Maritime Administrator Sean T. Connaughton and Will Jenkins, president of
SeaRiver Maritime, Inc., today signed an agreement that will open up international experience opportunities for American maritime academy cadets. The training and experience cadets receive will give them more employment opportunities worldwide after they graduate.
The public-private partnership represents a formal agreement to provide sea tours for maritime academy cadets onboard vessels trading internationally. Under the terms of the agreement, cadets from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and all six state maritime academies will be able to sail onboard vessels operated by SeaRiver and its affiliated companies that operate internationally.
“It is essential that education and training for mariners aspiring to be licensed merchant marine officers include shipboard training opportunities and accrue sufficient sea-time to qualify for a merchant marine officer license,” said Connaughton.
“We recognize the importance of providing valuable training opportunities for cadets," said Jenkins. “They represent the future leaders of the maritime industry – an industry that is vital to continued economic growth and social prosperity around the world.”
SeaRiver, headquartered in Houston, operates a fleet of U.S. flag tankers and provides commercial and third party quality vetting services to ExxonMobil affiliates in North America. SeaRiver also provides a wide range of technical and commercial marine services to ExxonMobil affiliates throughout the world.