US Extends Visas to Ethiopian Seafarers

The United States has extended  C1/D visas to Ethiopian seafarers to two years starting from January 2015.

The initiative is aimed primarily at facilitating transit to and from the US by the crews of merchant ships.

The demand for Ethiopian seafarers has grown rapidly in recent years, according to the Ethiopian Maritime Training Institute (EMTI).

As the exclusive marine officer training academy in Ethiopia, EMTI has graduated over 800 cadets to date. The academy is a partnership between Bahir Dar University and the US-based investment firm, YCF Group.

EMTI currently graduates approximately 500 cadets per year, and plans soon to expand its training programme to include over 1,000 seafarers annually, ranging from ratings to engine and deck officers.

“The establishment of the C1/D visa scheme in Ethiopia is a great testament to the growing demand and success of Ethiopian seafarers. It reflects the US government’s understanding that Ethiopians will continue to grow as an integral element in the shipping industry. More and more Ethiopian seafarers are sailing to and from US ports, and the US government recognises that it must help trading companies with the logistical requirements of their crewing,” says Pini Shwartz, CEO of EMTI.