This follows an announcement by Samoa Shipping Services (SSS) which has invited interested sailors to apply for 15 new jobs offered by New Zealand State-owned company KiwiRail Holdings Ltd. These employment opportunities are for able bodied sailors to work on inter-island ferry services in New Zealand.

Speaking in Parliament last month, the Minister of Works Transport and Infrastructure, Olo Fiti Va'ai said sailors contribute a lot to Samoa's economy as they work abroad and send money back home to their families.

Discussions between SSS and the NZ State-owned firm on employment opportunities for local certified sailors have been ongoing, added the Minister. 

Olo said they had put in a request to KiwiRail Holdings seeking employment opportunities for Samoan sailors to work on its inter-island ferry services in New Zealand. 

This according to the Minister is because more students have graduated from the National University of Samoa's Maritime Training School and are struggling to get job opportunities abroad on cruise ships.

He said that they asked the company for 30 jobs for Samoan sailors, with the request coming on the back of a speech in Parliament last month, when he revealed that a total of 284 Samoan sailors were working for various vessels in different parts of the world. 

This does not include another 51 sailors who are currently working on international cruise ships. 

Olo said that a total of 31 sailors were scheduled to leave the country to work abroad on different cruise ships they have been assigned to.

KiwiRail Holdings Limited is a New Zealand state-owned enterprise responsible for rail operations in New Zealand and also operates inter-island ferries.

The Samoa Shipping Maritime Academy merged with the NUS School of Maritime Training in 2020 following a Cabinet decision in September 2019.