OREANDA-NEWS. To promote education and development of the seafaring sector in Latvia, JSC Latvian Shipping Company (LSC) in cooperation with the V?tols Fund announces application for the company’s newly established scholarship for the future seafarers. Scholarship can be applied for by students of Latvian higher educational institutions with good and excellent study results who have undergone marine internship on a ship which is under technical management of the LSC subsidiary LSC Shipmanagement Ltd. The total scholarship fund of Latvian Shipping Company is 18’000 euro.

“Currently 20 modern tankers are under our supervision. Internationally our ship crew is evaluated as professional and experienced. For that reason it is important for us that already prepared and experienced new professionals enter the labour market. Up to now we have been actively involved in the studying process, by providing internship for the seafarers-to-be. However, to achieve growth of the most talented students and that after the graduation from the university the best students choose to work in our company, this year JSC Latvian Shipping Company has started long-term cooperation with the Maritime Academy of Latvia and next year will expand the range of higher educational institutions, by offering scholarship for last year students,” says Robert Kirkup, the Chairman of the Management Board of JSC Latvian Shipping Company, emphasising that it is essential for young people to develop a full understanding of the work on ships already during studies.

To participate in the scholarship contest of JSC Latvian Shipping Company, applicants have to submit a filled-in scholarship candidate evaluation form, academic records with calculated average grade, curriculum vitae and a cover letter in English language. The evaluation form is available on the company’s website section LSC Scholarship.

Pro-rector of the Maritime Academy of Latvia Andrejs Zvaigzne emphasizes that he highly evaluates cooperation with JSC Latvian Shipping Company to date and believes that the scholarship initiative to give extra support for the best seafaring students will motivate them to achieve higher study results. “Support of companies in the sector shows the students that after graduation they have workplaces here in Latvia where they can use their knowledge obtained during studies, thereby strengthening our country and its wellbeing and national economy.”

In the next academic year JSC Latvian Shipping Company will grant a special company scholarship, which can be applied for by students acquiring ship navigator’s, mechanic’s or electric engineer’s accredited academic program, with obtained marine experience of at least 4 months. It is planned that each year the JSC Latvian Shipping Company’s scholarship will be granted to four students. It will be paid a monthly payment of 300 euro for a period up to fifteen months.

JSC Latvian Shipping Company (NASDAQ OMX RIGA: LSC1R) is among the biggest vessel owners in the segment of medium and handy size tankers and takes leading positions in terms of the transported amount of petroleum products among similar companies in Northern Europe. The company owns and operates 16 modern vessels, employing more than 500 professional and high-skilled seamen from Latvia and, technically manages additional 4 vessels, bringing the total managed fleet to 20. The average age of the LK fleet is 7 years. All of the vessels have received ISM (International Safety Management) certificates.