Solent Uni Maritime Education Training & Research
Solent Uni Maritime Education Training & Research
Solent Uni Maritime Education Training & Research
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Executive summary
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Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.....................................................................................................................................2
1.0 THE MARITIME HISTORY OF SOLENT UNIVERSITY, SOUTHAMPTON .............................................................4
2.0 INVESTMENT AND RELOCATION ..................................................................................................................7
3.0 MARITIME EDUCATION AND TRAINING AS A STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE .......................................................8
3.1 NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY AND MARITIME STRATEGY ....................................................................................... 8
3.4 INTERNATIONALLY.............................................................................................................................................. 13
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1.0 The maritime history of Solent University, Southampton
Maritime education and training is the University’s second-oldest roots. It dates back to 1902
when it was granted university college status, known as the Hartley Institute of the
Southampton University College (later University of Southampton) and based in South Hill in
the city of Southampton (Aldridge, 1996).
In 1932, it merged with the Gilchrist Navigation School offering courses for both nautical and
civil air navigation. Residential cadet courses began in 1937 with cadets completing a sea
preparatory course and 1939 the school moved to a new home at South Stoneham House in
Swaythling where it remained until 1946.
During the Second World War the school remained open to train mariners, all students and
cadets joined the Local Defence Volunteers (Home Guard) and additional courses were
created for existing officers from the armed services and abroad. By 1942 the school had over
180 sea cadets in training and it was decided the school should be moved to a larger campus,
which incorporated the existing HMS Tormentor operations base, just outside the village of
Warsash.
By 1946, the entire school had moved to Warsash and included over 316 students and 32 staff
(with the name of the college now officially recorded as the Southampton School of
Navigation). In 1957 a new building programme at the college began to replace the existing
temporary WW2 structures. Three new residential blocks were created, as well as a refectory
building and a new teaching block. By 1967, a new teaching block had again been constructed
and the school was now offering tanker courses as well as a BSc in Nautical Science. By 1972,
the school was the first institution in the world to offer simulation for the education of deck
officers, followed a few years later by the worlds’ first marine engine room simulator.
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In 1969, Yacht Design undergraduate course was launched which over the years evolved and
gained an international reputation. It provides essential skills in both the design and
production of yachts and commercial crafts. The course has been developed in conjunction
with the industry and is routinely updated to ensure it serves the industry needs.
In 1970, the school removed itself from the governance of Southampton University. By 1978,
the school had purchased additional grounds and had built a new fire ground. In 1984, the
college went through a significant change, when it merged with the Southampton College of
Technology, meaning that for the first time engineers were trained on the same campus, as
merchant navy deck officers.
The merger of the Southampton College of Art, Southampton College of Technology, and the
College of Nautical Studies at Warsash led to the establishment of the Southampton Institute
of Higher Education in 1984, the predecessor to Solent University. The school was renamed
Warsash Maritime Centre and went through a period of building expansion which included a
new pier, library and engineering block. It was not until the 1990s that the college would
again change dramatically when in 1996 some of the campus on the eastern side of Newtown
Road in Warsash was sold to provide funds for a new internationally acclaimed manned model
training facility in Marchwood, which moved to Timsbury Lake in 2011.
In 2004, a new Maritime Business undergraduate programme was launched to produce
graduates for taking on the mid-level to senior-level management responsibilities in the
growing support industry around maritime trade. Students learn real-world problems derived
from the maritime industry, explore the practicable applications of theoretical and technical
concepts and processes, and develop an analytical approach to problem-solving along with
teamwork, managerial, and effective communication skills.
In 2006, the Warsash Maritime Centre became Warsash Maritime Academy, and by then ran
courses for more than 800 officer cadets and thousands of maritime professional short course
students throughout the year as the UK’s pre-eminent officer cadet provider. By 2014, the
School had outgrown its ageing facilities, which were limiting further growth and innovation
and which were also starting to damage the reputation. A strategic review led to the decision
to relocate parts of the School back to Southampton, the University’s home base and the
centre of the local maritime cluster. To fully unleash new strategic opportunities the Warsash
Maritime Academy fully merged with the University’s Maritime and Technology Faculty in
2015 to form the School of Maritime Science and Engineering, which in 2017 was renamed
Warsash School of Maritime Science and Engineering.
For over six decades the name ‘Warsash’ has been closely associated with the highest
standard of maritime education and training in the UK. Whether Warsash Maritime Centre,
Warsash Maritime Academy or Warsash School of Maritime Science and Engineering, the name
‘Warsash’ is recognised promptly by the maritime community the world over. So, despite
relocating the majority of the maritime education and training provisions away from Warsash,
in 2017 the Senior Management in the University felt the importance of retaining the name
Warsash in the name of the School and making Warsash Maritime Academy a defunct entity.
