About LJM Maritime Academy
Anchoring Dreams & Piloting Careers
Our Vision
The LJM Maritime Academy endeavours to be a globally recognized institution of excellence in maritime education and training.
Our Mission
Our mission is to produce competent, well-rounded, educated industry leaders for the global maritime arena.
Our Guiding Principles
The guiding principles are as follows:
- Inspire the pursuit of excellence among students to achieve the highest standards of intellectual inquiry, scholarly achievement, ethics and integrity, built on a foundation of strong character.
- Equip students with the necessary foundation to reach their fullest potential, and challenge them to develop analytical and communication skills that will enable them to dissect complex patterns in emerging issues, render reasoned judgments and make wise decisions.
- Develop a Bahamian community characterized by outstanding leadership, responsible citizenship and self-discipline.
- Foster an innovative, hands-on learning environment directed by a faculty empowered and devoted to creatively seeking new discoveries.
- Promote the development of an internationally recognized resource of maritime expertise that spans all the disciplines associated with the maritime industry and environment.
- Remain grounded in proven traditions and a unique heritage while embracing the opportunities and transformation required by an evolving and increasingly complex global maritime environment.
History of LJMMA
The maritime tradition in The Bahamas is steeped in the Bahamian cultural heritage. As an island nation, the sea and maritime affairs are natural parts of the transport and communication networks of the islands. Today, the maritime tradition is as strong as ever as services to transport food and daily supplies are still prevalent between the islands and sloop sailing in annual regattas continues to be an active sport among local fishermen and boat builders for community development. Many young people have been participating in the seafaring and maritime tradition through junior regatta opportunities, but not many of them have pursued formal opportunities in maritime education.
Locally, formal professional level training programmes are almost non-existent. This is astounding and regrettable as The Bahamas is among the leading maritime nations. Therefore, the urgency for The Bahamas to train more of its citizens as licensed seafarers to leverage its global maritime potential is great.
Despite the long maritime tradition, maritime education has developed fairly slowly in The Bahamas. In 2003, the Bahamas Maritime Authority commenced a Maritime Cadet Programme offering introductory information on seafaring to high school students. In 2008, Campbell Shipping Company Ltd., a world-renowned Bahamian Shipping Company, in partnership with The College of The Bahamas, established a Summer Maritime Camp for students entering 8th and 9th grades, to exposes them to the maritime industry and to inform them of educational requirements and options for careers in the field. This Camp, which started in New Providence Island had overwhelming demand, and was subsequently launched in several Family Islands (Grand Bahama, Eleuthera and Abaco). LJMMA now offers such a summer camp.
The interest in the Camps and the Bahamas Maritime Students Programme and the lack of adequate manpower in the industry locally and worldwide, moved Campbell Group of Companies to establish a local, tertiary-level training facility, the LJM Maritime Academy (LJMMA). The objective of the Institute is to make maritime education affordable to Bahamian youth, as presently the only access to tertiary-level maritime training is outside The Bahamas.
The LJM Maritime Academy (LJMMA) is named in honour of the President of The Campbell Group of Companies, His Excellency Lowell J. Mortimer, O.D., OBE. The Academy, headed by President, Dr Brendamae Cleare, birthed in August 2011 when the former Crystal Cay, renamed Maritime Cay, was leased for the construction of the Institute. Launched in November 2012, the LJMMA, a non-profit institution, received its first cohort of 41 students in September 2014 in a state-of-the-art training facility, which had its Cornerstone Laying on 15 August 2013. LJMMA, the only maritime training tertiary-level institution provides a unique and holistic learning experience designed along two strands: Engineering or Navigation either for cadets or ratings. Such training will support the nation’s maritime pillar in stimulating and sustaining growth in this sector. These programmes which adhere to industry standards expose students to the theory and practicalities of life on a ship to ensure them employability globally.
Accreditation
The navigation and marine engineering programmes follow the framework of model courses from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and have been approved by the Bahamas Maritime Authority (BMA), the governing body in The Bahamas under the IMO and the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Additionally, LJM Maritime Academy is registered under the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training.