The Maritime Administration (MARAD) recently designated 16 more maritime training institutions as 2026 Centers of Excellence, bringing the network to 48 institutions at 87 training facilities in 28 states and territories.
The centers provide work force and training programs for future mariners. Designations are for five years.
“The strength of America’s economy is tied directly to the resilience of our domestic fleet and the technical skill of our mariners,” Maritime Administrator Stephen Carmel said. “The institutions we honor today are the backbone of American maritime power. They are delivering top-tier mariner credentials, training nuclear shipbuilders, and ensuring our commercial waterways stay open in any crisis.”
The new institutions bring the total number of mariners, apprentices, and students trained to 58,000 annually. The centers help recruit and train domestic mariners for afloat and ashore careers, support community and technical institutions that provide the training necessary to mobilize a skilled work force, and feature federally recognized community colleges, technical programs and apprenticeship sponsors.
The new designations include Bunker Hill Community College in Boston, Mass.; Chapman School of Seamanship in Stuart, Fla.; Northwest Maritime Center in Port Townsend, Wash.; the
University of Michigan Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering in Ann Arbor, Mich.; and Webb Institute in Glen Cove, N.Y.