Opening a Gateway to the Waves: Maritime Academy Launches Visionary Program to Empower Kenyan Youth

Bandari Maritime Academy Launches Groundbreaking Work-Study Program to Power Kenya’s Blue Economy

Mombasa, Kenya – In a bold stride toward unlocking Kenya’s maritime potential, the Bandari Maritime Academy has launched a transformative new initiative aimed at nurturing a skilled generation of local seafarers and marine professionals to anchor the country’s growing blue economy.

Unveiled on June 16, the academy’s ambitious program introduces an innovative “work-study” model—a first of its kind in Kenya’s maritime training sector. Under this scheme, students from disadvantaged backgrounds will be able to offset tuition costs by working part-time within the academy, allowing them to gain practical experience while pursuing their studies.

Designed with equity and empowerment at its core, the initiative is not just about education—it’s about creating pathways out of poverty and into opportunity. The academy has also committed to securing scholarships and grantsthrough collaborative partnerships with government agencies, private maritime operators, and international development organizations.

“This program is more than a financial aid model—it’s a talent accelerator,” said a senior academy official. “We are preparing Kenyan youth to compete globally while building a resilient, homegrown maritime workforce.”

Located at the heart of Kenya’s busiest port city, Bandari Maritime Academy has long been positioned as a strategic driver of human capital for the blue economy—a sector that includes shipping, fisheries, offshore energy, marine tourism, and ocean conservation. With this new model, the institution aims to remove long-standing barriers to entry and deepen inclusion in an industry poised to become one of Kenya’s largest economic engines.

Analysts say that if implemented effectively, the initiative could significantly boost local participation in maritime professions, reduce dependency on foreign labor, and enable Kenya to tap into the $24 trillion global ocean economy.

As the tides of opportunity rise along Kenya’s coastline, the academy’s work-study program offers young people more than just an education—it offers them a lifeline into the future of one of the world’s most promising and underutilized economic frontiers.