Maine Maritime to add new Center for Professional Mariner Development

William J. Brennan, President of Maine Maritime Academy (MMA), Castine, Me., recently announced today that the academy has completed the purchase of a four-acre parcel of land at a former paper mill in neighboring Bucksport, Me. It will be the site of new Maine Maritime Academy Center for Professional Mariner Development (CPMD). This will be an annex facility providing specialized courses for professional mariners, academy-enrolled students, and workforce development.

For professional mariners, the center will meet the demand for courses that enable mariners to receive certification and credentialing to meet maritime regulatory and industry-sector demands.

“The Center for Professional Mariner Development will both support MMA’s mission and programs and generate revenue to help support the academy’s financial future,” said Brennan. “This is a public-private venture, which we are building in a phased approach to ensure that we can steward the finite resources MMA has to devote to the enterprise while simultaneously cultivating private and other funding sources.”

The new training center includes an existing 20,000-square-foot administration and instruction building, which will house classrooms, offices, training labs, simulator spaces, and conference rooms equipped with A/V technology and videoconferencing. Maine Maritime Academy will take occupancy of the property in the fall, following renovation work that is planned for the building.

FIREFIGHTING TRAINING

A state-of-the-art, multi-purpose firefighting training facility will be built on the property and is expected to be operational in the spring of 2020.

The fire training facility will also meet the professional development needs of municipalities, counties, and the state in the training of police, wardens, National Guard, and hazardous waste and chemical first-responders.

Additionally, the CPMD will provide workforce development training for cargo/dock personnel, shipyard skills such as welding, and electrical safety training.