Lagos — THE FIRST batch of beneficiaries of the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme, (NSDP), a project of the Federal Ministry of Transport, would be traveling to the Academy of Maritime Education and Training, (AMET), India to commence a three-year training programme on seafaring.

The 27 beneficiaries in the first batch are drawn from Ondo and Benue states, two states that have responded to the call for joint sponsorship of young Nigerians to seek career at sea as seafarers.

The programme offers career opportunities to beneficiaries in Engineering, Naval Architecture, Ship Building, Marine Surveyors and Deck Officers.

The 27 students will undergo Bachelor in Science and Bachelor in Engineering courses in Marine Engineering, Nautical Sciences, Nautical Architecture and Off shore Engineering amongst others.

Beneficiaries are to enjoy a multi funding structure as the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, will be responsible for 40% funding, while the various State Governments are responsible for the remaining 60%.

The programme, being executed by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), which had carried out a rigorous and expensive campaign across the six geo-political zones of the country last year to enlighten the various State Governments on the benefits accruable to the country via the project, was designed in line with President Umaru Musa Yar Adua's 7 point Agenda of wealth creation and human capacity development.

Although Nigeria has an ailing maritime academy (Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, Akwa Ibom State), it was not considered for this NSDP programme.

In a statement signed by the head of public relations of NIMASA, Ego Nwokocha, the Academy of Maritime Education and Training (AMET) is the first University in Maritime education in India and it is totally dedicated to knowledge transfer in the shipping industry.

It added that at the moment, AMET is certified to ISO 9001 & 2000 Quality Management Standards by Delt Norske veritas till 2010 for Design, Development and Conducting Maritime Courses, Programmes, Examinations and Assessment.