– A case study

A large part of the world’s material goods is transported by sea. Sea transport is undeniably an important part of the international trade and material supply chain. It covers more than 90% of global freight transport (UNCTAD, 2024).

As in all fields related to critical skills, maritime education is important in part to ensure a critical competence. In unforeseen situations, it is of primary importance that the crew is trained to operate safely in all conditions and situations. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW) define maritime standards in education. To keep training relevant, cooperation in updating international standards is a priority for cooperation between companies and communities.

Managing an International Maritime Academy is a complex task that requires an understanding of global maritime standards and adaptation to different cultures and operational content. Often, academies serve as key hubs for the training of maritime professionals, ensuring compliance with international regulations and promoting safety and efficiency in global shipping. Equipment suppliers bring the necessary know-how to equipment maintenance and safe and efficient operation through their own training This article examines the theoretical foundations, practical experience and success factors derived from a survey of 50 maritime professionals.

Key Success Factors Managing an International Marine Academy

Strategic Vision and Compliance

Strategic alignment ensures that the Academy’s objectives meet the regulatory requirements of the market and shipping. Porter’s (1996) concept of competitive advantage highlights the need for differentiation through quality and innovation. High-quality training activities require skilled trainers, effective teaching methods, relevant equipment and continuous development. Based on the feedback from the survey, training and competence development are very important for all employees in the maritime industry.  

Cultural and Organizational Competence

The starting point for international education activities is to understand the operating methods of different cultures. It is of paramount importance that the educational organization understands the differences between different cultures. International academies operate in multicultural environments. Hofstede’s (2011) theory of cultural dimensions emphasizes the importance of applying communication and teaching methods to diverse cultural norms. During the training, the different cultural backgrounds of the trainees must be taken into account in order for the training to be produced effectively. People from different cultural backgrounds use different ways of learning, which should therefore also be trained in different ways.

Following Quality and Safety Standards

Maritime training is strictly regulated, where STCW defines basic seafaring skills precisely. The training of equipment suppliers is not necessarily defined or regulated very precisely But it is expected to meet certain quality and safety requirements. The training must be relevant, and the continuous development of the training is of paramount importance in this. Rapidly updating requirements and innovations in technology also require continuous development of training in terms of new training, equipment and methods.

Technological Integration

Technology provides a lot of opportunities for producing training efficiently. Various virtual and online training models enable training always and everywhere. Virtual Reality (VR) enables hands-on training of devices virtually. Online training has created an opportunity to participate in training via the internet no matter of locations. However, based on the research, the trainees and customer companies see practical training delivered with real equipment as extremely important and is arguably the best way to develop necessary skills needed.     

Improvement suggestions for the Academy

Center of excellence

The Academy currently operates in multiple locations, offering a diverse range of training programs, but resource constraints prevent all locations from maintaining high standards. Survey results and customer feedback show strong popularity for comprehensive training from a single location.

The proposal is to combine the activities into 2-3 centres of excellence, supported by smaller, targeted locations. The centres of excellence would offer training for the entire portfolio. The centres would have skilled trainers and they would be equipped with the necessary equipment and resources. The development of new modules and updates would take place in close proximity to project teams and product owners, ensuring consistency and quality. Investments in practical training equipment would be concentrated in these key locations. Smaller units are supported by online training and certified secondment and service engineers. This model allows for a large network of trainers and local training opportunities, expanding the reach closer to customers.

Competence and evidence-based training model

The Academy could modernize its course-based model by introducing competence-based education (CBT) and evidence-based education (EBT). The models are widely used in the maritime industry to ensure safety and reliability. CBT focuses on completing hands-on tasks, individualized learning paths, and applying practical skills. EBT ensures continuous improvement through feedback and performance evaluation. By combining the templates, the Academy can provide training that meets the needs of the industry and maintains effective implementation and evaluation. This method would also strengthen long-term customer partnerships throughout the vessel’s life cycle.

Practical and online training

Based on the results obtained in the study, the clients are looking for practical training opportunities in training. The challenge in implementing practical training is the large equipment sizes and the financial impact of the training equipment investments. With various simulators and Virtual Machine solutions, costs can be significantly reduced. Modern training methods could be used as a partial solution. By adding Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) to the training, participants can get quite real-feeling exercises in virtual reality.

Completing the training as an online version also emerged based on the results of the survey. Especially in basic training for large masses, cost-effective online training should be possible. The elearning library, various webinars and other online trainings that enable technology bring cost-effectiveness to training.

TMS – Training Management System

Training Academy needs a centralized management system. The management system improves the quality, coordination, and visibility of resources and results in education. A unified training management system (TMS) would standardize processes, improve transparency, and ensure consistent delivery. Its key functions include scheduling, registration, resource coordination, budget tracking, reporting, and compliance management. Modern TMS solutions can be integrated with existing ERP, LMS, CRM, and HR systems, enabling efficient performance monitoring and resource utilization across the organization.

References

Hofstede, G. (2011). Dimensionalizing cultures: The Hofstede model in context. Online Readings in Psychology and Culture, 2(1), 8–26.

Porter, M. E. (1996). What is strategy? Harvard Business Review, 74(6), 61–78.

UNCTAD, (2024). Review of Maritime Transport 2024. Retrieved 20.5.2025. https://unctad.org/topic/transport-and-trade-logistics/review-of-maritime-transport