TOP THIRTEEN SHIPPING COMPANIES IN NIGERIA WITH THE BEST CADETSHIP SCHEMES

The hurdle of getting cadetship placement onboard ships is no longer a myth. It has become prevalent among trainees or cadets who wish to begin their seafaring career. Over 60% of cadets (college phase) do not get to acquire the sea phase of their cadetship.

This problem has stunted the development of individuals who require sea phase cadetship experience to progress in their respective maritime career.

The cadetship training scheme or program prepares a cadet to become a competent, disciplined and well trained deck or engine officer in the nearest future.

During such training, the cadet is expected to gain valuable skills which will facilitate his/her career growth in the maritime industry.

To gain eligibility for the Certificate of Competency (COC) Examinations, a cadet is mandated to gain twelve to eighteen months sea time experience.

There are three cadetship routes namely;

• Deck cadet
• Electrical technical cadet
• Engine Cadet

In Nigeria, both indigenously owned and foreign shipping companies co-exist. A lot of these companies offer their ships as training berths for cadets who are selected by them.

Most companies select cadets on the basis of;

• Educational qualification
• NIMASA Recommendation
• Availability of all mandatory and basic seafarer certification and documentation which includes discharge record book, international passport and basic mandatories.
• Pass mark in the company based examinations.

Below is a list of the top thirteen companies with the best cadetship schemes in Nigeria.

NOTE: The companies listed are arranged in no particular order or RANKING

These companies include (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER):

1. Starzs Investment Company Limited: SICL is a wholly indigenous Marine Logistics Company incorporated in 1986 in Nigeria as a private Limited Company under the companies Act.
   • Engineer Greg Ogbeifun is the director and CEO of the starzs group. The company was registered to participate principally in the Marine Sector of the Oil and Gas industry in Nigeria.
   • SICL selects eligible and qualified cadets after stringent recruitment exercises. These cadets are selected on the basis of academic prowess, 70% pass mark in the company based examination, medical fitness and the credibility of their seafarer certifications and documentation.
   • Each year, the SICL recruitment exercise is undergone by prospective candidates. Starz Investment company Limited is renowned for its cadetship scheme prowess. This consistency has contributed to the development of an average of eleven cadets yearly.
   • SICL is known to encourage gender equality and has trained a female from cadetship to the rank of a second engineer.
   • The cadetship route supported by SICL includes; deck, engine and electrical technical cadets. SICL employs trained cadets who have passed the certificate of competency examination. This makes the career progression of their cadets a fast and steady one.
   • SICL’s asset includes a fleet of AHTS vessels (MV OSANYAMO, DEEPTI, OSARUGUE, and OSAYAME) as well as security patrol (SIKA) boats with a fleet size of over eleven vessels. To visit the official site, click here

2. Marine Platforms: Marine platforms is an oil service company that provides services to the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry. It offers subsea solutions, well services, and vessel chartering and brownfield development.
   • It was founded in 2001 and has a fleet of 5 OIMR vessels, 13 ROVS, and a subsea trencher. Mr. Taofik Adegbite is the current Chief Executive Officer of Marine Platforms.
   • The cadets are selected on the basis of success in the company base examinations, NIMASA recommendation and physical fitness of the prospective candidates.
   • Successful candidates are taken for free courses which will ensure their safety and increase their profile. Marine Platforms is known to sponsor it’s cadets to the United Kingdom for their Certificate of Competency Examinations.
   • Furthermore, the company pays for all advance courses undergone by its cadet after successfully passing the COC Examinations. The company prides itself in its Cadetship pyramid which is of ten years duration. Hence, a cadet is trained to the highest rank of his/her discipline in a period of ten years.
   • The cadet’s stipend is excellent and ranks among the top paying cadetship scheme facilitators. All the above listed facts makes marine platform one of the fore runners in cadetship scheme facilitation in Nigeria. It owns the vessels; African Inspiration and African Vision.

3. Tamrose Ventures Limited: Tamrose Ventures Limited was incorporated in 2003 as a procurement and engineering services provider to the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry.
   • Its pioneer vessel was TMC PRIMUS with operations centered in Port Harcourt and Lagos, Nigeria.
   • Tamrose Ventures possesses a fleet of over 13 ships. These includes PSVs (Evolution and providence), Security vessels (TMC- Phoenix, falcon, Bald eagle, Osprey, Eagle, Angel, Hawk and Zion) and Specialized Vessel Services (SVS- Hawkins, Avery).
   • Tamrose Ventures Limited grooms an average of ten cadets per annum. These cadets are selected on the basis of academic prowess, pass mark in the company based examination, medical fitness and the credibility of their seafarer certifications and documentation. Gender equality is highly encouraged in Tamose Ventures.
   • Just like SICL, Tamrose Ventures Limited employs their trained cadets.

