The founders of the Stward group converge with the new generations, combining experience with a new awakening of change and action.
The Ocean Future Foundation, based in Panama, was born out of the need and the will to improve access to education, which serves as a mechanism for transforming young people and future maritime professionals.
Through the 2024-2025 master plan, it seeks to develop a culture of sustainability in the maritime industry, acting on the priority axes of the foundation, which are: solidarity and cooperation, continuing education, innovation and development, arts and culture.
This foundation, duly legalized in Panama, has established the provinces of Veraguas, Colón, Coclé and the capital as the areas of action, and already has an important history of positive interventions such as its maritime university scholarship plan with the UMIP and cohorts of entrepreneurs, which has managed to impact at least 400 people.
Although Ocean Future was born out of the initiative of an important maritime company, it wants to form alliances with others to expand the scope of its projects and achieve the vision of “promoting educational development for the maritime sector of our communities, encouraging knowledge, innovation, talent and disruption as a mechanism for transforming the country.”
Adriana Rincón, president of the foundation, accompanied by the Board of Directors, made the official presentation to the attendees, mostly businessmen and executives representing the maritime industry and the education sector, who gathered at the Ocean Future Panama luncheon-conference.
“Without a doubt we have made a contribution, but the numbers of the needs of qualified personnel presented by the sector, gather us in the urgency to expand the programs to open the space to more young people that the economic barrier does not allow them to train,” assured Rincón.
On the other hand, directors Verónica Soto, María Paula Torres, Tasoula Joannou and Robert Morillo explained the fundamental values that govern the foundation and the purpose of making it a cradle of novel ideas capable of positively transforming the maritime future.
For his part, Captain Luis Velásquez, CEO of Macosnar Corporation and also a director of Ocean Future, offered a masterclass on whether Panama is prepared for the challenges of the Maritime Sector, in fact he said that historically there have been novelties to which the Isthmus has responded better than expected, but that strengthening English among seafarers and making agreements so that they can carry out internships in companies is essential for development to continue.
As a final part of the launch, new scholarships were signed for Panamanians who have decided to enter the International Maritime University of Panama (UMIP), up to now 8 students have been favored with the full payment of their careers.
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