Guangzhou Seafarer Competency Assessment Demonstration Center welcomes its first nationwide sea-going crew competency re-examination.

On October 19, the Guangzhou Seafarer Competency Assessment Demonstration Center hosted the first nationwide remote retest for seafarer competency assessments. Forty seafarers from ten provinces completed their exams in Nansha. Guangzhou has become the second city, after Shanghai, to join the national remote retest network, further expanding assessment and retest channels for seafarers.

The competency retest for seafarers is a frequent demand in career progression. Guangdong currently has 83,000 registered seafarers, accounting for 8.1% of the national total. Seafarers are concentrated within the province and surrounding regions. For a long time, retests were tied to the location of initial exams, and when seafarers were working onboard, retests were often delayed due to scheduling conflicts or cross-regional leave requests. Some seafarers postponed promotions due to the high costs of examinations. The Guangzhou Seafarer Competency Assessment Demonstration Center was completed and put into use in July 2026, covering 25,000 square meters with 30 standardized assessment rooms. It spans multiple specialties, including navigation, engine room, and electronic and electrical systems. Its hardware facilities and management capabilities are ready to support nationwide remote competency retests for seafarers.

The first round of exams lasted five days, with a total of 114 participants and 184 subject tests, where 35% were remote retest candidates. To ensure smooth exam operations, the Guangdong Maritime Authority thoroughly surveyed the needs of candidates and innovatively introduced "Exam Venue Open Days," allowing candidates to familiarize themselves with the equipment and procedures in advance to reduce exam anxiety. The entire examination process relied on intelligent control systems in the exam venue, featuring technologies such as facial recognition, high-definition monitoring, and signal blocking, strictly enforcing academic integrity and discipline.

According to calculations by the Guangdong Maritime Authority, the full rollout of remote retests will meet the annual retest needs of 3,000 seafarers nationwide, shortening the waiting period by 1 to 3 months. The Guangdong Maritime Bureau stated that it will continue to regularly conduct remote retest operations, constantly improving the assessment system to provide higher-quality and more efficient examination services for seafarers nationwide.