Funds Settled

In 2010 the Trust will receive circa US$3 million as a result of the present training levy agreements and to June 2010 over US$8 million has been approved for training projects worldwide - with anticipated increased demand for grants over the next few years. Funds settled into the Trust are as a consequence of special clauses in collective agreements or contracts negotiated by the International Maritime Employers Committee (IMEC) and originally covering Filipino, Polish and Sri Lankan seafarers.

The funds are segregated by country and only disbursed to benefit the training standards in the country from which the monies are derived. Subsequently the parties engaged in the International Bargaining Forum (IBF) set up an additional general international training account for training crews working under the International IBF Agreements. More recently specific categories for IMEC cadet training and career development, such as ratings to officers training have been established.

Grant History

Prior to 2005 - IMTT funds were predominantly approved for purchase and installation of training hardware including significant funding for simulators – both hardware and software.  IMTT has also funded fire-fighting, sea survival and welding equipment in the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Poland. Other projects supported include free-fall lifeboats in Szczecin and Kherson and a manned model in Ilawa, Poland.

In 2005 - the IMTT trustees completed a consultation with IMEC member companies to identify, as far as possible, their main training concerns in order to improve and target funding of training projects. They found that ship owners and managers were concerned about inconsistent maritime teaching standards and the competency of maritime teachers. They also explained their concern regarding the standard of some maritime English and the need to assess and verify training programmes worldwide.

As a result of the 2005 consultations - IMTT increasingly approved grants for teacher training – supporting basic qualification and development. IMTT also developed and supported leadership and academic ramping courses. The latter, in association with the DeLaSalle University, Manila, was created to bridge the educational gap between students leaving tertiary colleges and third level or cadet training programmes. In addition to funding cadet enhancement programmes (CEPs) for Filipino students who had completed the BSMT/ME degrees – IMTT funded a number of company specific junior officer upgrading programmes and maritime English courses worldwide. The objective of the CEPs is to improve and enhance the students comprehension of their subjects, personal confidence and help develop an enquiring mind.

In 2006 the IMEC Officer Recruitment and Training Working Group determined that IMEC needed to get involved in the training of cadets. The Working Group recommended that enhanced and upgraded cadet training should be provided in the Philippines through a dedicated IMEC training course. In response to the IMEC initiative IMTT has funded two cadet programmes, one at the University of Cebu and another at the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP).

As an IMTT funded initiative in 2007 - The Post Graduate Certificate in Maritime Education and Training (PGCert MET) was developed by Warsash Maritime Academy (WMA) - part of Southampton Solent University. The pioneering PGCert MET was designed to improve the academic management skills of Filipino college lecturers and was a major milestone for IMTT. The graduation of the first successful students was held in Manila during November 2008. The 3rd. PGCert cohort are presently completing their PGCert Programme and will graduate early in 2011. In order to assess and verify the benefits of the PGCert - no programme will be run through 2011/12.

A more detailed list of recent grants is contained in the NEWS section of this site.