World Maritime University Students meet the Minister for Transport and Communications

Twenty-three students from nineteen different countries, attending the Port Management MSc. Course at the World Maritime University (WMU), and who are accompanied by Prof. Bernard Francou, lecturer at the same university, paid a courtesy visit to the Hon. Censu Galea, Minister for Transport and Communications.

This is the fifth consecutive time that students from the WMU are visiting Malta under the patronage of the Malta Maritime Authority (MMA). The students hail from Cape Verde, Morocco, Guinea Bissau, Malasia, Mexico, India, Kiribati, Tanzania, Bolivia, Kenya, Haiti, Colombia, Liberia, Nigeria, Eritrea, Indonesia, Jamaica, Lithuania and Thailand. Their visit forms an integral part of their post graduate course leading to the Master of Science degree in Port Management.

Welcoming the students, Minister Censu Galea, dwelt on the fact that Malta is one of the leading flag states in the world, but most of all it is an important maritime centre in the Mediterranean. He also spoke about the growing recognition of both the WMU and the International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) that was set up by the IMO in 1988. Most of the students who graduated from these organisations are now employed in the maritime sector of their respective countries.

The Malta government, through MMA, strongly believes that training is one of the cornerstones in human resource development. Five MMA employees have already benefited from the IMO's training programme and have graduated in the two institutions that is WMU and IMLI.

Malta through MMA regularly takes part in the deliberations of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). It also participates actively in the technical co-operation programme which is aimed at enhancing the competence of member states in maritime affairs.

During their stay in Malta these students will have the opportunity to visit various maritime organisations in order to observe their activities closely, particularly the Merchant Shipping and Ports Directorate at the Malta Maritime Authority, Malta Freeport, Mediterranean Offshore Bunkering Co. Ltd. and Sea Malta.