Seafarers must switch from PS to PV when traveling abroad

The Directorate of Water Transport, Seafarer Branch, has announced that new male and female seafarers must switch to and carry a PV (Passport) type when traveling abroad, instead of the PS (Seafarer Myanmar Passport) type. It is said that permission for new male and female seafarers to travel abroad with a Seafarer Myanmar Passport (PS) will no longer be granted from September 15th. However, the Seafarer Branch has notified that if they wish to travel, they can do so by switching to and carrying a PV type from the Passport Issuing Committee of Myanmar. Cases have arisen where seafarers have been sent to workplaces in some Gulf countries instead of serving on ships, due to illegal dispatch by companies without SRPS licenses, intermediaries, and brokers who have not directly contracted with foreign companies. Furthermore, it is known that cases of arrest and detention abroad have occurred due to being collected and dispatched to fishing vessels for which permission has not been granted, not receiving the wages they are entitled to, losing wages, and serving on vessels carrying illegal smuggled goods. It is reported that issues such as not receiving compensation for injury and life insurance due to serving on vessels without guarantees, inability to effectively provide seafarer benefits, and not gaining sea service experience due to the vessel departed and the vessel served on being different, as well as not being eligible for training, are occurring. In addition, it is known that cases of fraudulent filling of positions in SRPS (CDC), fraudulent acquisition of sea service experience, and dispatch to vessels without completing the prescribed training for the respective rank are also occurring.