By John Ndegwa / BMA
Bandari Maritime Academy (BMA) has once again proven why it is Kenya’s Center of Excellence for Shipping, Maritime, and Blue Economy Education and Training, with a landmark achievement in securing unprecedented shipboard training opportunities for its cadets and trainers.
Recognizing that access to sea time is the single biggest challenge for aspiring seafarers, BMA has stepped up its efforts to ensure more cadets move beyond the classroom and into real-world maritime environments. Through strategic partnerships, international collaborations, and new Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with global shipping lines and crewing agencies, the Academy is closing the sea time gap for the next generation of maritime professionals.
To date, BMA has successfully placed 43 cadets on board vessels across reputable international shipping companies, with another 20 cadets scheduled to board early next month. This represents a major breakthrough in addressing the perennial challenge of sea time access.
Seven students have joined the Global Onboarding Training (GOBT) program since its launch in 2023. The latest cohort of 4 cadets will train at KIMFT (Busan), South Korea from today (18th September – 13th December 2025, receiving intensive training in Basic Safety, Simulation, Onboard Operations, and Cross-cultural Learning.
Six cadets (3 deck, 3 engine) have already secured sea time with 10 more expected to join via Danica Crewing Specialists, a leading Denmark-based crewing agency.
Nine cadets have joined Bahri, the national shipping company of Saudi Arabia, three cadets have been placed with Orion Bulkers (Germany), One cadet has secured a berth with Southern Engineering Company Ltd (SECO), reinforcing local industry ties. Four out of 12 cadets selected by CMA CGM are already out at sea, with the rest set to board by end of September, 2025.
BMA’s commitment doesn’t stop with students. Five of its trainers are currently undertaking sea service with Lamu Shipping, Carnival Cruises, and Royal Caribbean for 12–18 months. This hands-on exposure is essential for securing their Certificates of Competence (CoC) and ensuring they bring back world-class Maritime skills to enrich classroom instruction.
“At Bandari Maritime Academy, we are not just training seafarers, we are building global Maritime professionals, every cadet placed at sea and every trainer gaining industry exposure is a step towards transforming Kenya into a Maritime powerhouse.” said BMA CEO Dr. Eric Katana.
