Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Hassan Joho has assured Parliament that the government is making progress in issuing the Seafarers Identification Document (SID) to qualified Kenyan seafarers.
Appearing before the National Assembly’s Diaspora Affairs and Migrant Workers Committee, chaired by Taita Taveta MP Lydia Haika, Joho said the move follows a directive issued by President William Ruto on August 12, 2024, to fast-track the process. The SID will enable Kenyan seafarers to access more job opportunities abroad by providing internationally recognised travel documents.
The CS said a technical multi-agency committee—comprising the Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA), the National Registration Bureau (NRB) and Immigration Services—has developed and tested the SID issuance system up to the integration stage.
“A specimen SID has been developed and submitted to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Geneva for review and approval to ensure compliance with ILO and International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards prior to initiating mass production,” said Joho.
On broader maritime policy, MPs questioned why Kenya has not yet adopted an open ship registry to attract more business. Joho said a draft National Maritime Transport Policy is awaiting Cabinet approval and will guide Kenya’s strategy to become a competitive ship registry and maritime hub. The KMA will also carry out a cost-benefit analysis on adopting an open registry model.
He also told the committee that acquiring a national training ship remains on hold due to high procurement and maintenance costs.
Haika praised the ministry’s quick response to concerns raised and said the committee will summon the CS again in November for a follow-up. She stressed the urgency of completing the SID process to help Kenyan seafarers compete for global opportunities.
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