With its new structure, new facilities backed by significant investment and a strong workforce
the School is now placed at a good position to further expand its business and its leading role
in maritime education and training on an international level.
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Location of Solent University in the South of England
Over the years the University’s maritime provision has developed a range of USPs which
differentiates it from its competitors both on national and global levels. It:
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2.0 Investment and Relocation
Maritime education and training has been located at Warsash since the 1940s, and the site
has been developed incrementally over the years to respond to evolving regulation and
demands from the marine industry, as well as to accommodate specialist equipment and
technology required for training. Following the completion of a review initiated in early 2014,
it was recognised that there was a need to bring maritime education and training onto a long
term sustainable footing equipped to meet the challenges of the 21st century and exploit
opportunities to increase capacity to train and educate more seafarers to address the growing
skills gap in the UK and globally.
However, the accommodation and facilities in Warsash were no longer able to offer it as it
was unviable for repair while some of the buildings (the Cadets' residence Hudson, Shackleton
and Wilson, linked walkway and refectory block Moyana) were listed in the Government
National Heritage List for England. Several options were considered by the University,
including renovating all of the facilities and buildings on the Warsash Site, the sale of the
entire Warsash Site and relocating or leasing existing facilities in and around Southampton.
After careful consideration the decision was taken to separate Warsash Campus into the
Upper Site, in which the classroom and simulation-based learning took place, and the Lower
Site, in which hands-on Safety Training, involving fire, survival and medical courses were
conducted. The latter had to be in close proximity to water and in a place where firefighting
courses could also be carried out, while the Upper Site could be sold off to commercial buyers
and the teaching facilities relocated to a convenient location in Southampton.
The first phase of this investment took place over the summer of 2017 for relocating the
classroom-based and engineering workshop provisions for officer cadet training to a
refurbished and dedicated space, the Austen Building, within the Southampton City College
facilities. The facility was put into use from Sep 2017. Austen Building is located within 15
minutes of walking distance from the University’s main campus at East Park Terrace (EPT)
which helped the cadets experience the same level of facilities as the rest of the students in
the University. The officer cadets now enjoy a distinctive modern teaching environment,
including brand new engineering workshops, a welding area, electrical and control
laboratories and Marine Electro-Technical Officer (METO) workshops. The facility was
inaugurated by HRH Princess Royal on 18 Jan 2018 and is highly appreciated by the maritime
world.
Over the summer of the year 2018, floors 4, 5 and 6 of the Reginald Mitchell Building in EPT
were refurbished for moving the majority of the offices and teaching provisions for merchant
navy senior officers, superyacht certification, maritime safety management, and leadership
and security courses from Warsash Upper Site. Upon completion, in Sep 2018 the newly
refurbished offices and classrooms were occupied by the students and staff across the School
including those involved in teaching Maritime Business, Yacht Engineering and Senior
Seafarers. The project was supported by Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) funding.
The third and final phase of the move from the Warsash Upper Site was completed with the
opening of the Gosling Foundation Maritime Simulation Centre in May 2019. The new Centre
combines all forms of simulation-led training facilities in the maritime provision under one
roof. The School was the worldwide-first institution to pioneer the use of simulation in the
1970s and by investing in the latest technology it continued to maintain its leading position
globally. This facility is the largest ship and port simulation training centre in Europe and
includes sophisticated leading-edge simulators for the education of deck officers, engineering
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officers, marine pilots, naval architects and those working in transport and transfer of oil
and gas. As well as providing students with an unrivalled facility, the simulation centre is
extensively used for commercial contracts, consultation and research. The centre attracts
business from all over the globe and helps to cement the University’s standing in the
international maritime industry. This latest facility also demonstrates how the University has
responded to the need to provide the workforce with the skills necessary to keep pace with
technological change. The facility was formally opened by the President of the UK Chamber
of Shipping on 21 May 2019. LEP funding and philanthropic donation from Gosling Foundation
supported the build.
2019: Modern facilities for maritime education and training in Solent University
The University is now in the middle of delivering the final phase of the University’s Maritime
Strategy 2020, i.e. the refurbishment of the Safety Training Centre located in the Lower Site
in Warsash. This practical training complex focuses on maritime and offshore fire, medical
and survival training.
The University’s national outputs directly support the maritime sector’s £17.0 billion Gross
Value Added (GVA) contribution to the UK economy and the 220,100 jobs across marine,
shipping, maritime business services and ports. With the inclusion of additional value
generated by jobs in associated industries that supply the maritime sector, and the spending
of employees’ wages, this rises to £108.8 billion GVA and 1.1 m jobs (Cebr, 2019a). In a time
when the country is working to boost productivity, it is critical to recognise that the maritime
sector’s productivity is 42% higher than the national average. It also contributes £5.3 billion
to the exchequer in tax.
