National Maritime College of Ireland - NMCI

25/05/2026

We are pleased to announce that the National Maritime College of Ireland has officially become a member of the International Association of Maritime Universities (IAMU).
As Ireland’s national centre of excellence for maritime education, training, research and innovation, NMCI is proud to join a global network of leading maritime universities committed to advancing excellence, collaboration, innovation and safety across the international maritime sector.
This membership represents an important opportunity for NMCI to further strengthen international partnerships, contribute to global maritime education initiatives, and continue supporting the development of highly skilled maritime professionals for an evolving industry.
We look forward to engaging with fellow IAMU members and contributing to the future of maritime education on a global stage.

Munster Technological University

21/05/2026

It was a pleasure to attend the Midleton College Careers Fair last week and speak with students about the exciting opportunities available within the maritime industry.
NMCI lecturers Brendan Courtney and Cormac MacSweeney shared first hand insights from their time at sea, discussing life as a student at NMCI and the diverse career paths available both onboard and ashore across the global maritime sector.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by to speak with us and for the thoughtful and engaging questions throughout the day. It was fantastic to see such strong interest in maritime careers and education.
We look forward to hopefully welcoming some of you to the National Maritime College of Ireland in the near future as you begin your own maritime journey.

18/05/2026

The National Maritime College of Ireland was proud to host our annual Student Awards on May 15th, recognising the outstanding achievements, dedication and professionalism of our students across our nautical science, marine engineering, marine electrotechnology and supply chain programmes.
Congratulations to all award recipients:
🏅 Asgard award, sponsored by The Nautical Institute Ireland Branch for Best Dissertation BSc Hons Nautical Science- winner Scot Anderson.
🏅GPS Ireland Award- NavStar Trophy sponsored by GPS Ireland, presented by Gary Delaney for “highest marks in the NAEST O (Navigation Aids and Equipment Simulator Training – Operational Level) course during their third-year studies” awarded to Mykolas Lipskis.
🏅Don Curtis Memorial Award, sponsored by Irish Institute of Master Mariners for TDO1 Cadet of the Year, awarded to Aoife Hynes.
🏅Betelgeuse Award, sponsored by Betelgeuse Memorial Committee for Best Safety related project by a year 2 Nautical Science Student- awarded to Warren Devlin.
🏅IMarEST Award, sponsored by Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology (IMarEST), for Best Marine Engineering Graduate Award- awarded to Elijah Buchanan.
🏅Cadet of the Year – Bachelor of Engineering in Marine Electro-technology, sponsored by NMCI Training Services - "Global Leaders in Maritime Safety Training" awarded to Anthony O’Donnell & Klara O’Donoghue.
🏅NMCI Training Services Award, sponsored by NMCI Training Services for Student of the Year – Bachelor of Business in Supply Chain & Transport Management awarded to Darren Laverty.
🏅Munster Technological University Faculty Awards Night for Level 8 Supply Chain- Student of the year, awarded to David Samiec.
🏅The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Ireland Award, presented by James Kearney CMILT for Level 9 - Post Graduate Diploma in Global Sustainable Supply Chain Management Student of the Year, awarded to Denise O’Mahony.
🏅Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) for Level 9 - Masters in Global Sustainable Supply Chain Management Student of the Year- awarded to Catherine Dowling.
🏅Bernard Toft Compass Award, presented by Vivion Gough, for Best Result in Compass awarded as a Tie - Brian Loughlin and Scott Anderson.

We would also like to acknowledge and thank all sponsors of the awards for their continued support of maritime education and the next generation of maritime professionals.
Finally, our thanks to the lecturers and staff of NMCI for their commitment, guidance and encouragement provided to students throughout their academic journey.
Congratulations once again to all award recipients.

18/05/2026

Masters Oral Prep Course at NMCI

The written exams are done, now it’s time to get ready to show the examiner that you have the skills and knowledge to take command of any vessel and to justify the decisions you take. This Masters Orals Prep Course will help to prepare you for your Masters Unlimited oral exam.

Get access to NMCI facilities and staff and collaborate with like-minded individuals in a dedicated classroom for the duration of the course.
Lessons will be delivered as formal lectures and tutorials, supplemented by group discussion, question & answer sessions and directed study.
Revision topics will include Business & Law, Stability, Compass, Seamanship, Shipboard Operations, Ship handling and COLREGs.
Students are also encouraged to make full use of other learning resources including on-site library, internet access, training software and access to all previous scripts.
Register here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=YeBehAAHKkGQ9RRl-5o58QyMB0LLUWxFgZrOdYJT1ttUNVo5M1A2V0VJWTY1QUNFMFFTSDYxTUVYNS4u&route=shorturl

11/05/2026

A special full circle moment recently at the National Maritime College of Ireland, as 1st year Nautical Science student Luc Le Dorvan had the opportunity to show his father, Master Mariner Morvan Le Dorven, our upgraded bridge simulators in action.
The occasion was made even more meaningful given Morvan’s own connection to the college. A graduate of what was then Cork Institute of Technology in 1997, Morvan completed his cadetship with Maersk and has since built an impressive career spanning more than 30 years across the maritime sector. Today, he works as a Marine Consultant specialising in the offshore energy consultancy sector.
Reflecting on his visit, Morvan spoke about the importance of NMCI in providing high quality maritime education and training, helping to prepare the next generation of cadets for the global maritime industry.
Luc’s own journey with NMCI first began when he attended a school trip to the college with Clifden Community School. Now it's an exciting time ahead as he prepares to begin his sea phase with Shell.

It's wonderful to see maritime tradition and education continuing across generations, and to witness such a proud full circle moment for the Le Dorvan family.

