The government has approved a £15 million Maritime College for Cork as part of its Task Force on Seafarer Employment and Training, the Minister for the Marine said yesterday.
Dr Woods said the capital costs of the new college, which will be located at Haulbowline in Cork Harbour, are estimated at £7.8 million, while equipping the college with the latest technology will bring the total cost to £15 million.
"The proposed new maritime college, which is jointly supported by the Cork Institute of Technology and the Naval Service, will accommodate a throughput of 120 students per annum," Dr Woods said.
"This is more than double the current capacity of 55 students within the existing resources, and the task force has indicated that there are jobs for this increased number of high-calibre graduates," he said.
The Nautical Studies Department at CIT is currently the only third-level institution providing nautical training courses for the merchant marine, including courses for marine engineering officers, deck officers and ratings, as well as short specialist courses.
It is proposed that the new maritime college will be equipped to simulate bridge operations and control of large ferries and merchant ships, ensuring top-level training and compliance with international regulatory requirements, he said.
Dr Woods said he hoped to bring proposals, in the light of the task force report, to Cabinet in the very near future, but he stressed that the report pointed out that "more detailed costings would be necessary before the project could proceed".
Dr Woods also announced the establishment of an expert working group drawing on officials from the Departments of the Marine, Defence, Education, Finance and Enterprise, Trade and Employment to progress the report's recommendations.
"This group will examine the costings, financing and timing of the establishment of the new maritime college with a view to submission of a fully developed proposal for implementation to Government at an early date," he said. The Minister also gave details of a £150,000 three-year programme in conjunction with the Chamber of Shipping to promote careers at sea.