Fund gives maritime college K5.8 million

 By JAYNE SAFIHAO

A NOD of K5.8 million via the incentive fund, was given to the PNG Maritime College (PNGMC) for its college infrastructure development last Tuesday in Madang.

The incentive fund is a partnership between the PNG and Australian governments, funded through the Australian government aid programme, which supports well-managed organisations to access funding for innovative projects that have a strong developmental impact for the people.

 PNGMC, an exemplary organisation with sound accountability practices, has also been accredited by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) as the best world class maritime institution and it had included PNGMC on the “white list’ of compliant institutions.

PNGMC provides training up to master class one and engineer class one.

Their certificates of competency are reviewed by the standards of training and certification of watch keepers (STCW) convention. 

A recent review was in June last year with one scheduled for May this year. The review  qualified PNGMC to be on the “white list”.

This white listing has further boosted their status now with the timely assistance from the fund.

Incentive fund chairman Dr Thomas Webster said that their goal was to deliver significant and tangible economic development outcomes for all and saw that PNGMC was a well performing institution.

“We are impressed with the college and know that our helping will contribute to the nation building in terms of providing class seamen and women within and out of our shores,” he said.

The first grant facility of the K5.8 million will go towards upgrading two of the existing navigation simulators, the second for the construction of a survival training complex where offshore and shore site persons in helicopter operations will do safety courses and the final component of the grant would go towards a new girl’s dormitory and library.

The fund under its former name, Australia-Papua New Guinea incentive fund had given K5.9 million previously to PNGMC.