ABS has signed an agreement with the Admiral Makarov State Maritime Academy (AMSMA) initiating a new cooperation between the two organisations.
Based in St Petersburg, AMSMA has a total of nine faculties offering a wide array of marine- related courses including postgraduate studies and doctorate programmes. One of the main aims of AMSMA is to prepare the next generation of Russia seafarers to serve on Russia’s expanding commercial fleet. To date AMSMA is the only academic institution offering specific training courses for cadets serving on vessels transiting the North Sea Route.
The ABS AMSA cooperation includes merit-based scholarships, seminars on topics such as LNG and environmental issues together with practical training for selected Academy cadets in shipyards with ABS survey personnel.
The co-operation between the two organisations got off to a fine start with ABS participation at the AMSMA 135th anniversary celebrations in St. Petersburg earlier in the year. This provided an opportunity for the cadets and staff of the Academy to learn more about the ABS organisation and its classification services.
In July 2011 the first group of Academy cadets started their practical training at Lisnave Shipyard, Lisbon, under the supervision of Fernando Tomas, an experienced former ABS Surveyor.
Under his tuition, the three cadets, Aleksandr Kudryashov, Vasiliy Suvorov and Oleg Bashkirev, together with their lecturer, Dmitry Ishakov were given a comprehensive insight into surveying vessels at the shipyard. They also experienced firsthand the role the classification society has with the local equipment and service providers. The cadets were enthusiastic students and benefitted from Fernando’s experience as their coach, mentor and companion for their stay. According to the cadets and their lecturer it was an excellent learning experience, which has added great value to their studies and one which they all thoroughly enjoyed.
Arrangements are now being made for a second group of cadets and a lecturer to do similar, practical shipyard training in the forthcoming months.
ABS extends its thanks to Lisnave and the respective ship-owners whose cooperation has facilitated the success of this cadet training initiative.

News source: Maritime Activity Reports, Inc.
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