Bandari Maritime Academy (BMA), under the leadership of CEO Dr. Eric Katana, continues to reinforce its commitment to excellence in Maritime, Shipping, and Blue Economy education and training. The institution remains steadfast in building and expanding strategic partnerships with key stakeholders both locally and internationally to align its training programs with global standards and industry needs.
This commitment was demonstrated during a high-level meeting hosted at the Academy, where BMA welcomed a delegation from the Royal Danish Embassy – Nairobi. The delegation was led by Dr. Jesper Pedersen, Maritime Counsellor, and Stephanie Adamba, Programme Officer – Strategic Sector Cooperation.
Dr. Katana was represented at the meeting by Enock Okemwa, Deputy Director of Maritime Transport and Logistics Training, who was accompanied by senior Academy officials.
Okemwa lauded the growing collaboration between BMA and the Royal Danish Embassy, emphasizing that such partnerships are crucial in enhancing training quality, industry linkages and cadet placement opportunities. He noted that the collaboration is expected to significantly boost the uptake of BMA-trained cadets for shipboard training, a vital requirement for their professional qualification.
Maj. (Rtd) Franklyne Toniok, Senior Principal Trainer – Nautical Science, highlighted the Academy’s high competency standards in Nautical and STCW (Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping) training. He underscored the Academy’s adherence to internationally recognized Maritime training protocols, which ensure that graduates are well-prepared for global Maritime operations.
Other officials present at the meeting included Joseph Mbuthia, Senior Principal Trainer I – Marine Engineering; Winnie Nyambu, Assistant Nautical Trainer; and Jacob Kazungu, Nautical Trainer.
Their presence reflected BMA’s multidisciplinary approach to Maritime education and its readiness to engage with stakeholders in pursuit of industry-relevant, practical training solutions.
This engagement marks a significant step forward in fostering meaningful cooperation that will contribute to the development of a highly skilled Maritime workforce, in line with Kenya’s Blue Economy agenda and global Maritime standards.
