By John Ndegwa / BMA
Bandari Maritime Academy (BMA) Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Eric Katana, has paid a courtesy call to the Vice President of Shanghai Maritime University (SMU), Prof. Dr. Yin Ming, as part of the Academy’s ongoing efforts to expand international partnerships in Maritime education and training.
The meeting explored strategic areas of collaboration between the two institutions, with a strong focus on job opportunities for young Kenyan seafarers, sea time placements for cadets, and capacity building in maritime education and research.
Other key areas of discussion included the establishment of student exchange programs to broaden learners’ exposure to global shipping operations, Training of Trainers (TOTs) to strengthen the professional development of BMA’s faculty, twinning opportunities between Bandari Maritime Academy and Shanghai Maritime University to foster institutional growth and benchmarking, as well as the possibility of offering joint academic programmes aimed at enhancing academic quality and recognition at an international level.
Dr. Katana emphasized that the partnership aligns with Kenya’s Blue Economy agenda, and will not only boost the employability of Kenyan seafarers but also reinforce Bandari Maritime Academy’s position as a regional Centre of Excellence in maritime training.
Prof. Dr. Yin Ming reaffirmed Shanghai Maritime University’s commitment to advancing cooperation with Kenya, noting that such collaborations open doors to joint research initiatives, technology transfer, and cross-border innovation in the Maritime industry.
