The Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) and Expertise France, the French international cooperation agency, are set to implement the Global Ports Safety (GPS) Project.

During the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at the academy in San Narciso, Zambales, on 17 July, the two institutions agreed to conduct two-week operational training courses on Emergency Response on Ships (Levels 1 and 2).

The agreement was signed by PMMA Superintendent Commodore Joel Y. Abutal and Expertise France Project Manager Victoria Dussardier, representing Chief Executive Officer Jérémie Pellet.

Under the MOU, PMMA will receive and maintain donated equipment, including a fire simulator container, and assign personnel to operate it. The academy will also host a virtual reality simulator system and classrooms that can accommodate up to 24 participants and establish a regional training center that will conduct at least two training sessions for participants from the Philippines and other GPS partner countries.

“This will transform PMMA, together with Expertise France, into making this area the regional center for emergency response on ships,” Abutal said.

PMMA will also provide trainers for a train-the-trainers program under the GPS Project, with support from the Bureau of Fire Protection.

For its part, Expertise France will mobilize European and regional experts, organize and fund training programs, workshops and tabletop exercises, procure and deliver equipment and simulators, and finance at least two training sessions at PMMA before the project concludes in 2028.

Dussardier said the project would strengthen the academy's role in maritime safety training.

“Together with the GPS equipment donation and support of PMMA facilities, we will build a regional training center for emergency fire on ships, with the first training open to international participants in May 2027,” she said.

Witnesses to the signing included acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Z. Lopez, Commission on Higher Education Chairperson Shirley C. Agrupis, Zambales Gov. Hermogenes E. Ebdane Jr., and Zambales 2nd District Rep. Doris E. Maniquiz.

Also present were Embassy of France in Vietnam Regional Civil Protection Adviser for Vietnam, the Philippines and Cambodia Servan Carré, French Development Agency Director Bénédicte Gazon, and European Union Delegation to the Philippines Programme Manager Francesca Ciccomartino.

The Global Ports Safety Project is co-funded by the European Union and France and implemented by Expertise France from June 1, 2024, to May 31, 2028. It aims to strengthen port safety and emergency response capacities across Asia while promoting resilient and sustainable connectivity between the European Union and Asian countries.

The project covers eight beneficiary countries: the Philippines, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. It also collaborates with partner countries including Australia, Poland, the Republic of Korea and Singapore.

The initiative focuses on two pillars: improving safety management in beneficiary ports across South and Southeast Asia and enhancing incident management capabilities in those ports.