Today, maritime is the fundamental enabler of British global trade – 95% of all goods are
moved by ship and through ports – totalling over £500 billion. The sector also innovates and
manufactures its own products and services. With cutting-edge technology, high-quality
design & manufacturing, unparalleled expertise in services and major investment
opportunities, the UK is a globally competitive maritime centre.
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The University has directly shaped Maritime 2050, the UK government’s vision for the future
of the British maritime sector. Published in January 2019, the vision sets out an “ambition to
be a world-leading maritime nation long into the future” (Former Secretary of State for
Transport, The Rt Hon. Chris Grayling MP). Nusrat Ghani MP, the then Parliamentary Under-
Secretary of State at the Department for Transport with responsibility for maritime,
highlighted the importance of the “welfare and talent of our maritime people”. “Without
them, their dedication and high-quality skills, the maritime industry simply would not
function,” she wrote in her Foreword. The maritime industry is the enabler for UK
manufacturers and suppliers to reach out into international markets, and the University is a
major player in ensuring that the industry’s education and skills are enhanced for the future.
Also, as an international educator and with a physical presence in many countries around the
world, the University is sharing its expertise to give overseas students the benefits of the
institution’s comprehensive offer.
The insight and guidance offered by the University will be critical to addressing the issues
highlighted by the Department for Transport’s Maritime Growth Study which forecast a
shortfall of around 3,500 trained UK deck and engineer officers at sea by 2021. In addition,
a report by Oxera Consulting (2015), which discusses the international competitiveness of the
UK Maritime Sector, suggests that if the future supply of seafarers does not increase from
2010 levels, there will be a global shortfall of around 80,000 seafarers by 2020. As highlighted
in Maritime 2050, the role of universities in addressing this gap is crucial, as is setting
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benchmarks for the promotion of industry standards in safety, regulation and seafarer
welfare.
Utilising the school’s significant expertise, the University has effected change in maritime
industry regulation, law and wider public policy. It significantly contributed to the
development of Maritime 2050 by responding to the call for evidence and hosted a roundtable
discussion in the House of Commons, chaired by The Rt Hon. Admiral the Lord West of
Spithead, the University’s Chancellor at the time. As part of the development of the UK
Maritime 2050 strategy the University was asked to host a number of workshops for the
Department of Transport.
2018: Nusrat Ghani MP, Shipping Minister interacted with cadets in Solent University
The University is also regularly and closely consulted by the UK Maritime and Coastguard
Agency (MCA), the executive branch of the Department of Transport which regulates
maritime affairs. The MCA often develops new regulations based on research and other
insights of the University’s professional practice, such as the research into seafarer’s fatigue
or the insight into skills fade of seafarers.
Brexit and with it a higher reliance on international trade outside the European Union will
further increase the strategic importance of maritime transport. The UK government is also
considering the implementation of free ports, with Southampton as one first ports under
consideration.
STEM Subject
The maritime provision in the University sits comfortably with the government’s objectives
to increase education in STEM subjects. The demand for STEM subjects in the UK such as in
manufacturing, software, IT and construction is on the rise with the rate of growth of
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employment predicted at an average rate of 12% between 2014 and 2024 while the
replacement demand in the same period in these professions is rising at a faster pace of at
least around 30% (UK Commission for Employment and Skills, 2016).
LEO and DLHE
The maritime graduates will also substantially assist the University’s Longitudinal Education
Outcomes (LEO) data. In the last Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DHLE)
commissioned by the Department for Education (DfE) in 2017, 97.3% of Warsash cadets were
in a professional or managerial job six months after graduation as compared to 71.0%
nationally. Warsash cadet graduate salaries also compare favourably and are 55.8% above UK
average.
HEIF
The University receives annual Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) funding for
knowledge exchange activities. 80.5% of the University’s HEIF award relates to NCB (Non-
Credit-Bearing) income, all of which barring a few outliers are received from conducting
maritime professional short courses. Furthermore, the School contributes to the HEIF award
with consultancy income.
As a joint-lead partner of wider Solent-based consortium of HEI, FEI and industry, Solent
University is also considering to submit an application to the DfE for funding for an Institute
of Technology (IoT). The pre-application, submitted in March 2020, focuses on level 4-6
provision for ‘Green Maritime’, ‘Transportation and Logistics’ and ‘4th Industrial Revolution’.
