Leading provider of crew changes BCS Group – Boers Crew Services has expanded its operations to Manila as part of its vision to ensure maritime professionals are provided with a seamless journey to and from the vessel.

Dutch crew specialists Boers already has offices in The Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany, and on Friday, November 15, will be officially opening its new office – Visa Expert Center Manila, following the Crew Connect Global conference.

Its global presence in Europe and now the Philippines confirms its position as a leading crew change provider, enabling the company to offer the full spectrum of crew change services and facilitate a smooth and reliable journey for maritime professionals from the moment they leave home. The new office will deals with transport, assisting with documentation, processing visas, and ticketing.

Headed up by the general management formed by Jelle Kranendonk and Chito Majabague, the Manila office provides a base for the team to process visa applications and ensure there are no unnecessary delays to crew changes. Its position in the local area will enable staff to face any challenges that may arise with a physical presence, ensuring the process is as smooth as possible.

Mr Kranendonk said, “We are very happy to open our new office in Manila. This new office will complete our plan to become a one-stop shop for all crew change needs. Applying for visa can be quite a complex process, so having a physical presence and local staff members will ensure we deliver operational excellence and efficiency for Filipino seafarers, who make up a large proportion of our clients’ seafarers.

“We are looking forward to working with manning agencies in Manila and helping Filipino maritime professionals through the visa application process. We will face any challenges that arise through our excellent communication strategies already in place in our other offices. Having a presence in Manila will bring together and streamline our services and ensure the seamless journey of the maritime professional.”

Boers value the health and well-being of seafarers and believe this should begin before they step foot on the vessel, through preparation and the journey to and from the vessel.

“Filipino seafarers often face difficulties when applying for visas and they have to deal with spending their precious shore time queuing for long periods of time in hot temperatures to deal with the applications. Filipino people are very hardworking and loyal, family people, so we want to ensure the process of applying for visas is as stress-free as possible for them,” Mr Krandendonk added.

“The welfare of seafarers is very important to us, and that care should begin even before they step foot on the ship. So, we are looking forward to being based here and being able to offer seafarers that extra level of support so they don’t have to deal with any problems they may encounter on their own,” he said.