A Special Milestone
Message From the President, Professor Evan Duggan
Forty years of existence is a very special milestone in the history of our distinctive institution – The Caribbean Maritime University.
Indeed, we have made significant strides in a relatively short time and maintained a progressive trajectory despite glitches here and there. We are repositioning ourselves to achieve much more as we continue to exploit new opportunities to engage the wider maritime community.
We take very seriously, our aspiration to be the region’s center of excellence for tertiary maritime education, training, and consultancy.
In this our 40th year, the COVID-19 pandemic has altered our trajectory, somewhat. But as we make our way through these unchartered waters it has become even more important to ensure the appropriate functioning of global supply chains and the facilitation of the safe operation of maritime trade which accounts for approximately 80% of global commerce. In these difficult times, the ability for shipping services and seafarers to deliver essential goods, including food and medical supplies, is central to our well-being and, indeed, to our survival.
Technological advancements have altered the boundaries of human and other activities and previous limitations have become mere challenges. The maritime sector will remain resilient, and surge even further. But in order to benefit from the new opportunities, we must be exquisitely prepared. We must earnestly recommit to enhancing our capabilities even as we celebrate significant milestones, by continuing to invest in training and talent development.
As an important element of its vision, the CMU embraces the notion that the maritime industry has a critical and unique role to play in advancing education, reducing poverty, addressing gender inequality, and stimulating economic growth in the Caribbean.
We continue to embrace the commitment to make this institution a first-class University, an important agent for accelerating change in this domain, and for facilitating the success of our students through the experiences we create together.
We will continue to maintain our focus of attracting outstanding students, servicing the needs of our clients, enriching our stakeholder experience, strengthening collaborative arrangements with sister institutions internationally, contributing to the enhancement of our visibility, and cementing our reputation for excellence.