Maersk, a global integrator of container logistics, has laid the foundation stone of its planned ‘A.P. Moller – Maersk Center of Excellence’ facility at Thenpattinam (Tamil Nadu), to support skill development and training needs for Maersk cadets across job functions (deck, electrical and engine).
Maersk signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Academy of Maritime Education and Training (AMET) University to jointly operate this facility with an aim to maintain steady channel of Indian seafarers for its operations.
The A. P. Moller – Maersk Center of Excellence will be spread over 8 acres of land (32,375 sq. mt.) and will be a part of a larger 12 acre (48,500 sq. mt.) maritime campus set up by AMET. The center will be equipped with world class facilities’ like smart classrooms, workshops, and will house approximately 160 deck & engine cadets for Bachelor’s program in Nautical Science & Marine Engineering. Additionally, electrical cadets will be taken in as per requirement on yearly basis.
“Currently, Maersk does not have any exclusive training facility in India for its cadets. We are relying on multiple colleges for training them. The A. P. Moller – Maersk Center of Excellence will help us focus our skill development efforts on a single location, especially in a country like India from where we have the highest recruitment of cadets in the world. We hope to inspire our cadets to explore horizons beyond their own by synergizing AMET’s 25+ years’ experience in maritime education and our vision to train our cadets in a world class training facility building enhanced collaboration between company and Academia.” Said Niels Bruus, Head of Marine Human Resources at Maersk.
Dr. J. Ramachandran, Chancellor of the AMET University said “We have worked closely and cohesively with the global shipping industry and especially Maersk aligning its objectives regularly to suit the demands of the evolving maritime industry in India for almost two decades now. Forged with a mission to be the fountainhead for nurturing finest intellectual capital base for the worldwide maritime sector, education at AMET caters to the comprehensive development of all its students so as to make them better educated, more articulate and demanding. We are glad to be partnering with Maersk to set up the center of excellence with which we will raise the bar in maritime education.”
Maersk and AMET are aiming to bring opportunities for aspiring seafarers to be trained in world class facilities enabled by modern teaching aids, well equipped workshops for practical training, marine workshop for hands-on training on marine auxiliaries, ship-in-campus and other such facilities backed by an overall conducive learning environment at this center.
“We want to add more value to the training standards during school phase of our cadets. There is a gap between theoretical syllabus and important competency needs on our modern container vessels. This is the gap that we are looking forward to plugging at our center” Niels Bruus added.