Africa rising: training the seafarer of tomorrow

The continuing shortage of qualified seafarers is putting the maritime industry under pressure. Companies need to venture into new areas to face this challenge, a challenge which has worsened as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM) is addressing the issue positively by now developing a Maritime Training Centre on the African continent, further cementing its position in the region.

Issue - March 2023 Ship Management Maritime Services

Published on 14 Mar 2023

BSM is to open its fifth MTC in Accra, Ghana, increasing its training offer to seafarers in the region.

The maritime industry is in desperate need of skilled seafarers; however, well-trained young talent is scarce. As the working age population of traditional seafaring nations is anticipated to decline over the next few years, companies need to take matters into their own hands and tap into new markets if they want to maintain business continuity.

Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM) has been investing in the training of African seafarers for over a decade. Operating an internal network of 11 Ship Management Centres (SMCs), 25 Crew Service Centres (CSCs) and four Maritime Training Centres (MTCs), the company is now proceeding with its plans to open a new training facility in Africa.

“With a total population of over 1.4 billion people, the African continent has a huge economic and social footprint. Being fully aware of the great potential, BSM already started training African seafarers back in 2012. With the establishment of a local MTC, we are underlining our ongoing commitment and further cementing our position in the region,” explains Eva Rodriguez, HR Marine Director at BSM.

Conveniently located on the campus of the Regional Maritime University in Accra, Ghana, the new training facility will not only attract seafarers from Ghana but also from other African countries.

The new MTC will be located on the campus of the Regional Maritime University (RMU) in Accra, Ghana, with whom BSM established a local representative office as well as a cadet programme in 2012. The courses offered will focus on vocational exposure and the training of cadets, junior officers and ratings, but also hotel and catering staff, making it a meaningful addition to programmes offered by the university.

Due to its convenient location, the new training facility will not only attract seafarers from Ghana but also from other African countries such as Nigeria, Cameroon, Gambia, Sierra Leone and Algeria.

Back in 2012, the pool of West African Schulte Group seafarers counted less than 30. Today, the company has 600 seafarers from the region in its crew pool. “Increasing our training offer in the region will be a huge opportunity for BSM to even further expand its crew pool and put it on a broader international footing,” elaborates Rodriguez.

In the years before, BSM has trained African cadets and junior officers mainly at the MTC in Limassol, Cyprus, and during the pandemic also remotely in the existing class and training rooms at the company’s office building in Ghana.

The new MTC in Ghana will be BSM’s fifth institution of this kind, modelled on the training facility in Kochi, India, which was opened in 2021. With all permits already in place, BSM is hoping to start operations of the MTC in 2024.

Eva Rodriguez

BSM, HR Marine Director

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