KOLLAM: In an effort to give a boost to maritime education, training and research activities, the state has kick-started an academy for maritime studies. The Kerala Maritime Institute, first of its kind in the public sector, will have campuses at Neendakara and Kodungalloor.
The institute was inaugurated at Neendakara here on Sunday by minister for ports K. Babu at a function presided over by labour minister Shibu Baby John.
The institute’s mandate is to conceive, formulate and conduct maritime education programmes for the orientation of staff of government departments, public sector undertakings, colleges, polytechnics and other technical institutes.
The proposal for setting up the Kerala Maritime Institute was initiated in 2002 and the campus in Neendakara was inaugurated in 2010. The institute is a joint initiative of the Department of Ports, the State Government, and Co-operative Academy of Professional Education (CAPE).
The campus at Neendakara is located on 14 acres of land having a waterfront and a wharf nearby that will be useful for waterborne training activities. The institute will run pre-sea courses in both Nautical and Engineering streams and also take up basic safety courses which are mandatory for prospective mariners.
Besides, the institute can also conduct post-sea, preparatory and security oriented courses.