SMarT Funding
The importance of the sector is also evident from the fact that successive UK governments
have continued to support maritime education and training in the country through a
dedicated Government support knows as Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) scheme
(SMarT, 2018). It has been running since April 1998 which started with an annual budget of
£12 million and supports courses approved by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA,
2020) and the Merchant Navy Training Board (MNTB) for the training of officers, officer cadets
and ratings. The Government’s principal objective in supporting merchant navy training is to
facilitate an adequate supply of UK maritime expertise to meet the nation’s economic and
strategic requirements. The funding covers up to 50% of actual training cost and is for the
sponsoring companies to claim on behalf of trainees who are enrolled in the scheme.
In 2013 the SMarT budget was increased by £3 million to £15 million a year. This was in
recognition of the importance of sustaining the UK’s skills base for this important sector.
Furthermore, in April 2018 the Government announced doubling of its commitment for SMarT
to £30 million annually by introducing SMarT Plus Scheme with the aim to increasing cadet
intake from 750 to 1200 annually and extend the support to newly qualified SMarT Plus
officers to gain the 12 months sea time experience that is required to enable them to progress
to their second Certificate of Competency. The move clearly shows that British cadets and
their high standard of maritime education and training provided in the UK MET such as in
Solent University, Southampton are seen as a strategic priority for the Government (Support
for Maritime Training (SMarT) Funding, 2020; Written statement to Parliament: Support for
maritime training, 2018; Guidance: Support for maritime training (SMarT), 2018).
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Survival Courses in Safety Training delivered in Solent University, Southampton
3.3 Regionally
Twenty per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership
(LEP) area, where the institution is based, is created by marine and maritime-related
activity. The region’s port exports over £40 billion of manufactured goods each year and over
90 per cent of it to outside the EU. The city has nine shipping lines, with 110 sailings to 52
ports in 40 countries each month, and is Northern Europe’s biggest cruise port with over five
million passengers a year. The Solent LEP strategic plan identifies innovation as driving 70
per cent of long-term economic growth and outlines the role of universities in supporting
innovation and generating economic advantage.
As outlined in a report of the Centre for Economics and Research (Cebr, 2019b) the maritime
sector comprises 20% (or £5.8 billion) of the Solent area's regional economic output and
provides 152,000 jobs (direct, indirect and induced). The broader region is recognised
globally as a centre of excellence for marine and maritime, and work undertaken through
the LEP’s Innovation and Business Support Delivery Panel highlighted marine data (including
the development of marine vessel autonomy) as having high-growth potential. The economic
plan recognises the direct contribution of £6.7 m. per annum that the University is generating
from IP, research and consultancy and the role that its facilities, expertise and technical
support play in achieving this.
The Solent Skills Advisory Panel's Local Skills and Labour Market Analysis has identified that
changes in job context and type of job tasks performed are expected to create a need for
higher level qualifications in the Solent region. Over a 10-year period, at least 93,600 job
openings (39% of all jobs) are projected to require a Level 4+ skill.
The region is also home to the Headquarters of the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency
(MCA), an executive branch of the Department for Transport which takes the role as the
regulator for Port and Flag state related activities, to Lloyds Register, one of the world’s
largest maritime classification society, and to the UK’s Royal Navy.
On a longer-term basis, a project is underway at Fawley Waterside, the site of a disused
power station, to build a new “smart” city, with new facilities in support of state-of-the-art
digital and marine technology development. This will support an estimated 2000 jobs. This is
one of the largest brown-field redevelopment projects in the UK. The developers have
identified the University as a stakeholder in informing the process of the development.
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Regional Importance of Solent University, Southampton
3.4 Internationally
Over 90% of the global trade by volume is moved by cargo ships which require around 1.7
million seafarers to operate. The need for highly qualified seafarers is growing globally and
is increasingly taken up by the labour from places such as China, Philippines, India and
countries in Eastern Europe. However, in the more niche areas, such as in the offshore
industry, local ferry business, gas and such other alternative fuel trade, cruise sector and
superyacht business there is a significant demand for the seafaring labour from the more
traditional maritime nations, such as the UK.
The reliance on seafarers may in the future change gradually due to the growing use of
automation, however, for the foreseeable future there are clear indications from multiple
sources (see ICS, 2020) that the demand for officers is growing (it grew by 24% in the last five
years) which means there will be a shortfall of approximately 16,500 officers globally. It is
projected that as digitisation and automation begin to have a greater impact in the sector,
there would be a change in the requirement of seafarers’ skill sets and knowledge base in
areas such as information technology and data management which METs such as Solent
University, Southampton would be able to deliver.
The other and equally crucial development in the sector at an international level is the
pressing need for reducing emission by, for instance, moving to alternative fuel, such as
Liquid Natural Gas. In order to meet the emission target set by the International Maritime
Organisation (IMO) the ship’s officers as well as those supporting from ashore would also need
to be upskilled as it will bring in new safety challenges of working with low flashpoint fuel.
