Government Establishes First State-of-the-Art Maritime Survival Training and Certification Centre at Bandari Maritime Academy
The Government of Kenya is setting up a state-of-the-art Maritime Survival Training and Certification Centre at the Bandari Maritime Academy (BMA) in Mombasa, marking a major milestone in the country’s efforts to strengthen seafarer training, maritime safety, and Kenya’s competitiveness in the global blue economy.
The project, which is at an advanced state of construction, is being spearheaded by the State Department for Shipping and Maritime Affairs and is expected to significantly enhance the country’s capacity to train, certify, and deploy highly skilled seafarers in line with international maritime safety and competency standards.
During an inspection tour of the facility, he Cabinet Secretary for Mining and Blue Economy Ali Hassan Joho, accompanied by the Principal Secretary for Mining Harry Kimtai, urged contractors to accelerate the pace of construction to ensure Kenyans begin benefiting from the Centre as soon as possible.
“We must prioritize the quick completion and operationalization of this facility. It will give thousands of young Kenyans an opportunity to acquire critical survival and safety skills required in the global maritime industry,” said CS Joho.
He emphasized that the Centre is designed to provide comprehensive training in personal survival techniques, emergency procedures, and crisis response at sea which are critical competencies for seafarers who often face unpredictable maritime environments.
CS Joho further commended Bandari Maritime Academy for its growing role in building a skilled maritime workforce and noted that the new training and certification centre will have a triple-impact effect on Kenya’s economy.
“This facility will not only build the competence of our seafarers but also enhance Kenya’s global competitiveness and create new employment pathways in the maritime transport and offshore sectors,” he said.
Source : State Department for Shipping and Maritime Affairs
