Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL group) and Admiral Makarov State University of Maritime and Inland Shipping (Admiral Makarov SUMIS) have reached an agreement to create a branded class at the University, intended for seafarers training and professional development.

The decision was made when the University’s rector, Professor Sergey Baryshnikov and MOL Managing Executive Officer, Kenta Matsuzaka signed a strategic cooperation agreement in June 2019 during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

«MOL is a long-term reliable partner of the University, – states Sergey Aysinov, Director of the Professional Development Programmes Institute of Admiral Makarov SUMIS. – Ship crews are trained in accordance with the requirements of the International Polar Code and the Rule V/4 of the STCW Convention. More than 100 deck and engine officers have been trained in Russia and Finland and more than 180 ratings have been trained at the MOL’s own training base in the Philippines with the involvement of our leading instructors – Captains and Ice Pilots with more than 20 years of experience in polar waters. The Company also provides training and employment for University cadets on Arctic gas carriers transporting Russian gas from Yamal».

In the new class, cadets of the faculty of navigation and communication of the Maritime College of Admiral Makarov SUMIS would practice navigational laying and pass introductory instruction on the modern interactive demonstration equipment prior to navigation simulator training.

Designed in the company’s corporate style, the new training class will be decorated with photos of MOL vessels and present milestones in the development of the shipping company from its foundation to the present day. The new auditorium will complement the laboratories of the Makarov Training Centre of the Professional Development Programmes Institute of Admiral Makarov SUMIS and will be located in the University’s reconstructed educational premises in St. Petersburg at 5 Zanevsky Prospekt.

 «With the objective of being one of the leading shipping companies in the Northern Sea Route operation, says Kenta Matsuzaka, MOL Managing Executive Officer, MOL identifies one key for its success as having seafarers especially well-trained for the Northern Sea Route operation. Currently, new projects in the Arctic are being developed and MOL is aiming to meet the increasing needs for safe transportation through the development of a specially trained crew pool with support from Admiral Makarov University. In the meantime, MOL continues to contribute to the development of the Russian maritime industry by recruiting promising seafarers from the younger generation. We highly appreciate the partnership with Admiral Makarov SUMIS, the leading Russian maritime university in the field of training of our personnel to work in the harsh ice conditions and we also hope that the opening of MOL branded class will help us to attract good specialists from the Russian graduates of this respected university to work onboard our vessels».

Constantly updated educational and methodological base, expanding the range of distance courses, adding experienced specialists to the staff, as well as a flexible training schedule are the competitive advantages of the Makarov Training Centre, appreciated by many corporate and private customers. The new auditorium will be opened in autumn 2020.

REFERENCE

 Mitsui O.S.K. Lines is a Japanese transport company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is one of the largest shipping companies in the world.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines as a global shipping company, addresses the diverse needs of its many customers in a wide variety of fields. These include dry bulkers, crude oil tankers, product and chemical tankers, LNG carriers, FSRU, car carriers, and containerships which carry a broad range of products.

As a leader in ice-breaking vessels and operation in the Northern Sea Route, MOL continues to positively exercise its expertise to contribute to maritime transportation through the Arctic.

Admiral Makarov SUMIS is the oldest transport University and the flagship of Maritime education in Russia, which trains highly qualified personnel in the field of water transport.

The University is a modern scientific and educational complex, where cadets and students are trained in the areas of bachelor’s, master’s, and post-graduate studies, operational specialties, and secondary vocational education within 12 major groups of training areas and specialties. The University has 8 branches: V.I. Voronin Arctic Marine Institute; Moscow State Academy of Water transport; The Pechora River School, branches in Voronezh, Petrozavodsk, Velikiy Ustyug, Kotlas, Murmansk. More than 14 thousand cadets study at the Admiral Makarov SUMIS. Every year, the University graduates more than 3 thousand specialists, bachelors and masters. The number of teaching staff is more than 650 people, 65% of them are doctors and candidates of science. The authority of the founder is exercised by the Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transport of Russia.

The University implements a broad range of international activities. Presently the University has more than 20 international cooperation agreements in action. The academic and professorial staff of the University take their active part in the activity of international organizations: International Maritime Organization (IMO), the Institute of Marine Engineers (IMAREST), the International Association of Maritime Universities (IAMU), Sail Training International (STI) and others. The Graduation Degree of Admiral Makarov SUMIS is valid and accepted all over the world.

Professional Development Programmes Institute (PDPI) is a subdivision of Admiral Makarov State University of Maritime and Inland Shipping, acting on the basis of Ministry of education of RF license, Ministry of transport of Russia recognition, certificates of compliance by Federal agency for maritime and river transport, аs well as the leading classification societies approvals, accreditation of international organizations, industry leaders and IMO member states.

PDPI is focused on professional development and advanced training of maritime, inland shipping and offshore personnel, instructor and assessor training, simulator practice for marine cadets, R&D in navigation safety: projects expertise, marine accidents investigation, optimal ships port pilotage routes simulation, etc. 20 thousand industry specialists and cadets are annually trained in more than 300 courses at 7 educational centers in St. Petersburg and 4 branches in Moscow, Murmansk, Arkhangelsk and Petrozavodsk.

Makarov Training Center in the PDPI structure is the only internationally accredited training center in Russia for vessels equipped with dynamic positioning systems and one of the world leaders in training crew members of vessels operating in polar waters. The center provides training for Admiral Makarov SUMIS cadets, specialists of marine and inland water transport, as well as oil and gas industry and implements a wide range of research projects.