These two developments alone would lead to a demand for considerable upskilling of those
serving the industry and not necessarily lead to a reduction of training the seafarers
(UNCTAD, 2019). The University is continually building its knowledge base through research
and innovation and the use of both digital (Maritime Simulation Centre) and physical
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(Timsbury Lake) simulation in the University and evolving its course structure to bring in the
most up-to-date knowledge to the classroom.
In the UK, the key maritime Institutions are in Glasgow, Fleetwood, South Shields and
Southampton. Among them Solent University, Southampton has maintained its leading
position and its identity as the quality provider globally and by offering a wide range of
courses relevant to the sector. It is fair to say, that on an international stage, no other
institution engaged in maritime and education has cut an enviable reputation for the high
quality of its tuition. The same was also evidenced in the audit report of the European
Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), the European Union agency charged with reducing the risk
of maritime accidents, marine pollution from ships and the loss of human lives at sea by
helping to enforce the pertinent EU legislation:
“… few of the other institutions audited by EMSA across Europe and other
regions of the world have demonstrated such a comprehensive approach [as
Warsash] to quality management, course design, development and continuous
improvement.”
The Department for International Trade, which is keen to export UK maritime training and
education, has asked the University to develop maritime training and education provided in
other countries such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. As a result
of its reputation, the University is also part of an Erasmus project with partners in Germany,
Finland and South Africa, undertaking research on effective capability building in maritime
education for South Africa, in support of their Government’s plans to develop their maritime
economy. In the same vein, the University is also undertaking a study on how to increase the
standard of maritime education and training in the Philippines, the largest global supplier of
maritime workforce.
Also, in 2019, the University was identified by the Universities UK International as one of the
key potential players in the UK for delivering the Skills for Prosperity Fund project which
required maritime expertise from the UK to be transferred to Further and Higher Education
Institutes in Indonesia.
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Boats built by Yacht Design students in Solent University, Southampton
What makes the University distinctive from other education providers is that it covers the
full range of education for professionals who make a contribution at sea as well as ashore in
various capacities, such as in the ship operation, port management and international
logistics, yacht and powercraft design, maritime business and international logistics. It has
also identified new opportunities to attract learners, for example, developing specialist
maritime units in business-related qualifications. The latter point is significant. Recent
trends show that functional specialists recruited from outside the maritime industry in areas
such as human resources and finance need support with ship-to-shore qualifications. In
response to this trend, the University has blended maritime studies with other parts of its
portfolio, including business and law, media and communications, psychology and
environmental science courses.
Its track record of delivering excellence as one of the world’s most comprehensive maritime
education training and research providers is best demonstrated by focusing on its
achievements in three areas: a) education and training; b) research; c) public policy.
Shipping is an inherently international industry and it is therefore not surprising that a large
proportion of the maritime students are international. Approximately, 58% of the students
are from UK, 22% from the EU/ EEA while 20% are International.
Greece which owns 49% of European fleet and as a major player globally is ranked as one of
the leading maritime nations in the world. The mutual maritime connection between the two
nations is reflected in the growing partnership between Solent University, Southampton and
the Metropolitan College in Greece. Since 2016 the franchise partnership as well as research
collaboration between the two institutes have been on the rise. At present there are nearly
400 franchised students on the maritime programmes including cadet course and maritime
business studying in Metropolitan College, Greece.
The University has also been often tasked in the past to write model courses for the
International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the United Nations agency with responsibility for
the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution
by ships, meaning that many of the course conducted worldwide are based on the work of
the University’s staff. The University’s research has also informed and influenced the
international maritime policymaking by the IMO.
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4.0 Research and Knowledge Exchange
The highest standard of maritime training and education in Solent University, Southampton
draws from its strength in research and knowledge exchange. The School pioneered in the
use of some of the key facilities such as the bridge, engine room and liquid cargo operations
simulators as well as the specialist ship handling training facility, which is the only one in the
UK, and one of only a few major centres in the world, and are routinely used for research
purposes. The University’s engagement with the industries both internationally and locally in
the wider maritime sector has led to the growth in the research profile as its aims to make
the sector smarter, sustainable and socially responsible.
With its long history and association with shipping, ports and seafarer training, maritime
research is one of the University’s major strengths. The focus is on applied research, which
aims to find a solution to an immediate problem facing an industrial/business organisation or
society. Funded projects are delivered in partnership with businesses, industry regulators,
non-government organisations, policymakers and academic partners in the UK and beyond.
Research expertise includes a specific focus on maritime training (including the use of
technology) for employment, health and safety, gender and welfare. For example, the
University’s research on human factors at sea is undertaken collaboratively with key industry
stakeholders, such as the Lloyds Register Foundation and the TK Foundation in the UK and
overseas with engagement and contribution from UK and regionally based marine businesses.
