Ceyline’s CINEC offers quality seafarers to the world

Sri Lankan seafarers are in demand for their quality training and continue to serve global carriers becoming a cut above the rest, a feat achieved through the initiation of the Colombo International Engineering and Nautical College (CINEC) at Malabe.

The nautical college run by the Ceyline Group of Companies has recently entered into a joint venture agreement with CMA Ships under the CMA CGM line to train and recruit Sri Lankan seafarers onboard their vessels as a long term partner, Ceyline Chairman Hemantha Jayanetti said in an interview with the Business Times.

Developing a skilled workforce for the crews of shipping lines is what CINEC does since it was established in 1990 and has over the years expanded into other areas of education as well.

The organization is tying up with other international institutes as well in a bid to provide a higher quality education like the University of Wolver Hampton and the Dalian Maritime University in China.

The fact that most of the students obtain employment even prior to completing their studies was an indicator of the relevant skills accrued to obtain a job, Mr. Jayanetti said.

With over 300, 000 passing their Advanced Level examinations in Sri Lanka, he noted that there was a massive number of students that need to gain higher education apart from those entering the local universities.

As a member of the World Maritime Universities, the CINEC has proved that they are serious in the quality of education they provide with lecturers from the industry with proven track records and qualifications to train the future of the maritime industry.

The college is currently the sole owner of a simulator on which students are able to train on to obtain a hands-on approach to what it is actually like to go onboard a vessel.

CINEC has been able to attract a few students from countries like India, Pakistan, Iran, the Maldives, Bangladesh and Seychelles, he noted.

Moreover, CINEC is currently managing the Seychelles and Fiji Maritime Academy and College which are state-run institutes, Mr. Jayanetti said.

They are also working with Seaspan, one of the largest container ship owners in Canada, the German Reederei Nord, Rickmers Group in Germany, Wilhelmsen Ship Management company in Norway and Orion Bulkers in Germany.

CINEC is able to provide about 240 crew members for the CMA CGM ships based on the joint venture out of the 3000 students that pass out annually from the college, it was noted.

The shipping industry is capable of attracting a workforce with the attractive salary structures as well with the lowest ranker earning US$1200, the Chairman explained.

“Our strategy has been we would provide quality that is above all these countries like the Philippines, India and China with whom Sri Lanka could not compete in numbers,” he said.

One of the key challenges faced by CINEC in the delivery of their training is to obtain international vessel operators to provide space for the students to obtain onboard training, Mr. Jayanetti said.

Should they be able to obtain relevant assistance in this regard, CINEC is hoping to open up the degree programmes as well to international students in the future.

They currently also have a few berths on the state run Ceylon Shipping Corporation vessels providing training to their students based on the availability, it was noted.

The shipping industry is capable of attracting a workforce with the attractive salary structures as well with the lowest ranker earning US$1200