CMU Marks Maritime Awareness Week from September 23-27

The Caribbean Maritime University will be celebrating Maritime Awareness Week 2024 from September 23 to 27, with a series of activities under the theme ‘Navigating the Future: Safety First!’

Speaking in an interview with JIS News, CMU President, Professor Andrew Spencer, said the observance underscores the critical role that the maritime sector plays in Jamaica’s economic growth and sustainability.

“As an island nation, we are uniquely positioned to lead in areas such as logistics, shipping and marine engineering, which are vital to both our local and regional development,” Professor Spencer said.

“The week’s activities, which range from thought-provoking discussions to hands-on innovation challenges, are designed to engage our community, particularly young Jamaicans, and inspire them to see the endless opportunities within the maritime industry,” he added. He noted that the events will highlight the sector’s capacity to drive prosperity and resilience for generations to come, “whether it’s empowering young women through our ‘Women in Maritime’ initiative, encouraging engineering students to create impactful solutions, or fostering awareness about our nation’s maritime resources”.

Maritime Awareness Week will begin with a Media Day on Monday (September 23), which will entail a press conference to officially launch the week of activities.

The event will focus on CMU’s expansion into the region, a significant milestone in the University’s mission to broaden its impact across the Caribbean.

Executive officials from CMU will provide details about the expansion plans, highlighting how the strategic move will enhance maritime education and training in the region.

The press conference will also include a tour of CMU’s state-of-the-art facilities and the Kingston Harbour aboard the Port Authority’s Jamaica III vessel.

On Tuesday (September 24), there will be a Campus Talk and Tour with a focus on women in the maritime industry.

Female students from high schools across the country will be hosted by the University and given an opportunity to interact with special guest Superintendent of Pilotage at the Port Authority of Jamaica, Dr. Hortense Ross-Innerarity, the first female to hold that position within the organisation.

An Innovation Challenge will be held on Wednesday (September 25), where engineering students will be engaged in developing solutions that will benefit Jamaica’s economy and the maritime and manufacturing sectors.

The winner’s award is being sponsored by the Airports Authority of Jamaica (AAJ).

On Thursday (September 26), which will be observed globally as World Maritime Day, the University is aiming to collect at least 50 units of blood to support the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS), through a blood drive from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.

The week will culminate with an Open Day dubbed ‘Maritime Mania’, which will see the involvement of entities from the industry such as the Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ).

Maritime Awareness Week is an observation of the MAJ, in collaboration with key partners such as CMU, Shipping Association of Jamaica (SAJ), Port Authority of Jamaica, Kingston Freeport Terminal Limited (KFTL), Kingston Wharves Limited and Women in Maritime Association of the Caribbean (WiMAC).