It aims to strengthen the long-term resilience and sustainability of the industry through
greater workforce diversity and risk reduction. This focus on human factors is complementary
to technological and environmental research undertaken at other prominent institutions such
as the National Oceanography Centre, with whom the institution has worked collaboratively
on several research projects.
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4.2 Recent research projects
Gender, Empowerment and Multicultural Crews (GEM)
Research into seafarer’s welfare and on-board experiences has drawn on the unique access
to data from current and former maritime students at the University, as well as comparable
data from China’s Shanghai Maritime University and Nigeria’s National Maritime Academy.
This has helped to establish patterns relating to the welfare of seafarers, particularly women,
and how they are treated on board in today’s multicultural working environment.
The research recommendations reveal a range of measures that may lead to further
engagement of women with the industry, both from a macro and micro level. The
recommendations also highlight potential solutions to help support seafarers and enable them
to feel safe on board regardless of their gender, nationality, or rank.
The project strives to improve the welfare and working conditions on board for all crew, by
empowering and supporting women who may be experiencing discrimination and harassment.
It has identified gaps in current knowledge, raised awareness of the wider issues surrounding
multicultural crews, so that women seafarers can be supported in addressing them and play
a fuller role on board ships and beyond.
The project was shortlisted for the 2017 Research Project of the Year: Arts, Humanities and
Social Sciences award at the Times Higher Education Awards
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with the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea 1972 (Colregs) is
furthermore pivotal to maritime safety. Machine execution of the Colregs has been
investigated in limited circumstances.
Project MAXCMAS developed a comprehensive capability and demonstrate satisfactory
execution in real-world representative sea trials. Including a demonstration of autonomous
control of a USV for mine counter measure operations, and broader USV applications along
with navigational support for larger conventional vessels.
A key innovation included the use of Solent’s networked bridge simulators to investigate
human reaction when encountering an autonomous vessel.
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• Development of a hydrogen fuel cell module for use in various types of ships.
• Concept of hydrogen bunker facilities for a port.
https://www.interreg2seas.eu/en/ISHY
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research and innovation that makes a real impact on industry, including a specific focus on
maritime education and training (including the use of technology), employment, health and
safety, gender, and welfare.
The University also has a developing area of research relating to sustainability and resilience,
including environmental accounting, life cycle assessment; environmental impacts, and
modelling. Other areas of research include materials science and additive manufacturing;
acoustics; computer networks, immersive technologies, multimedia communication, and
software engineering; as well as sustainable design and the built environment.
Research conducted in the maritime areas in the University feeds into the development of
its teaching portfolio and helps in routinely updating the teaching content. The courses are
modernised regularly as per the University’s regulations as well as the regulations set by the
MCA, which is the professional body in the UK for the maritime sector. Between 2018 and
2020 all maritime sub-degree and HE courses have undergone a review of the curriculum in
line with the most recent pedagogic research. These include professional CPD courses, sub-
degree vocational education and HE level maritime education both at undergraduate and
postgraduate levels. Maritime teaching offered in Solent University may be broadly divided
into three categories. 1. Seafarer Education and Training, 2. Maritime Business, and 3. Naval
Architecture.
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Revision of curriculum in maritime courses as per the latest pedagogy
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Engineering workshop facilities in St Mary’s Campus, Solent University, Southampton
Similarly, the International Maritime Employers' Council (IMEC) has approached the University
to undertake an assessment of the training standards in the Philippines and train the local
trainers such that the quality of Seafarer Education and Training in the country is enhanced.
IMEC is keen that ultimately the seafarers they employ on their ships are safer and more
knowledgeable. A similar training programme was delivered by Solent University in early
2010s while this new initiative is much bigger and is currently underway.
The courses in Seafarer Education and Training at Solent University, Southampton are:
a) HND/ HNC Nautical Science
b) FD Marine Operations
c) FdEng/ HND/ HNC Marine Engineering
d) FdEng/ HND Marine Electro-Technical Officer
e) Maritime Professional Courses
f) Professional Yacht Deck Courses
g) Professional Yacht (Small Vessel) Engineering Courses
h) Fire Training Courses
i) Medical Training Courses
j) Survival Training Courses - Maritime Survival
k) Survival Training Courses – Offshore
l) Engine Simulation Courses
m) Marine Communications Courses
n) Bridge Simulation Courses
o) Liquid Cargo Simulation Courses
p) Marine Pilot Courses
q) Manned Model Ship Handling
r) Petrochemical
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insider knowledge and understanding of the way in which this complex and dynamic industry
operates. The course is designed to enable graduates to make an immediate contribution in
the workplace. It specialises in the areas of maritime trade, brokering and chartering, law
as well as maritime logistics such as ship management and port operation. These courses are
accredited by the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS) and the Chartered Institute of
Logistics and Transport (CILT), and are developed with the knowledge and expertise of the
employers in the industry.
