Maritime Education & Training

Solutions

In the shipping industry, the most important mission is to deliver customers’ cargo safely and reliably to its destination. This safe transport is supported by the solid knowledge and skills of MOL’s seafarers.
Building on more than 140 years of expertise and robust safety measures, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) provides continuous training for seafarers to deliver high-quality ocean transport services.
To develop human resources who sustain essential maritime transport for daily life, MOL has established comprehensive training programs, contributing to improved safety and the sustainable growth of the shipping industry.

On board a ship, accurate judgment is constantly required when dealing with the natural environment. A moment of carelessness or an incorrect decision can lead to serious accidents, endangering lives and causing severe damage to a company’s social credibility.

To prevent such risks and provide safe, reliable, and high-quality maritime transport services, systematic and practical training programs are essential.

At MOL, high-quality education and training are continuously delivered so that seafarers acquire correct knowledge and advanced skills, enabling them to perform their duties with safety as the top priority—without ever becoming complacent about danger.

MOL maritime education and training Philippines Training Center

To avoid repeating the mistakes experienced throughout MOL’s more than 140-year history, past accidents have been analyzed objectively, and training programs have been developed to address the issues identified.

To pass on accumulated knowledge, MOL has established training centers for group companies at seven locations across six countries worldwide, starting with a domestic training center in Japan in 1937 and an overseas training center in the Philippines in 1993.

These centers continuously provide high-quality training to seafarers at all levels—from newcomers to experienced professionals, including both Officers and Ratings.

MOL provides education not only for licensed seafarers but also from the basic stage for future maritime professionals who will be responsible for safe operation.

As an example, Spirit of MOL, MOL’s training ship that commenced operation in 2007, produced more than 2,200 cadets (officer candidates) before retiring in 2013.

Furthermore, MOL opened the MOL Magsaysay Maritime Academy (MMMA) in the Philippines in August 2018 to share expertise cultivated through many years of education and training, aiming to achieve the world’s highest level of safe operation.

While safe operation is the foundation, the required training varies depending on cargo type and vessel size.

At MOL, diverse courses combining deep knowledge, advanced skills, and state-of-the-art facilities are offered to ensure the safe transport of customers’ cargo.
In addition, classroom sessions and certain simulator training programs can be taken online, providing a flexible learning environment.

MOL’s instructors have extensive experience as Captains and Chief Engineers, supplemented by shore-based assignments. Many are certified trainers and recognized specialists with a profound understanding of the shipping industry, delivering high-quality education for continuous in-house human resource development.

The Bridge Simulator training serves a wide range of purposes, including preparing for an assignment on a larger vessel or a different type of vessel, berthing and unberthing under limiting wind conditions, familiarization for seafarers assuming the role of captain for the first time or newly hired Deck Officers, improving teamwork skills, and even reproducing accident scenarios for response training.

Training areas include numerous coastal and port settings, with precise replication of shore landscapes and radar displays. Trainees can experience realistic vessel behavior based on numerical calculation models under diverse conditions—day or night, twilight, clear skies, rain, snow, or fog.

The bridge Simulator is equipped with navigation instruments and actual equipment comparable to those on large vessels, enabling not only familiarization with normal operations but also training to handle intentionally induced abnormal situations. This approach cultivates advanced ship handling techniques and crisis response capabilities tailored to real-world operations.

MOL Maritime Training and Education Features of Engine Room Simulator Training

Engine room simulator training at MOL provides not only fosters ordinary Engineer duty operational skills, but also emergency response training that is difficult to conduct on actual equipment. In addition, we offer Engine Room Resource Management (ERRM) training in a highly realistic environment, where multiple engineers work together using all available equipment and information to prevent chains of human error.

Furthermore, practical exercises using actual main engines and generators aim to develop comprehensive engineering skills—from understanding engine principles and structure to routine operation, inspection and maintenance, and even large-scale overhauls.

MOL’s comprehensive programs range from classroom courses covering basic and advanced knowledge of cargo characteristics and handling methods for vehicles, containers, crude oil, chemicals, and LNG, to familiarization training for loading and unloading operations using VLCC and LNG Simulators.

The VLCC/LNG Simulators feature a replica of an actual console, allowing trainees to operate knobs and buttons while observing instrument panels that replicate real-world behavior. This enables them to master cargo handling procedures through both cognitive understanding and tactile experience.

Because the training can be repeated in short cycles, it accommodates a wide range of levels—from familiarization for less experienced seafarers to refresher courses for veterans and emergency response drills.

MOL Maritime Education and Training Practical Deck/Engine Skill Training — Scenes from mooring operations training

For Deck and Engine department Officers and Ratings, MOL offers programs that combine classroom instruction for acquiring knowledge with hands-on training using actual equipment. These programs cover safe working procedures on board, the use of major tools and equipment, and maintenance and inspection practices.

In the Deck department, trainees learn a wide range of onboard tasks—from basic rope work and painting to operating hydraulic equipment such as mooring winches and anchor chains.

In the engine department, practical exercises include electrical work using real switchboards and welding practice in dedicated booths for electric and gas welding, enabling participants to acquire skills from the basics to advanced techniques in a short, intensive period.

Additionally, at MOL’s facility in Montenegro equipped for lifesaving and firefighting drills, seafarers can take STCW basic training, including handling lifesaving equipment and survival exercises for drifting at sea. These programs comprehensively enhance both safety awareness and practical skills.

To achieve the world’s highest standards of safe operation, understanding safety from multiple perspectives is essential. MOL’s safety education programs teach individuals and teams to identify hazards, adopt safe behaviors, and learn concrete crisis management techniques.

Program content ranges from basic knowledge for new hires to specialized expertise for Ship Safety and Security Officers, as well as root cause analysis capabilities for accident response.

Through these initiatives, MOL aims to foster a strong safety culture among all seafarers and continuously raise the organization’s overall safety standards.

MOL has enhanced training equipment to reflect real-world operating conditions.

Programs utilize a wide range of facilities, including Bridge Simulator, Engine Room Simulator, VLCC and LNG Cargo Handling Simulators, Welding Booths, and switchboards, enabling seafarers to acquire practical skills in a short period of time.

These facilities support a variety of objectives—from familiarization with normal operations to emergency response and teamwork training—aiming to comprehensively strengthen both safety awareness and technical proficiency among seafarers.