By John Ndegwa / BMA
Bandari Maritime Academy (BMA) has continued to strengthen its strategic partnerships with key players in the maritime industry as part of ongoing efforts to enhance sea time opportunities and improve the employability of its cadets.
This commitment was evident today when the Academy hosted a delegation from Sea Forth Shipping Ltd during an engagement aimed at fostering collaboration between training institutions and industry stakeholders.
The meeting was hosted by BMA’s Senior Principal Trainer in Nautical Science, Major (Rtd) Franklyn Toniok, who represented the Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Eric Katana. In his remarks, Maj. (Rtd) Toniok underscored the Academy’s deliberate focus on securing sea time placements, an essential requirement for maritime certification and career progression for its cadets.
“We are keen on building strong partnerships with shipping companies to ensure our cadets access the much-needed sea time and employment opportunities. This is critical in bridging the gap between training and industry demands,” Maj. Rtd Toniok said.
He further highlighted that Bandari Maritime Academy has, over the years, equipped thousands of cadets with high-quality technical skills in maritime disciplines, making them competitive in both local and international job markets. He noted that aligning training with industry needs remains a top priority for the institution.
On her part, Sea Forth Shipping Ltd Head of Manning, Sarah Chatwin, expressed optimism about the collaboration, noting that such partnerships are instrumental in linking trained cadets with global employment opportunities.
“This collaboration presents a valuable opportunity to connect skilled cadets with employers within the maritime sector. We are committed to supporting initiatives that enhance workforce readiness and career placement,” Chatwin said.
The engagement concluded with both parties agreeing to initiate the process of developing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalize the partnership. The proposed agreement is expected to pave the way for structured cooperation in areas such as cadet placement, training support and knowledge exchange.