Two specialised online postgraduate courses are ideally suited for students who are working
in the shipping industry or are planning to make a move into the area. They help develop
understanding of legal claims, liabilities, disputes and commercial relationships within the
context of international trade practice, help solve complex problems in ship safety
management and shipping operations. Each student has their own dedicated academic tutor
and study partner, and studying online is made interesting, interactive, and engaging by
forums, wikis, reflective journals and video presentations. The course content are developed
and run by industry experts who also monitor students’ work-based projects.
The two other more traditional postgraduate courses offer a rich blend of theoretical
knowledge and practical skills and prepare graduates for careers in ship management or port
operations/ management. Students also reflect on the key aspects of maritime law,
operations and risk management techniques and look at the impact of international trade on
management strategies in the industry. These also go wider than core shipping and port
management and offer subjects in the areas of international supply chain management for a
better appreciation of intermodality, integrated multimodal door-to-door logistics approach.
The list of courses offered in this area can be found below:
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The success of the undergraduate provisions led to the recent launch of a new postgraduate
provision. Its focus is on sailing and motor yachts over 24 metres in length. This course is not
just for naval architects and students of yacht design, but also provides a route for suitably
qualified marine engineers and certified deck officers the opportunity to develop their
qualifications. Blending naval architecture, management and structural design, the students
develop their knowledge and understanding, to develop their own designs, or investigate
aspects of a design.
Towing Tank in Solent University, Southampton used by Yacht Design students, and in Research
These courses benefit from ‘real-world’ assignments and industry guest lectures while those
students with industry experience and/or sponsorship will be asked to incorporate elements
of their work in their project.
The list of courses offered in this area can be found below:
a) BEng (Hons) Yacht and Powercraft Design
b) BEng (Hons) Yacht, Design and Production
c) MSc Superyacht Design
24
FE Colleges Universities Private providers
University of Southampton
Warsash, Solent University
University of Plymouth
Strathclyde University
Newcastle University
Petans Norfolk
RelyOn Nutec
Cadet Education P P P P P
Senior Seafarers P P P P P
Superyacht P
Safety Training P P P P P P P P
Maritime Simulation P P P P P P P
Ship Handling P
Management P P P P P P P
Tanker/ Offshore P P P P P P P P P
Maritime Law P P P
Naval Architecture P P P P
Maritime Business P P P
Range of maritime courses offered in Solent University compared to the other providers in the UK
25
Contribution of the maritime sector to the UK economy. (Source: Maritime 2050 Strategy, DfT)
The University educates seafarers from all ranks, starting from ratings or officer cadets who
have never been to sea, though to the most senior’s masters and chief engineers.
It is crucial to recall that many seafarers of senior ranks are sought after for shore-based
roles also. According to a report by Oxford Economics (2016) stakeholders highlighted a large
number of sectors where former seafarers are essential or preferred.
Besides seafaring, the University produces graduates who routinely find employment in all of
the four sectors, namely Marine, Ports, Shipping and Maritime Business Services.
The University’s graduates are employed and in many cases found in the leading capacities
in a number of these sectors within the wider maritime sector, such as in
• Classification societies
• Shipping/ marine/ maritime consultancy
• Government, notably the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA)
• The Maritime Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB)
• Ship owners, managers, brokers and charterers
• Maritime business services, such as finance, insurance and law
• Maritime logistics, freight forwarding, supply chain management
• Ship building
• Ship Management and Operations
• Ports, Terminal Management and Ship Agency
• Trade bodies
• Training and education
• Maritime communication
One of the key functions of the Senior Management Team, therefore, includes close liaison
with a number of external stakeholders. For instance:
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Large International Shipping Companies
The maritime programmes have excellent commercial and industrial partnerships ensuring
real-world learning and wide range of relevant professional development opportunities.
Approximately 65% of all course enrolments in the seafarer education and training are
directly paid by a company and as such almost all shipping companies with global significance
count amongst the University’s customers servicing all relevant shipping sectors.
National Shipping Companies
In addition to large international shipping companies, the University also counts most national
shipping companies amongst its clients. Due to the location in Southampton, Europe's leading
turnaround cruise port and home to the UK fleets of the largest cruise line operators in the
world, Carnival, there is a strong affinity to the cruise ship sector and thus the number of
officer cadets sponsored by cruise ships would be slightly over-represented.
Public sector
The School educates and trains a large number of public sector employees, predominantly
from the Home Office, the Ministry of Defences, and the Department for Transport, including:
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7.0 Key external stakeholders
MCA
The UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) is the executive branch of the Department of
Transport responsible for all Flag- and Port-State duties, including the responsibility of the
training and certification seafarers. It is the relevant governing PSRB in the maritime sector.
