Kerala as Centre of Maritime Excellence: Education Conference on Dec 2

KOCHI:
Propelling Kerala’s efforts to establish the state as a centre of excellence for maritime education, Kerala Maritime Board (KMB) is organising a conference that will bring together experts, educators and industry leaders and senior bureaucrats next week to chart the future of education and innovation in shipping and allied sectors.

The Kerala Maritime Education Conference (KMEC) in the city on December 2 will provide a platform for thought leaders, top educators, industry experts and government officials to discuss collaborations in port, shipping and related sectors as well as shape the future of maritime education on the subject and its interdependent branches. With focus on aligning with the maritime industry’s rapid growth, the conference will feature panel discussions and keynote speeches promoting innovative ideas that can enhance training and research in the field.

Minister for Cooperation, Ports and Devaswom V.N. Vasavan will inaugurate Monday’s event at Bolgatty Palace and Island Resort, setting the ball rolling for proceedings that will offer networking opportunities for stakeholders to connect with domain leaders, academic scholars, and policymakers so as to strengthen the relationships within the sector. For more information regarding the opportunities at the event and to be a part of it, contact +919544410029.

Sujith Vijayanpillai, MLA, will be the chief guest at the opening session, while Principal Secretary (Fisheries & Ports Department) K.S. Srinivas will deliver the keynote. Among other speakers is Chairman Cochin Port Authority B. Kasiviswanathan IRSME.

The event will feature keynote addresses and panel discussions by experts such as Director General Shipping Shyam Jagannathan, World Maritime University Executive Board Member Sanjam Sahi Gupta, Gujarat Maritime University Vice Chancellor Dr S. Shanthakumar, Adani Vizhinjam Port CEO Pradeep Jayaraman, among others.

While the discussions will cover topics such as key challenges, trend, and the future of maritime education, the delegates will also get opportunities to ask questions and seek clarifications, thus contributing to the discussions, organisers said. “Such is the potential of partnerships in the sector that the conference can benefit both industry and academia,” said N.S. Pillai, Chairman of the KMB which controls, manages, and operates the 17 non-major ports in Kerala. “We are giving special focus to implementing practical solutions to the educational challenges in the maritime sector”.

Fostering a direct role in shaping the future of maritime training in Kerala, the 2017-formed KMB has ensured the participation of key people from top institutions at the conference. They will be from Cochin University of Science and Technology, DP World, Vizhinjam International Seaport, Indian Maritime University, AMET University, Additional Skill Acquisition Programme and Kerala Academy for Skills Excellence.

Amid sustained efforts to bolster links between the state and the innovative technology sector for a suitable ecosystem, the government has listed Maritime and Logistics under a list of 22 priority sectors as per the New Industrial Policy.