The two-year Diploma Programme in Maritime Operations offered at UTT’s Chaguaramas Campus provides the underpinning knowledge required by international legislation for the Certificates of Competency required for a career as a Merchant Marine Officer.  In addition to the classroom element of this Programme, there is a requirement for ship-board training of between six and twelve months, dependent upon whether the cadet is pursuing a navigation or engineering career on board ship.  The ship-board training puts into practice the knowledge gained in the classroom and, upon completion, enables the cadet to demonstrate competence in their chosen area.

The difficulty in identifying shipboard berths is an international problem. Due to cost constraints many modern ships do not have the necessary accommodation available above that needed for the basic crew required to operate the ship.  The University has had to rely on the ‘goodwill’ of shipping companies and ship owners and their appreciation of the need for young professionally trained seagoing officers on their vessels, to provide the necessary shipboard training.

When negotiations were taking place between bpTT and Edison Chouest Offshore for contractual work, Mr. Reginald Williams, Maritime Superintendent at bpTT suggested that this might be an opportunity for UTT cadets. Senior Operations Manager for Edison Chouest, Mr. Shannon Doucet, agreed to have UTT cadets on board their vessels.

To date, over a three (3) year period while operating six to eight offshore supply vessels, Edison Chouest Offshore has accommodated thirty six (36) of the University’s cadets for training from two (2) to four (4) months at a time. They comprise both Navigation and Engineering cadets. For the Engineering cadets the systems on board adequately satisfy the provision for internationally accepted recorded sea time. The full quota of sea time for the Navigation cadets will come from their sailing in the Gulf of Mexico- the next stage expected to be offered by Edison Chouest Offshore in UTT’s sea training Programme.

We are grateful to the owners of Edison Chouest Offshore for providing the University this opportunity to secure quality training for our local (and foreign) Merchant Marine Cadets, many of whom should eventually fill the posts offered on Trinidad and Tobago managed vessels and those operating in and out of our ports.