Prime Minister Bruce Golding has described the work being done at the Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI) as "a lit candle under a bushel".

Speaking at the graduation ceremony of CMI on November 12, the prime minister said the programmes offered were peculiar and unusual in nature, but possessed the capacity to meet present and future market demands, both locally and internationally.

He noted that Government's investment in CMI was well spent and implored the institute to bring its programmes and activities to light.

The graduation ceremony which was held at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel saw CMI breaking ground with the first cohort of graduates with a bachelor of science degree in port management, and logistics, and supply chain management as well as a Bachelor of Engineering in industrial systems.

In total, 148 students graduated with bachelors and associate degrees and diplomas in disciplines including logistics and supply chain management, port management, international shipping, industrial engineering, industrial systems operations and maintenance, navigational watch and engine room watch.

Partnerships helped

Fritz Pinnock, executive director of CMI, said the institute's partnerships with international schools, as well as MoUs, have helped the institution to grow significantly.

"The Blue Ocean Strategy which is the basic philosophy that drives the entire operations, vision and mission of the CMI is manifested in the scope and depth of the institute's strategic alliances with Ivy League institutions within and outside of the maritime sector worldwide," Pinnock said.

The graduation attracted members from the international shipping community including Germany's chairman of Harren & Partners, Peter Harren; and managing director, Captain Heiko Felderhoff; Belgium's Exmar Shipmanagement's, Captain Emmanuel Aguirre and Walter Van de Werf; president of Luxury Yacht Group, Rupert Connor; CFS' Frank Wellnitz, Captain Helmut Heinrich and Andy Schorlemmer; the president of Zim America, Ramon Shaul; and vice presidents of Zim, Nehama Bikovshy and Amos Aloni.

CMI is a unique organisation serving the Caribbean region and beyond. In keeping with its vision to produce industry-ready maritime logistics leaders, the institute boasts a high placement record with some 90 per cent of its bachelor of science degree and bachelor of engineering students being gainfully employed or pursuing higher studies and 100 per cent of the students who successfully completed the Officer in Charge of Watch programmes are on contract at sea or awaiting commence-ment of their sea service.

CMI is a statutory organisation within the Ministry of Transport and Works and in partnership with the Port Authority of Jamaica and the Shipping Association of Jamaica.