In a historic move, APL will soon begin welcoming maritime academy cadets aboard its internationally flagged containerships. Under terms of a partnership with the U.S. Maritime Administration, cadets from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and all six state maritime academies will be able to sail on board vessels operated by APL. It's the first agreement ever signed to place American cadets on international container vessels.
"U.S. cadets have long had training opportunities on APL's U.S.-registered vessels," says APL CEO Ron Widdows, who signed the agreement with Maritime Administrator Sean T. Connaughton. "Under this agreement we can provide even more support to our U.S. Flag shipping by creating more opportunities for the academies."
The public-private partnership represents a formal agreement to provide sea tours for maritime academy cadets onboard vessels trading internationally. The training and experience they receive are expected to give them more employment opportunities worldwide after they graduate. The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy is located at Kings Point, NY. The six state academies include: The California Maritime Academy, Vallejo, Calif.; The Great Lakes Maritime Academy, Traverse City, Mich.; The Maine Maritime Academy, Castine, Maine; The Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Buzzards Bay, Mass.; The State University of New York Maritime College, Fort Schuyler, N.Y.; and The Texas Maritime Academy, Galveston, Texas.
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