The IMU has been established as a Central University by the Government of India under an Act of Parliament, namely, the Indian Maritime University Act 2008.
The Indian Maritime University, established through an Act of Parliament on 14/11/2008 as Central University, is poised to play a key role in the development of required human resource for the maritime sector. The Indian Maritime University, being the first of its kind in the country will cater to the educational requirement of the maritime fraternity. It is a teaching and affiliating University which will offer degree, post graduate degree and research programmes in all disciplines of maritime sector.
The University will integrate into its fold the existing seven maritime academic institutions, namely, National Maritime Academy - Chennai, T S Chanakya - Mumbai, Lal Bahadur Shastri College of Advanced Maritime Studies & Research - Mumbai, Marine Engineering Research Institute - Mumbai, Marine Engineering Research Institute - Kolkata, Indian Institute of Port Management - Kolkata and National Ship Design & Research Centre - Visakhapatnam.
The academy was established in 1985 with the technical assistance from UNDP/ UNCTAD to offer courses of reputable standards. It is credited with ISO 9001:2000 Certification and accredited as grade 1 rating by ICRA.
The academic infrastructure includes 23 class rooms (out of which 11 class rooms are air conditioned) equipped with audio visual aid.
For training the deck personnel, the campus has a state-of-the-art Ship Maneuvering Simulator having the capability to generate images of various types of ships and port approaches in diverse operational and climatic conditions. Engine room personnel get trained on Engine-room Simulator capable of creating different types of faults and emergencies.
Students get hands-on training in the fully equipped machine shop and workshops for plumbing, electrical, pneumatic, fitting, hydraulics etc. Laboratories for Chemistry, Physics & Navigation are available for training students. A computer lab with internet connectivity exposes students to various computer applications.
It has one of the best maritime libraries in the country with more than 8,000 books, journals and magazines in the maritime sector to augment the academic studies of the students / participants.
The Audio Visual division produces video films for training and marketing. It has an archive of over 600 titles on DVDs covering a gamut of marine and port operations.
Training Ship Chanakya (T.S.Chanakya), the shore based successor to the Training Ship Rajendra (1972-1993) & Training Ship Dufferin (1927-1972), is situated off Palm beach road in an area of about 40 acres.
The campus spreads across North-South, parallel to Palm Beach high way at Navi Mumbai. The campus comprises of Administrative block, Scholastic block with class rooms, faculty/staff rooms, library, laboratories and common rooms, Fire fighting complex, Power station and pump house, Marine engineering work shop, two hostel blocks, Catering block, Sports ground, Olympic size swimming pool, Laboratories such as: Physics / Electronics, Computer, Seamanship, Navigation, Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), Environmental Sciences, Marine Engineering Control Station & Chart room, Gymnasium etc
Lal Bahadur Shastri College of Advanced Maritime Studies & Research (LBS College) is a premier post-sea Maritime Education & Training Institute offering a comprehensive range of courses for Merchant Navy Officers. The college is housed in a modern seven-storied building situated on a six-acre site at Hay Bunder and its two adjacent hostel blocks overlook the picturesque harbour of Mumbai with its islands and the mainland to the east.
LBS is one of the largest marine training institutions in the world, with over 1200 students, offering 46 post-sea courses which run almost concurrently. The courses meet the standards of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) as well as those of the Government of India.
The college is fully equipped to meet the requirement of marine officers afloat and ashore. About 70% of Indian officers afloat are employed on foreign flag ships, as a result of the high quality of education and the subsequent high level of professionalism and competency maintained by LBS.
Marine Engineering and Research Institute (M.E.R.I), Mumbai formerly known as Directorate of Marine Engineering and Training D.M.E.T. was established in 1949 by the Govt. of India, when the need was felt to train Marine Engineers separately.
The main aim and commitment of D.M.E.T. was to prepare young cadets into fine marine engineers by imparting paramilitary type training with academics and marine workshop training.
Same dedication and commitment is continuing over the last 60 years and it is the M.E.R.I.’s heritage and trust of shipping Industry which took many cadets to various levels of competence on ships and ashore. The many assignments taken by ex-cadets of M.E.R.I. also include a well deserved posting at U.N.
