MITSUI O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) and Magsaysay Maritime Corp., through the MOL Magsaysay Maritime Academy Inc. (MMMA), signed on Wednesday an agreement with five Japanese national institutes of technology to expand their international exchange programs for student-seafarers.
The agreement will allow students and faculty members from Toyama College, Toba College, Hiroshima College, Oshima College, and Yuge College to join the exchange program to “strengthen mutual research and educational processes, and cultivating a global perspective for future seafarers,” according to a statement.
Before the signing, MMMA accepted four students and two faculty members from Oshima College and six students from Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology.
Meanwhile, MOL Maritex Co., Ltd., Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP), and Magsaysay Training Center (MTC) have opened a dynamic positioning (DP) training center at the MAAP campus in Mariveles, Bataan.
“The DP Training Center will provide operation training for seafarers and engineers to meet the requirements for offshore wind power generation and for special vessels involved in offshore and ocean development,” MOL said in a separate statement. The three parties signed a memorandum of agreement on Tuesday.
Five courses accredited by the Nautical Institute will be offered at the center including a DP induction course, DP simulator course, DP sea time reduction course, DP revalidation or DP refresher and competency assessment course, and DP vessel maintainer course.
Trainees can access the center and train, using the same model of DP simulator installed on MOL’s special vessels.
According to the MOL, the center is open to all seafarers and engineers, with the first training course set to begin on Sept. 1.
“This partnership plays a vital role in shaping the future of Filipino seafarers in offshore operations. Through the expansion of access to DP training, MOLMAT, MAAP, and MTC will continue to develop highly skilled seafarers and continue to play a key role in meeting the evolving needs of the maritime industry in the Philippines,” said MOL. — Katherine K. Chan