The MCA’s headquarter is in Southampton and a large number of its staff is formed by our
alumni.
MNTB
The Merchant Navy Training Board (MNTB) is a subsidiary of the UK Chamber of Shipping and
accredits UK cadetship programmes. It is headquartered in London. The University is
represented on its main board as well as the Technical Committee.
Training Management Companies
These companies manage cadets on behalf of shipping companies who do not have their own
training management function. There are four significant training management companies in
the UK: Clyde Maritime Training, Ship Safe Training Group (SSTG), Chiltern Maritime Training
and V Ships.
SIGTTO
The Society of International Gas Tanker & Terminal Operators (SIGTTO) is an industry body
that represents all relevant global companies involved in the production and transportation
of gas. The University is the only provider of maritime and education which has been
accepted as a member. It is headquartered in London.
IMEC
The International Maritime Employers' Council (IMEC) is the only international employers'
organisation dedicated to maritime industrial relations. Established over fifty years ago, it
represents over 250 shipping companies which together operate about a quarter of the
world’s fleet and has recently relocated its headquarter to Southampton.
Lloyds Register
Lloyd's Register Group is a technical and business services organisation and a maritime
classification society, wholly owned by the Lloyd’s Register Foundation, a UK charity
dedicated to research and education in science and engineering. The organisation dates to
1760. The maritime classification part of Lloyds Register has recently been relocated to
Southampton.
International Maritime Organization (IMO)
The IMO is a specialised agency of the United Nations with 174 member states and is
responsible for regulating shipping which is the only UN agency headquartered in the UK,
London. Its primary purpose is to develop and maintain a comprehensive regulatory
framework for shipping including safety, environmental concerns, legal matters, technical
co-operation, maritime security and the efficiency of shipping. Many of the University’s
lecturers have contributed to IMO working groups over the years and the University’s students
are regularly invited to observe the general assembly sessions.
28
Solent students at the IMO head table during a visit to the IMO HQ in 2018
Royal Navy
The UK Royal Navy is headquartered in nearby Portsmouth. The maritime provision has
historic links to the Navy dating back to WW2 and has recently re-established a much closer
relationship. The University has been invited to advise the Second Sealord in matters
concerning maritime education and training and to be part of its newly established Maritime
Enterprise Zone.
Solent LEP
The Solent LEP is currently finalising a new 5-year growth strategy which will focus on the
‘blue economy’, and further strengthen the Solent region as the UK’s preeminent maritime
cluster and as the UK’s capital for coastal renaissance, with a strong emphasis on climate
change and new technologies, on all areas which align well with the University. Solent LEP
has offered us support for the development of the maritime facilities in the University.
29
The shipping industry will not be able to meet the emissions targets set by the IMO (which
will be transposed into national law) by continuing to run marine-grade diesel fuels. The only
large scale solution in the medium term is to change the fuel to Liquid Natural Gas (LNG).
Operating a ship with low-flash point gas on-board does however inevitably require much
higher safety standards and different operating procedures. The University has long history
of offering safety courses to those working on ships carrying LNG. It also offers some very
technical and high-end Liquid Cargo Operations Simulation (LICOS) training for operators
these systems and counts many of the world’s largest companies producing and operating gas
amongst its clients. The demand is global, customers are willing to pay a premium for these
courses and this is a significant growth area. The University is also the only education
establishment worldwide with approval from the Society of International Gas Tanker and
Terminal Operators (SIGTTO). Future ships will have to make greater use of renewable energy
(such as wind power), with the University ideally placed to exploit this area through its yacht
design provision and renewable energy engineering provision.
The other large trend is Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) vessels becoming an
increasing part of the modern maritime industry. Currently, the majority of autonomous or
remotely operated marine platforms are utilised for survey and measuring (e.g. hydrography,
oceanography, off-shore technologies) in near-shore or controlled areas outside of major
shipping routes. Full-scale autonomous and remote-controlled ships are being developed,
tested, and increasingly discussed. For example, Rolls-Royce and Finferries ferry ‘Falco’
operating in Finland (Rolls-Royce, 2018) and the unmanned SEA-KIT vessel, controlled
remotely by shore-side operators (Wärtsilä, 2017). Critical to the issue of safety as the uptake
of MASS technologies increases is the changing role and skill requirement of seafarers. It is
unlikely humans will be entirely replaced by machines, but roles will demand new ways of
working and new skills. The University is ideally and uniquely placed to lead this development
on a global scale and its recent success in winning the bid for the IGNITE project, which was
jointly submitted with Wartsila, the global leader in smart technologies and complete
lifecycle solutions for marine and energy markets, is one such testimony.
30
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