MANILA, Philippines - MFI Foundation, Inc. and the Philippine Standard Ship Management, Inc. (PSSI) have signed an agreement for a new welding program that the MFI Technological Institute (MFI-TI) will offer to PSSI’s marine personnel. PSSI, in behalf of its principal Shinwa Marine Corp., has tapped the MFI-TI to conduct a customized program that will prepare both beginners and experienced PSSI welders to meet the safety standards of the Nippon Kaiji Kyokai or ClassNK, a Japan-based ship classification society. The Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) training program will begin this February. Last year, PSSI also tapped MFI to develop a technical upgrading program for its maritime cadets who were recent graduates of Marine Engineering and Marine Transport programs in the country.