STUDENT PROGRAM

The Association of Basque Shipowners has been cooperating with the Basque Government, through the Directorate of Ports and Maritime Affairs, in the fulfillment of its objectives, among them, the support to the maritime transport sector and the organization of practical and theoretical training programs that allow the recycling and improvement of future and future professionals of the Merchant Marine.

As a result of this collaboration, the Association has managed since 1993 a program of embarkation of students of the Nautical Schools in the associated ships, in order to perform the compulsory practices for obtaining the academic and / or professional title of the Merchant Marine.

This project was initiated in coordination with the Nautical School of Bilbao, which currently belongs to the School of Engineering, where the Degree in Marine and the Degree in Nautical and Maritime Transport are taught. Since then, this program has covered more than 2,700 shipments of students, thus contributing to the training of future professionals in the sector and to the development of the Basque Merchant Marine.

Watch video FIRST SHIPPING

The Association is also committed to promoting the vocation of the maritime profession through a program of visits to schools initiated in 2019, which aims to introduce new generations to the sector and the wide range of professional opportunities it offers.

These visits consist of the presentation of a video in which both professionals of our associated shipping companies and other professionals of the sector have participated, with the collaboration of the Basque Government. Its main objective is to make visible, through first-person testimonies, this profession, sometimes unknown to students, as well as the possibilities offered by our sector, thus promoting the much-needed generational replacement.

After attending these talks, students who show interest can join the students of the UPV/EHU’s Higher Technical School of Nautical and Naval Machinery, sailing to the next port of call on the training ship “Saltillo”, which, guided by the initiative of the Directorate of Ports and Maritime Affairs of the Basque Government, annually carries out its traditional summer coastal trip. This way, they experience firsthand how the sailing practices are applied to the knowledge acquired during the university course and their participation in the planning and preparation of these voyages. It is an experience that will undoubtedly allow them to visualize themselves as future seafarers.

On June 26, 2018, the XXV Anniversary of collaboration between the Basque Government and the Association of Basque Shipowners in practical training programs for Merchant Marine professionals was held at the Ria de Bilbao Maritime Museum.(See Panel XXV Anniversary of the Program)