Crewing Excellence Powers Sea Power to Continuous Business Growth

Tinig ng Marino, September - October, 2010

Dynamism, innovativeness and excellence, those are the ingredients that Sea Power Shipping Enterprises, Inc. (SPSEI) consistently equipped itself as the company constantly posted growth year after year.

On August 25, 2010, just months before the company offi cially marked its 23rd year in the business, Sea Power's steady growth as a manning organization was highlighted yet again when the company officially inaugurated its new offices at the 2nd and 4th fl oor of Sun Plaza Building at Shaw Boulevard corner Princeton Street, Mandaluyong City.

Over the years, Sea Power has become a byword and a preferred employer among a good number of Filipino seafarers in the local maritime industry. This is very evident in the fact that the company has been a recipient of several prestigious awards from the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) beginning with three
consecutive Top Performer Awards given in 1997, 1998 and 2000, and subsequently two Awards of Excellence; the first one in 2005 and the second, given just last April 29, 2010.

Sea Power has likewise been given by the POEA a Special Commendation for its exemplary welfare program and allied services for the interest, well-being and welfare of overseas Filipino workers.

SPSEI also has several elements of history in its collection of awards and accomplishments with a couple of 'firsts.' It is the first company to sponsor seminarworkshops held at the POEA auditorium on topics that include AIDS Awareness Symposium, Family Values and Moral Issues, and Drug and Alcohol Seminar.

It is also the first local manning agency to have sponsored a Medical Dissemination Seminar-Workshop on TMJ held at the POEA auditorium on November 19, 2004. For its commitment to socio-civic undertakings, Sea Power has also been a consistent Gawad Kalinga Awardee for two years from 2006 to 2007 given by Unlad Pilipinas.

From its humble beginnings in the early part of 1988 manning 20 vessels, Sea Power has eventually metamorphosed into a formidable and reputable manning company and now providing the crewing requirements of 224 vessels as of August 2010.

Ms. Antoniette Isabel A. Guerrero, President of SPSEI, attributes the consistent growth of the company to the highly efficient and experienced management team and staff that have been delivering excellent and very satisfactory crewing services to its Filipino seafarers and foreign principals.

"Apart from our personalized approach in dealing with our Filipino seafarers and shipownerprincipals, we also abide by a strict quality management system which was certified by the Anglo-Japanese-American (AJA) Registrars to ISO standards as early as 1996 with the ISO 9002 certifi cation; got re-certified on December 8, 2007; and subsequently upgraded to ISO 9001:2008 standards exactly two years thereafter or on December 8, 2009," she pointed out.

In addition, the company has obtained an ISO-QAR certification also from AJA as early as December 16, 1996 for its Zero Non- Conformance right on its very fi rst party audit.

"In our unrelenting quest to stay totally committed in achieving the highest standards in marine personnel recruitment and training throughout the global shipping industry, we have likewise infused significant improvements and innovations in our operations by investing on automated systems to further streamline our operations," Ms. Guerrero proudly stated

SPSEI now has a computerized Shipping Agency System which has automated all the shipping and personal data of all its seaborne manpower; a Shipping Accounting System (SAS) that already computerized the company's accounting processes; and the Crew Management System which has automated Sea Power's crew line-up processes.

With its move to a new and bigger office, Sea Power has gained enough leg room for its constantly burgeoning operations. Ms. Guerrero said that the Operations and Administration Departments shall occupy the 2nd floor while the 4th floor shall be for the Accounting and Training Departments.

Amid the constant and consistent growth of the company highlighted no less by its sterling accomplishments and achievements in the local maritime industry, Ms. Guerrero and the management and staff of Sea Power remains humble, preferring to maintain their low-profile and low-key yet highly effective and professional approach to crew management.

"We are already very happy knowing that we have made our significant contributions in making the lives of a good number of Filipino seafarers and their families a lot better as well elated over the fact that our foreign principals are very much satisfi ed with the competent Filipino crew and efficient services we are providing them," stressed Ms. Guerrero.

"We are likewise proud knowing that the numerous achievements and accomplishments we have gained over the years as we go about our untiring efforts toward crewing excellence, has also significantly contributed to Philippine socio-economic growth," the SPSEI added.

The unwavering desire to excel in crewing has powered Sea Power indeed to greater and newfound heights in the local seafaring industry – a classic example of consistency that is truly worth emulating.