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 diversify their crew pool if they want to maintain business continuity. Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement  has now opened its Maritime Training Centre in Ghana, further boosting its presence and enhancing its maritime services offering in West Africa.

Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM) has opened a new Maritime Training Centre (MTC) in Ghana, further cementing its position in the region. The new MTC is 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 offered courses focus on vocational exposure and the training of cadets, officers and ratings, making it a meaningful addition to programmes offered by the university. In addition, tailor-made training courses are offered for hospitality crew for cruise ships.

“At BSM, we place emphasis on the selection, development and management of our seagoing employees which is key to the safe and efficient operations of the vessels of our clients. With the opening of the new MTC in Ghana, BSM has taken a significant step towards enhancing its training offering to seafarers from the region and cultivating highly skilled professionals who deliver the highest levels of performance,” says Eva Rodriguez, HR Marine Director at BSM. “With the establishment of a local training facility, not only we are underlining our ongoing commitment to the region but also addressing the growing demand for skilled crew by diversifying our crew pool.”

BSM has been investing in the training of African seafarers for over a decade. With 1.5 billion people, and this number expected to double by 2050, as well as an estimated combined Nominal GDP of USD 2.8 trillion dollars, the African continent is one of the world’s biggest growth markets. When it comes to sourcing the next generation at sea, the region will be one of the new frontiers as the population is young and growing rapidly. Being fully aware of the great potential, BSM already started training African seafarers back in 2012. Back then, the pool of West African BSM seafarers counted less than 30. Today, the company has 600 seafarers from the region in its crew pool.

The new MTC in Ghana is BSM’s sixth institution of this kind. The company’s training facilities are focussed on providing specialist skills and training through training programmes that are tailored to meet industry and client-specific requirements, offering a comprehensive curriculum that merges theory with hands-on experience. Cutting-edge facilities and experienced instructors, create an environment, not only for BSM’s own seafarers but also for third-party clients, where learning is to transcend conventional boundaries, equipping maritime personnel with the skills needed to strive.

BSM MTCs are certified to ISO 9001- 2015 standards. Courses offered by the MTCs include DNV approved simulator trainings and address operational, safety, and environmental training needs for general and specialised vessels in an evolving maritime industry.