Maritime Training Institutes

The STCW Convention requires that training and assessment of seafarers are administered, supervised and monitored in accordance with the provisions of the STCW Code; and those responsible for training and assessment of competence of seafarers are appropriately qualified in accordance with the provisions of the Code.

The International Maritime Organization does not approve any training courses or institutes. This is a privilege and responsibility of Member Governments who are Parties to the STCW Convention.

Maritime training institutions approved by Member States

The 1978 STCW Convention, as amended, requires that training leading to the issue of a certificate is continuously monitored through a quality standards system, which is part of an independent evaluation arranged by the corresponding authority of an STCW Party in accordance with the Convention requirements.

International Maritime training institutions

The World Maritime University (WMU) in Malmö, Sweden, is a postgraduate maritime university founded in 1983 by IMO.

WMU delivers postgraduate maritime education and confers Master's and Doctoral degrees in seven maritime and ocean specializations at its headquarters in Sweden and Master's degrees in two specializations in China.


The IMO International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) in Malta, was established in 1988, under the auspices of IMO

IMLI is a world recognized centre for the training of specialists in maritime law and provides suitably qualified candidates, particularly from developing countries, with advanced training, study and research programmes in international maritime law.

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