As Vizhinjam International Port is set to be commissioned next month, state govt plans to set up a maritime education hub in Neendakara in Kollam to train people to work in ports and port-related jobs.
The aim is to source local manpower that will be needed for jobs generated due to the new port and other ports locally. The Kerala Maritime Board will set up the hub under a public-private partnership.
An expression of interest has been invited to develop a state-of-the-art maritime educational hub, aiming to select a bidder by the end of next month.
The aim is to offer market-relevant courses in the maritime sector with the support of the industry, emphasising placement and career development opportunities for the students. Potential courses include marine engineering, technology, nautical science, naval architecture, shipbuilding and repair, offshore engineering, coastal engineering, port engineering, operations, and management.
As the state has tremendous potential to capitalise on opportunities in the maritime and allied sectors, the maritime institute is considered one of the key assets that can become a pivotal hub of maritime education, said the EOI document.
The hub will also help bridge the potential gap between increasing shipping volumes and the demand for personnel, and the gap between adapting evolving maritime technologies and global shipping regulations.
The ports handle a diverse cargo range, including containers, petroleum products, and bulk commodities. This is bound to increase when one of the biggest transshipment ports is commissioned in Vizhinjam next month.
The need for Indian seafarers is also likely to grow up to 20% from the current 10-12% in the next 10 years.
The initiative is also taken because the Union govt under Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 has identified 39 initiatives aimed at promoting world-class education, research, and training by promoting incubators and accelerators to support startups in the maritime sector, creating maritime knowledge clusters to facilitate collaborative research, and establishing centers of excellence.
