The day before, Prime Minister Vasile Tofan stated that he would like to see a hundred seagoing vessels flying the Moldovan flag. In response to this idea, Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Bolea had to admit that there are currently no such vessels.
Moldovan media are also reporting the deputy prime minister’s view that Moldova as a whole—and its maritime agency in particular—could generate very substantial revenue from shipping (especially since the country has access to the sea via the port of Giurgiulești, for which the Moldovan authorities appear to have found an effective investor and operator).
Maritime training schools could also generate revenue. This is especially true given that, according to the Deputy Prime Minister, there are many requests from Ukrainians for seafarer training services, but, unfortunately, our country currently lacks the necessary infrastructure and legislative framework.
However, some progress has been made. Yesterday, the government approved a draft law on the ratification of the Maritime Labor Convention—the primary international instrument establishing minimum standards for seafarers’ working and living conditions. The Ministry of Infrastructure believes that ratifying the convention will allow Moldova to implement an international system for certifying and inspecting working conditions on board ships and to strengthen its responsibilities as a “flag state.”
