10 February 2016 12:00 am
The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS) UK said it has signed a Tripartite Co-operation Agreement with China’s Ministry of Transport and China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone, to launch the International Shipping Professionalism Development Programme.
The agreement creates the first shipping training programme recognized by the top shipping qualification authority in China with International recognition by the Institute.
The aim of the programme is to help the city develop local talent and build its shipping services industry to international standards. Deputy Director of the Shanghai Pudong New Area, Da Nian Jian said the Institute’s global reputation, mature training programme and qualified tutors, would help promote professionalism and standardization in Shanghai’s Shipping Industry.
“The past year has seen the Institute go from strength to strength, but this has only been possible thanks to the support of our partners around the World,” said Institute Director Julie Lithgow. “These agreements reinforce the founding principle of the Institute, of making education and qualification as accessible as possible, while reflecting the need to support emerging maritime centres”.
The agreements cap a momentous year for the institute in which it doubled its examination programme and won a BIMCO Award in recognition of its investment in new learning, increasing student numbers and innovative teaching techniques.