Bernhard Schulte Ship management (BSM), a member of the global Schulte Group, has officially commissioned a state-of-the-art maritime training facility at the Regional Maritime University (RMU) in Accra.

The newly inaugurated BSM Maritime Training Centre is designed to deliver advanced hospitality and cruise ship training, aiming to boost the practical competencies of maritime personnel across Ghana and the wider region.

The facility boasts modern infrastructure, including a reception area, administrative offices, conference rooms, apartments, classrooms, workshops, a mooring station, and a dedicated hospitality section complete with a mess room and galley.

Construction initially began in 2019 but was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Work resumed in 2023 and was completed by December last year.

Speaking to JoyNews, Captain Joshua Nii Addo, Director of BSM Ghana, explained the motivation behind the project and its significance to Ghana’s maritime education landscape.

“This centre addresses a longstanding gap between academic learning and hands-on industry experience,” he said.

“Over the years, we’ve been recruiting from RMU with two to four years in the classroom, but when these graduates get onboard the ships, it still takes time for them to gain practical experience. So BSM decided to close this gap by providing hands-on training. In recent years, they’ve been flying trainees to Europe for such programs, so the owners thought: why not bring it closer to home? Through a partnership with RMU, they provided us with land to expand and address this gap.”

Captain Addo also highlighted the collaborative nature of the initiative, emphasizing that the facility is not intended to compete with existing institutions, but rather to complement them.

“This isn’t about competition,” he noted.

“We’ve tested and proven the model, and we invite others to join us. With support from around 10 shipowners, we’ve secured placements on vessels, which will increase student intake and job opportunities.”

Following the inauguration, dignitaries toured the centre and praised its high-quality amenities and potential to become a leading hub for maritime skills development in West Africa.

The BSM Maritime Training Centre is expected to serve as a bridge between classroom theory and real-world application—preparing Ghanaian and regional students for a rapidly evolving global maritime industry.