A groundbreaking initiative, the “NextWave Seafarers” training programme, is set to launch in July 2025, spearheaded by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
This pilot programme, strongly supported by Saudi Arabia’s national shipping company, Bahri, directly addresses the escalating global demand for qualified seafarers while simultaneously cultivating meaningful and structured career pathways for aspiring maritime professionals.
The NextWave Seafarers programme offers invaluable practical, at-sea training opportunities for maritime cadets currently enrolled in approved training programmes. This hands-on experience will directly facilitate their journey towards becoming certified officers in deck, engine, and electro-technical departments.
By strategically placing participants on board Bahri’s operational commercial vessels, the initiative effectively supports the completion of their mandatory sea service, a crucial step in their professional maritime development. Cadets will benefit from up to six months of structured onboard training within authentic operational environments.
This vital seagoing experience not only contributes to achieving internationally recognized certification but also directly tackles the prevalent challenge of limited access to shipboard placements, particularly for promising candidates hailing from Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), where such opportunities are often scarce.
Significantly, all associated costs for participating cadets are fully covered. This comprehensive support includes:
- Guaranteed onboard training placements on Bahri-operated vessels.
- A monthly stipend provided by Bahri ensures financial support during training.
- Coverage of round-trip airfare and all necessary visa arrangements.
- A transit Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) to cover travel expenses during embarkation and disembarkation.
The NextWave Seafarers programme is exclusively open to cadets from eligible SIDS and LDCs, who must be officially nominated through their respective national maritime administrations. Each Member State is invited to nominate up to two candidates, and the IMO strongly encourages gender balance in nominations, ideally with one male and one female cadet put forward.
It is important to note that only nominations submitted directly by official national maritime administrations will be considered. Individual applications from cadets will not be accepted.
Each official nomination must include the following:
- A fully completed and submitted nomination form.
- All required supporting documentation that demonstrates the cadet meets the programme’s selection criteria.
