Trainees going through a swimming session under the guidance of thei trainer//Photo Courtesy
The Kisumu Maritime Centre in Kisumu County under the directorship of Vitalis Leo, a marine engineer spanning many years is the leading maritime institution in Nyanza region.
In an exclusive one on one with The Nyanza Review at the maritime centre’s premises alongside Lake Victoria’s Ngege beach in Kisumu West constituency today, the facility director said that the maritime institution is duly certified and accredited by both the Ministry of Education and the Kenya Maritime Authority purposely to offer maritime education and training to seafarers from the international and local labour markets.
“The maritime administration is awarding certificates that meet the requirements of the merchant shipping training and certification under the international convention on standard training certification and watch keeping for the seafarers 1978 (STCW78) as amended,” he said.
Leo at the same time emphasized that the key objective of the maritime institution is solely to provide education, training, knowledge and skills to the seafarers, fishermen as well as the maritime stakeholders so as to improve their working conditions by continually conducting skilled training to produce better maritime labour for sustainable social economic development.
On the Coxswain course, the director said that the key objective is to equip the trainees with the Knowledge, understanding and the proficiency to work as a Coxswain and also be able to command a commercial maritime vessel upto 24m in length with the propulsion power that is unlimited for outboard or upto 500kw of an in board Passengers and cargo.
He said although there are no entry requirements for Coxswain course, experience on and around boats would be an added advantage, adding that the trainee must be medically fit with some basic education.
“To be eligible for the issue of a certificate of proficiency (COP), a Coxswain trainee must meet the requirements of the Kenya Maritime Authority as contained in the Kenya Maritime Authority code and the notification including satisfactory completion of the approved programs which includes eyesight and medical test,” he said.
The duration of the Coxswain course is six weeks with the course fee of sh50,000.
The course units comprises Basic navigation skills, small vessels regulations, short range communications, compasses, steering and vessel handling as well as basic engineering.
On assessment and examination, the institution director said candidates are required to pass the examination administered by the center in conjunction with the Kenya Maritime Authority.
He further said that the candidates are required to undertake final assessment conducted by the maritime administration approved examiners before being issued with a certification proficiency.
Kisumu Maritime Center’s gate// Photo Courtesy
The director said on successful completion of the Coxswain course, the candidates will be awarded a certificate of proficiency (COP) Coxswain.
Other courses being offered at the maritime training institution include the Standard Training Certificate and Watch Keeping for Seafarers (STCW) whose training duration is 10 days with a training fees of sh25,000. Rating forming part of the Deck watch where the applicants are required to have passed either KCPE or KCSE exams, must have served on board vessels not less than 500 gross tonnage (GRT) for a period of 12 months or more. This course takes a duration of 3 weeks at a training fee of sh60,000.
The other course being offered include Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boat with a training fees to the tune of sh60,000. The trainees are required to have passed either KCPE or KCSE exams and must have served in vessels not less than 500gross tonnage (GRT) for a period of 12 months or more with a duration of 3 weeks.
