NE Maritime to hold shiphandling contest


Northeast Maritime Institute has announced plans to hold a competition to identify the world’s most skilled ship handlers.

The competition, to be held June 5 through 7 at Northeast Maritime’s training center in Fairhaven, Mass., will offer a total of $50,000 in prizes to the top three contestants, the school said.

The International Shiphandling Championship will require contestants to demonstrate their skill in handling four different vessel types ranging in size from large oceangoing containerships to modern tugs.

Participants will face challenging ship handling scenarios on Northeast Maritime’s Transas Marine simulators.

Transas will also provide the software that will help judge how well contestants perform in each of the scenarios.

First prize will be $30,000; second will be $15,000; and third will be $5,000.

The contest is designed to honor the most highly skilled people in the industry, while helping the general public to better understand how those skills allow mariners to foster a healthy economy while safeguarding the environment.

Northeast Maritime called the event “a unique competition that allows individual mariners to showcase their professional skills to the world.”

“We believe the average American may not understand the importance of the mariner’s skills and we believe this competition will bring to light the daily challenges of handling ships,” the school said.

Professional Mariner will be among the event’s sponsors. To find out more about the contest and how to enter, go to www.shiphandlingchampion.com.

By Professional Mariner Staff