20 African Countries Make Historic Move to Build Regional Maritime University.
More than 20 countries from Eastern, Southern and Northern Africa have endorsed plans to establish a regional maritime university aimed at strengthening maritime education, harmonising training standards and developing a centre of excellence for the continent’s shipping industry.
The proposed institution, which is currently undergoing validation following completion of a feasibility study, is expected to address longstanding challenges associated with fragmented investment in maritime education across the region.
The recommendations from the feasibility study will be presented to the Assembly of Ministers for consideration and adoption before the implementation phase begins.
The initiative is being spearheaded by the Maritime Organisation for Eastern, Southern and Northern Africa (MOESNA), which has identified the establishment of a regional maritime institution as a strategic intervention to consolidate resources, expertise and maritime training systems among member states.
MOESNA Secretary General Kassim Mpaata said the proposed university would provide a common platform for regional states to develop internationally competitive maritime professionals.
“This initiative is coming to consolidate our efforts in Eastern and Southern Africa so that we can produce a centre of excellence,” Mpaata said.
He added that the institution would enable regional countries to establish a shared maritime education facility capable of pooling resources, expertise and training standards.
“We can come up with a place which we can call our own as regional states, and this will help us in consolidating resources, expertise and harmonising our maritime training culture,” he said.
Regional Gap in Maritime Education
The proposed university is intended to address the absence of a common maritime education institution serving Eastern and Southern Africa.
While West Africa has established regional maritime universities serving Anglophone and Francophone countries, and North Africa hosts a regional maritime university in Egypt, Eastern and Southern Africa currently lacks a similar institution.
The absence of a regional facility has contributed to duplication of investments, differences in training standards and limited access to specialised maritime training infrastructure, including ship simulators, specialised laboratories and sea-training vessels.
The proposed institution is expected to provide coordinated maritime education programmes aligned with international standards and improve access to specialised facilities required for the training of seafarers and maritime professionals.
Support for Africa’s Blue Economy Development
The State Department for Shipping and Maritime Affairs Principal Secretary Aden Millah said the success of the proposed university would depend on sustained investment by participating countries.
Millah noted that strengthening maritime education and skills development was critical to expanding Africa’s participation in the global blue economy.
He stated that approximately 90 per cent of global trade is transported by sea, but African countries continue to depend heavily on foreign-owned shipping companies, resulting in limited control over maritime logistics and exposure to high freight costs.
“As African states, we are really disadvantaged on matters of global maritime trade,” Millah said.
He added that most major shipping lines are owned by companies from Europe, China and other regions, allowing them to determine freight charges that affect the cost of goods in African countries.
Millah said the proposed regional maritime university would form part of a broader strategy involving the development of African shipping lines, shipbuilding capacity and internationally recognised maritime training programmes.
Maritime Employment Opportunities for African Seafarers
Millah highlighted the growing employment opportunities available within the maritime sector and emphasised the need to equip African professionals with internationally recognised qualifications.
He disclosed that Kenya had secured employment opportunities for 1,000 seafarers aboard Norwegian vessels, while discussions were ongoing to place an additional 2,000 Kenyan seafarers on South Korean ships.
Kenya has also entered into a labour agreement with Saudi Arabia to facilitate maritime employment opportunities.
Millah stated that access to international maritime employment opportunities depends on seafarers obtaining globally recognised Certificates of Competency (CoCs).
He noted that the proposed regional maritime institution was informed by the need to strengthen training systems and improve access to qualifications required in international shipping markets.
Need for Maritime Training Infrastructure
The establishment of the regional maritime university is expected to address challenges associated with the high cost of maritime education and limited availability of practical training facilities.
Maritime training requires significant investment in infrastructure, including ship simulators, training vessels and specialised equipment.
MOESNA Secretary General Kassim Mpaata said regional countries were facing challenges due to limited resources being spread across separate maritime training initiatives.
“Maritime education is an expensive venture,” Mpaata said.
He noted that maritime institutions require simulators, vessels to provide cadets with sea-time opportunities and highly qualified professionals to deliver training.
He added that existing resources and efforts across the region remain dispersed and fragmented.
Joint Acquisition of Maritime Training Vessels
One of the key challenges identified in maritime education is the shortage of sea-time opportunities for cadets.
Sea-time experience is a mandatory requirement for seafarers seeking internationally recognised Certificates of Competency.
To address the shortage, regional countries are considering joint acquisition of maritime training vessels that would serve both educational and commercial purposes.
The vessels would provide practical training opportunities for maritime students while supporting cargo transportation between African ports.
The proposed approach is expected to improve access to practical maritime experience and enhance the preparedness of African seafarers for international employment.
Proposed Regional Maritime University Objectives
The proposed regional maritime university is expected to focus on:
- Harmonising maritime training standards across Eastern, Southern and Northern Africa.
- Developing internationally recognised maritime education programmes.
- Providing access to specialised maritime training infrastructure.
- Strengthening production of globally competitive seafarers and maritime professionals.
- Consolidating regional resources and expertise in maritime education.
- Supporting Africa’s participation in global shipping and maritime trade.
- Expanding opportunities for African professionals in the international maritime labour market.
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Conclusion
The proposed establishment of a regional maritime university by countries from Eastern, Southern and Northern Africa is expected to create a unified framework for maritime education and professional training.
The initiative remains at the validation stage following completion of a feasibility study, with recommendations expected to be presented to the Assembly of Ministers for adoption before implementation.
The institution is expected to support regional cooperation in maritime education, improve access to specialised training facilities and strengthen Africa’s capacity to participate in the global maritime economy.
20 African Countries Make Historic Move to Build Regional Maritime University.
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