11/05/2026

New Cork ferry set to carry 250,000 passengers to France.

Exciting news for Cork and for our NMCI cadets.

Read more about Hibernia Line's new Ringaskiddy to Boulogne-sur-Mer service in The Echo.

Ferries will depart Cork at 9pm for the 21.5-hour journey. In the opposite direction, sailings will leave Boulogne-sur-Mer at 10pm and arrive in ...

08/05/2026

To cap off the semester, our Nautical Science students were offered the opportunity of a welcome break from study to partake in "The Bridge Blitz Challenge". This collaborative initiative, kindly arranged by lecturers Conor Moynihan and Dónal Keane, brought together three distinct cohorts for a short session of high-pressure, mixed-year teamwork.
The exercise was designed to mirror the real-world composition of bridge teams with mixed levels of experience and qualification.
Final Year Honours students assumed the role of Master, honing their leadership skills and sharing hard-won wisdom with those following in their footsteps.
Third Year Degree students acted as Officer of the Watch (OOW), putting their knowledge and abilities to the test in the very roles they will soon occupy professionally.
First Year students joined the teams as Cadets, gaining an invaluable first-hand look at the complexities of a professional bridge team whilst getting the opportunity to bring together all they have learned over the semester.
From navigating inclement weather and heavy traffic to troubleshooting equipment failures, our students proved they were ready for the challenge. While the "Bridge Blitz" served as a high-energy break from traditional study, it provided an authentic, practical experience that bridges the gap between the classroom and a career at sea.
Well done to all who took part and the best of luck in your upcoming exams.

05/05/2026

NMCI was delighted to attend the launch of the new Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Career Chart by the Department of Further and Higher Education Research Innovation & Science, announced by Ministers James Lawless TD and Marian Harkin TD today.
This important initiative provides a clear roadmap of the diverse career pathways and skills required across Ireland’s rapidly expanding offshore renewable energy sector, supporting learners, jobseekers and industry as we collectively work towards a net zero future.
At the National Maritime College of Ireland, we welcome this timely resource, which highlights the breadth of opportunities emerging in this sector and reinforces the critical role of education and training in building a future ready workforce for Ireland’s offshore energy ambitions.
See full details here ministers-lawless-and-harkin-launch-offshore-renewable-energy-ore-career-chart-to-support-skills-development-for-a-net-zero-future

Education & Training Boards Ireland | NMCI Training Services - "Global Leaders in Maritime Safety Training" | Munster Technological University

👉 Ministers James Lawless TD and Marian Harkin launch the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Career Chart to raise awareness of learning and career opportunities in offshore renewables available to all.

📝 New ORE chart will be included in the ETBI Skills Box informing learners of all ages about diverse career and learning routes open to them.



🔗 www.gov.ie/en/department-of-further-and-higher-education-research-innovation-and-science/press-releases/ministers-lawless-and-harkin-launch-offshore-renewable-energy-ore-career-chart-to-support-skills-development-for-a-net-zero-future/

🔗 library.etbi.ie/skillsbox

Education & Training Boards Ireland
National Maritime College of Ireland - NMCI

30/04/2026

A huge thank you to Simon Shefferd and Jonas Öst from Alfa Laval UK for delivering an excellent separator troubleshooting session at NMCI this week.
We had a great mix in the room, including 3rd year students who will soon be going to sea and taking ownership of purifier systems onboard. Sessions like this are invaluable in bridging the gap between theory and what actually happens in practice.
The focus was very much on real-world fault finding, covering both common operational issues and less obvious faults that can lead engineers down the wrong path. What stood out most was the emphasis on approach and mindset, rather than jumping straight into stripping equipment.
Some key takeaways from the session included the below:
➡️ Many purifier issues are not sudden failures but the result of parameters being adjusted over time and systems running outside their intended limits.
➡️ Water sealing and correct gravity disc selection remain fundamental to proper operation.
➡️ A structured fault finding approach is critical, starting with alarms, verifying pressures and temperatures, and then confirming actual flows, particularly through the water block.
➡️ The water block and associated solenoids are a frequent source of faults that can present as something entirely different.
➡️ Running the separator in manual mode, following the correct sequence, is an underused but powerful diagnostic tool.
➡️ Many issues stem from misunderstandings, incorrect setup, or poor maintenance practices rather than equipment failure.
A very practical and engaging session that will stand to students as they transition into real operational responsibility at sea.

Interested to learn more? See below for course details:
Marine Engineering - https://www.mtu.ie/courses/mt764/
Marine Electrotechnology - https://www.mtu.ie/courses/mt765/
Chief Engineer - https://www.mtu.ie/courses/crmmceo8/

30/04/2026

On Wednesday, 22 April, Irish International Freight Association members and students from the Logistics Associate Apprenticeship, visited the NMCI as part of Logistics and Supply Chain Skills Week.
Arriving by boat to the NMCI the group had presentations and a panel discussion focused on resilience and skills in the supply chain, set against a backdrop of global uncertainty.
The session featured valuable insights from industry leaders:
➡️ Alan O’Brien, National Sea Logistics Trade Lane Manager, Kuehne+Nagel;
➡️ Caoimhghin Daly, Replenishment Transformation Manager, Musgrave Ltd;
➡️ Leila Currie, General Manager, Ocean Product, DSV - Global Transport and Logistics Ireland Ltd
➡️ Kellie de Lacy, Head of HR Supply Chain, Musgrave Ltd
The visit concluded with a tour NMCI, offering delegates a first-hand view of maritime education and training in practice.
The group are pictured below with Jane O’Keeffe, Supply Chain Lecturer at Munster Technological University & NMCI.