Bandari Maritime Academy (BMA) has restated its aim to build a technically skilled workforce for the maritime, oil and gas and wider industrial sectors.
The academy, situated on an oceanfront site in Mombasa, is Kenya’s leading centre for maritime education and training and was formally created in 2018 after evolving from Bandari College, which the Kenya Ports Authority founded in 1980.
Deputy Director of Maritime Transport and Operations Training Enock Okwema said the institute is expanding practical, industry-relevant training to enable trainees to take part in the blue economy, industrial and energy sectors.
He explained that the centre seeks to bridge the gap between academia, research and industry by turning knowledge into job-ready competencies for marine, offshore and energy fields.
“We are committed to practical and industry-focused training to enable our trainees to acquire relevant skills and competencies,” Okwema said.
BMA has rolled out an awareness campaign across counties to inform young people about maritime training programmes, career pathways and employment prospects.
He listed possible careers such as seafaring, port operations, maritime administration, ports infrastructure, marine engineering and shore-based logistics.
Okwema urged youths to acquire port-operations and equipment skills to position themselves for jobs created by the KSh2.6 trillion Dangote oil refinery investment in Lamu County.
The refinery is expected to process 700,000 barrels of oil per day and generate 60,000 jobs.
Industry stakeholders argue that developing maritime skills is essential for the refinery to handle higher crude imports, finished-product exports and coastal logistics safely and efficiently.
The refinery, together with the Lockichar oil field in Turkana County that holds an estimated 326 million barrels of recoverable oil, forms a core anchor of the LAPSSET corridor project.
The LAPSSET Corridor Program is a regional flagship intended to provide transport and logistics infrastructure linking Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan, serving a population of 160 million and forming part of a land bridge from Lamu Port to Douala Port in Cameroon.
Okwema made these remarks at the Innovation and Business Summit 2026 organised by Jumuiya Ya Kaunti Za Pwani at the Tana River Vocational Training Centre in Hola, Tana River County, under the theme ‘Driving Economic Growth through Innovation and Entrepreneurship Commercialisation’.
“The industry will need port equipment operators, and that BMA is well equipped to provide the necessary training,” he said.
He added, “The maritime sector can play a significant role in diversifying our national economy, as it is endowed with enormous natural resources, and it is where all attention is now focused on.”
Okwema called on county governments to establish sponsorship programmes that would enable disadvantaged youths to access technical training.
“The maritime training centre is open to working with county governments to ensure that needy students are supported to access training,” he said.
BMA currently offers courses in forklift operations, gantry cargo crane simulation and terminal tractor driving, which are deemed essential for the Dangote refinery.
He warned that Kenya’s ability to derive sustainable economic benefit from its maritime resources will largely depend on the quality and relevance of its human capital.
“The blue economy is not just about the sea but about the myriads of opportunities that lie within it, and our youth must be equipped with the skills and knowledge to harness these opportunities and drive economic growth transformation,” Okwema said.
JKP Chairman and Tana River Governor Maj (Rtd) Dhadho Godhana said the coastal counties have abundant untapped marine and coastal resources and are safe for investment.
“We are committed to providing the necessary institutional support and conducive business environment for investors to thrive in the blue economy sector,” he said.
The governor added that Kenya must leverage its large youth population to unlock the maritime and blue economy’s potential.
“The vast opportunities in the maritime and blue economy sector remain largely untapped avenues for employment and enterprise development,” he said.
The blue economy sector includes fisheries, maritime biotechnology, aquaculture, tourism and marine transport and logistics.
Stakeholders note that Kenya’s maritime sector offers a wide range of career opportunities across regulatory bodies, port operations, shipping logistics and sea-based roles, centred on the Port of Mombasa and agencies such as the Kenya Maritime Authority.
