Education and training in waterborne transport is vital to the shipping fleet industry. Ocean transport training and waterborne transport education are vital to the framework of activities needed to sail a transport vessel successfully from point A to point B and successfully deliver the goods they have been tasked to transport.

Education and training in waterborne transport can include information on owning and managing vessels; cargo port and terminal management; ship yard repair facilities; marine insurance underwriting, ship chartering, admiralty lawyers, engineering and research companies as well as integrating transportation of good with intermodal systems like trucks and railroads to distribute US and foreign goods around the country.

But the most important element in a productive merchant fleet and a strong transportation industry is people - men and women who are intelligent, dedicated, well-educated and competent. To find the right waterborne transport training for you:

1. Determine what your career end goal is and work your plan backward from there.

2. Assess the time you have to commit to waterborne transport training of this type.

3. Set a budget for your waterborne transport education. What are the tuition costs? What are your room and board costs? What are your supply costs, etc?

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Pursue your education and training in waterborne transport while getting paid to do it

Obtain your ocean transport education through government entities as opposed to private organizations.

I recommend: Consider training through the United States Merchant Marine Academy. the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy offers maritime transport training to help shipboard officers become leaders in the transportation field. Think about going into the Navy to pursue your waterborne and ocean transport education. Both entities offer basic skills to start you on your waterborne transportation training.

Familiarize yourself with the industry before pursuing ocean transport training

Ocean transport training should only be went after you have confirmed that it is the course of study for you. Take the time to familiarize yourself with the industry before jumping in.

I recommend: Check out the Transport Times for worldwide transportation information. Look at the Ocean Transportation page from SupplyChainBrain.com. Find out from PetroStrategies, Inc. how the petroleum industry takes advantage of waterborne transportation to transport crude oil.

Supplement your waterborne transport training

Supplement your waterborne transport training with other resources. Consider increasing your knowledge on the subject before jumping into maritime transportation training or a career in the field.

I recommend: Supplement your waterborne transportation education teaching materials with books such as TRB’s Transportation Research Record. Look at the waterborne transportation education and public information offered by the Maritime Transport Sector Observatory.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  The structured waterborne transportation training setting of the US government-backed waterborne transport education programs will give you a strong foundation in the working world once you finish your assigned commitment time. You can easily turn your military training into a civilian career once you exit your chosen military organization.