The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

THE first phase of a $20 million maritime institute, which will be established at Silver Cay, is expected to be open no later than January 2014, said the head of the company spearheading the initiative.

Chandler Sands, managing director of Campbell Shipping, said the institute will “bring the training home” when it comes to international maritime certification.

Mr Sands told Tribune Business: “We are still in the planning mode. Plans are being drawn, and in every round you decide you’re going to change and adjust something. We are going through the process of developing plans. We are expecting that Phase I should be up and ready for students no later than January  2014 on the island.”

Addressing the need for maritime certification, Mr Sands told Tribune Business: “Currently, the certification necessary for any seafarer to sail in international waters is called the standards of training, certification and watch keeping (STCW).

“That’s not offered in the Bahamas. What is currently begin practiced is that every year after these students are done with the Bahamas Marine Cadet Corp (BMCC), we send about 10 of them off to Holland College in Canada, a very costly affair. 

“Due to the fact that it is so costly, only about 10 students go. The BMCC has about 170 students graduating this year who have done the after school programme. Let’s just say  50 per cent of them  are not interested in maritime sciences, so that cuts us down to about 75-80 students who may be interested.”

Silver Cay is expected to be renamed Maritime Cay. Mr Sands added: “The current system only allows 10 to go further. What we decided was we needed to bring this training home and make it available at a lower cost point. That’s what the academy is supposed to be doing.  We are thinking that Phase I on the Cay should be up and ready for students no later than January 2014.”

Campbell Shipping recently received the highly coveted Safety at Sea award for Security, beating out big-name shipping firms from around the world.

“It’s quite significant that a three year-old company can achieve such a coveted award,” Mr Sands told Tribune Business, referring to the company’s motto: ‘Safety is our priority, excellence is our commitment’.

The company’s safety video entitled: ‘Piracy - A Campbell Shipping Perspective’, produced locally by Scharad Lightbourne, was entered into the competition.