MOMBASA County—Jan 19, 2026—Bandari Maritime Academy has launched a new intake of cadets into its cadetship programme in partnership with Danica Crewing Agency (DCA), aiming to address a longstanding gap in mandatory sea-time training for students in Marine Engineering and Nautical Science.
Speaking during the launch, Academy CEO Dr. Eric Katana highlighted that Kenyan maritime students face challenges completing the required 12 months of sea-time due to the absence of a national training ship.
“As a country, we do not have a training ship, and we rely on our partners to provide sea-time opportunities through various shipping companies,” Dr. Katana said.
To bridge this gap, the Academy, in collaboration with the State Department for Shipping and Maritime Affairs and the Kenya Maritime Authority, has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) on Certificate of Competence under Regulation 1/10 of the STCW Convention with several countries, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Dominican Republic, the Republic of Palau, the Republic of Panama, and the Republic of Liberia.
Talks are also at an advanced stage with Singapore on recognition and endorsement of certificates under the same regulation.
The Academy maintains a database of 120 cadets requiring mandatory sea-time.
Currently, 43 cadets are onboard various shipping companies, while seven have completed their cadetship.
During the launch, 10 cadets were formally inducted into Danica Shipping Company, whose operations span Germany, Cyprus, Ukraine, the Philippines, Indonesia, Georgia, India, and the wider Indian Ocean region.
Dr. Katana emphasized that the Academy remains committed to ensuring all cadets receive the necessary sea-time training to meet industry standards and contribute to the evolving shipping sector.
