NMP supports MARINA’s proposed shift in the maritime education and training

By National Maritime Polytechnic
November 27, 2021

TACLOBAN CITY – The National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP), upholding its commitment being the sole government-owned maritime training and research institution in the country supports the initiative of the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) on the proposed enhanced curriculum standardization for the maritime degree programs, and recommend to put-off the Onboard Training (OBT) after graduation.

MARINA is eyeing that the students of the Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation (BSMT) and Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering (BSMarE) will finish first the 4-year program and graduate, then begin the one-year OBT under Marina's supervision, after graduation. Upon completion of the 12 months, they will be issued their Certificate of Competency (COC) by the Maritime Administration.

NMP believes that the proposed revamp of MARINA is an effective strategy to improve the maritime education curriculum and will aid to fully equip our aspiring seafarers by providing them with sufficient knowledge and skills through updated teaching materials and supplement extensive laboratory and simulation trainings prior to their exposure to the real-world.

In one of NMP’s research study completed in 2019 on the Capacity of the Philippine Maritime Industry to Produce Officers in Charge Per STCW Requirements: Focus on the Onboard Training of Cadets, revealed the struggle of Maritime Higher Education Institutions (MHEIs) to deploy their cadets and attain the deployment rate required by regulatory bodies, due to the inadequate number of domestic ships qualified for OBT of cadets, and the limited availability of oceangoing vessels that accept cadets for OBT, among others.

The lack of training berths available for cadets eventually lead to the low turnout of maritime graduates and redound to lesser number of merchant marine officers. Considering that this is a global concern, the lack of training berths for both domestic and international fleets should be addressed not only by the MHEIs but by the maritime industry as a whole.

The Philippines, being the apex supplier of seafarers globally, needs to develop highly competent officers for both domestic and international voyages and withstand various challenges at sea.