4. Bourbon Interoil Nigeria Limited: The French owned, Bourbon group was originally into sugar production (1948-1988) but evolved into an offshore oil and gas services provider. BOURBON has become a major player in marine services for the offshore oil and gas industry with a fleet of more than 458 vessels operating in 44 countries including Nigeria. The cadets in Bourbon interoil Nigeria limited are recruited on the basis of medical fitness, credibility of seafarer’s documentation/certification. Bourbon Interoil has trained over 60 cadets in a period of six (6) years.

5. Mariteam Nigeria Limited: Mariteam Nigeria limited is a brokerage firm established in 2011 to deliver a complete range of integrated shipping, logistics and manning services to the offshore maritime sector. The cadets selected by Mariteam Nigeria Limited are selected after stringent examination (anchored by seagull), Recommendation by NIMASA, Medical Fitness as well as valid seafarer documentation and certification.
   • The vessels crewed by Mariteam Nigeria Limited offers versatile solutions in the management of offshore support vessels with capabilities in PSV/SSV, MPSV/DSV, Research/seismic/chaser, AHTSV, subsea construction/ ROV, Dredgers and offshore barges.
   • The cadets’ stipend is excellent and offers opportunities to both male and female cadets.

6. Sea transport Group Limited: Sea transport group limited is a dynamic enterprise focused on energy transportation. It owns and operate over ten oil tankers.Sea transport is a fore runner in cadetship training among oil tanker operating companies. It is responsible for training over 15% of indigenous oil tanker crew in Nigeria. With its vast fleet, it supports cadet routes such as deck, engine and electrical technical cadets.

7. Team offshore Nigeria: Team offshore Nigeria is an indigenously owned marine and offshore service provider and was established in 2017. The company specializes in marine vessels and offshore operations as well as special transportation. It owns an asset of 14 Nigerian flagged vessels which includes PSVs (Team Beleuzi, TOPAZ- Amani, Faye, Sophie, Isra, Megan, Xara, Seema, Energy and Endurance), MPSVs (TOPAZ CAPTAIN, TOPAZ RESOLVE) and crew boats (Caspian Breeze). With its vast fleet, Team offshore is gradually raising its cadet’s profile. Gender Equality is encouraged. Their cadets are selected on the basis of medical fitness and the credibility of their seafarer certifications and documentation and NIMASA Recommendation.

8. Tide Water Nigeria: tdw.com. In 1955, ten investors had built the EBB Tide, the world’s first oil and gas service vessel. Since its birth, Tide Water has continued to strengthen its position as one of the leaders in oil and gas services. In Nigeria waters, tide water has a fleet of over 12 vessels which ranges from AHTS, MPSVs to PSV vessels. The company facilitates cadetship training. These cadets are selected on the basis of medical fitness and the credibility of their seafarer certifications and documentation and NIMASA Recommendation.

9. Orion marine Limited: OML has a fleet of oil tankers. Cadets recommended by NIMASA are selected after successfully passing the company based examination. Also, medical fitness and the credibility of their seafarer certifications and documentation are required.

10. Matrix group Nigeria : Matrix energy Group was incorporated in November 25, 2004. It is an indigenous and integrated oil marketing and trading company in Nigeria. The company is owned and managed by a group of young professional Nigerians with expertise in the energy sector. The cumulative deadweight of its fleet is over 293,296 MT (DWT). These includes MT MATRIX PRIDE, MT MATRIX ASA, MT MATRIX TRIUMP, and MT MATRIX S. ILU. Cadets in Matrix group Nigeria are selected on the basis of NIMASA recommendation, medical fitness and the credibility of their seafarer certifications and documentation.

11. Beneprojecti Nigeria Limited: With its fleet of PSVs, Beneprojecti has provided a lot of cadets with cadetship placement. These cadets are selected on the basis of medical fitness and the credibility of their seafarer certifications and documentation.

12. E.A Temile and Sons Development Company limited: It was incorporated in 1974 with the corporate affairs Commission of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as an engineering, transportation and instrumentation company. Its possess assets including PSV and AHTS vessels. It is also made the list of top cadetship facilitators as a result of its vast fleet and prowess. Although, the company’s cadetship scheme is not as consistent as compared to past years.

13. West African Ventures (WAV) LIMITED: WAVs began operation in 1977 and became 100% indigenously owned in 1995. It offers services including Procurement, Engineering, Fabrication, installation, accommodation and marine charter services. It prides itself with a fleet size of over 40 ships comprising of AHTS/LH, Crew/pilot/inland vessels, Moored construction/accommodation ships as well as offshore cargo barge. WAVs cadets are selected on the basis of medical fitness, credibility of their seafarer certifications and documentation and NIMASA recommendation.

The companies listed are arranged in no particular order or RANKING

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