Maritime training in a time of COVID

COVID-19 has impacted every area of shipping, and nowhere more severely than in training of seafarers. Maritime education and training levels have been reduced by both operators and training institutions. At the same time, the number of seafarers paying for their own training in 2021 increased to more than half.

This year’s Maritime Training Insights Database (MarTID) report reveals that while training institutions have seen their budgets rise, vessel operators saw the amount of money spent on training fall in 2021.

Nearly 70% of operators felt that overall training delivery was reduced and 17% saw a budget decrease of more than 75%. More than 60% of operators expect that this training slowdown has created a backlog which will have to be cleared as the effects of the pandemic ease.

Previous surveys have revealed a consistent trend of growth in training budgets among vessel operators but this year 30% reported a decrease in their training budget for 2021 when compared to 2020, while another 50% saw no increase in their budgets.

Read the full article here.