A Genuine Professional

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The seafarer's profession is one of the oldest in the world. Columbus would not have found America or Vasco De Gama, India without the seafarers' professional expertise and skills to sail even in demanding waters.

The models of ships have changed and developed over the centuries. Instead of sailing ships goods and people are now transported in iron vessels from one country or continent to another.

The significance of shipping as a form of transportation did not diminish as we entered the 21st century. During recent decades the proportion of goods transported on the seas has increased by 50 per cent when calculated on tons per miles. The share of international maritime transportation is 90 per cent of all of the world's commercial transportation.*

The professional picture of seafarers has developed along with the development of ships. Nowadays, most of the tasks carried out onboard ships demand special know-how and teamwork skills. For over 90 years the Finnish Seamen's Union has participated in the promoting of the development of employees' skills, in improving their terms and conditions of employment contracts and their standard of living.

The professional skills of Finnish seafarers are internationally recognised. The Finnish Seamen's Union’s persistent work in developing the professional picture and education of their members has not been in vain.

* The maritime transportation's labour market parties' national shipping policy working group: Maritime transportation is a growth sector. The common targets for developing shipping, which operate under a Finnish flag, 2004