As the shipping was expanding and need for more qualified persons was felt and gates were open to graduate engineers, M.E.R.I. started a one year training programme to adopt Graduates in Mechanical Engineering / Naval Architecture to become a Marine Engineer. Since 1975 M.E.R.I. successfully trained 1994 G.M.E. cadets and they are doing very well in shipping and related industries. The course duration of one year was converted into 6 months in college + 6 months on board to cater industry needs.
Again when the need was felt to have officers trained both in Nautical & Engineering streams, the polyvalent officers course was conceived at M.E.R.I. Mumbai which was given the task of starting the course at a short notice. MERI rose to the challenge of putting syllabus & curriculum in place and the course was commenced in August, 2003 with 15 cadets. The cadets are selected through IIT-JEE examination and till date MERI successfully trained 74 cadets and the reports from shipping companies are very encouraging.
It is always M.E.R.I.’s privilege to set the standards and a bench mark for others to copy and achieve. M.E.R.I.’s achievement is that the cadets are absorbed by shipping companies before they pass out. It’s the trust of shipping industry which makes M.E.R.I. stand tall among all maritime training Institutes.
Marine Engineering & Research Institute (MERI), Kolkata - symbolizes the birth of Marine Engineering training in India. The Institute was established at the onset of Independence in 1947 to satisfy the growing need of marine engineers in India. The Institution earlier named as Directorate of Marine Engineering Training had its headquarter in Calcutta and a branch at Bombay, under Ministry of Shipping (Government of India). The Institute has been renamed Marine Engineering and Research Institute in 1994. MERI was a dream project of a new India as it was expanding its horizon in the maritime field, starting with an initial intake of 60 cadets, today about 300 young highly motivated Engineers are passing through her hallowed portals.
After 60 years since its inception MERI is regarded as the most acclaimed Marine Institute around the world. Starting with a four year- training course, today, MERI's students receive a Degree in Marine Engineering, duly approved by AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education). It has quality management system as per ISO 9001 :2000 standard in place and accredited as grade one institution by CRISIL.
It has latest state-of –the art infrastructure and facilities for maritime education and training and satisfies the requirement to conduct STCW-95 convention of IMO courses.
The students, apart from shipping, are also well established in areas such as administrative services, management, entrepreneurships etc. Its alumni marine engineers presently manning the shipping world over are regarded as one of the finest marine engineers.
The Indian Institute of Port Management (IIPM) is located at Subhas Bhavan, near port area, offers training for port & Marine personnel & undertakes projects. Port wing conducts training programmes on various areas of Port Operation and Management. The Marine wing conducts post sea modular & competency courses for maritime personnel. The project wing undertakes consultancy and research works in the maritime field. The Institute offers one year PG Diploma Courses on three different subjects in collaboration with Netaji Subhas Open University. The Institute has highly experienced faculty, simulators, training vessel and class rooms for conducting various programmes.
The objectives of National Ship Design & Research Centre (NSDRC) are to promote & develop design & research activities for shipping & shipbuilding, improve efficiency and productivity of shipbuilding and shipping sectors, assimilate knowledge with reference to advancement in maritime technology in the world & dissemination thereof to elevate the Indian Maritime Sector to keep it abreast with international standard. It prepares long and short term plans for research and development in maritime sector. It also promotes the development of maritime standards in the fields of ship design and construction. It offers consultancy and training programmes in various fields connected with shipping, shipbuilding and other maritime activities.
NSDRC is situated in an extent of 5 acres land. The office is having Main Building Complex consisting of 3 floors with centralized A/C situated in a plinth area of about 4140 Sq.m, consisting of Seminar Hall and Canteen. In addition, it has residential accommodation for officers and staff.
NSDRC is catered with LAN consisting of six servers and more than fifty computers, with advanced softwares for ship designing. The library has one of the finest selections of technical documentation to cater to the information needs of Technical, Managerial personnel and Research Scholars.