Andhra Pradesh will soon have a world class maritime university if the efforts of the State bear fruit.
The State Government has signed a memorandum of understanding with the State Marine Technical University of St. Petersburg for promoting marine education and technology. The MoU was signed in the presence of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu who visited St. Petersburg on Wednesday as part of his tour to Russia and the collaboration is expected to benefit the companies engaged in marine segment in the country.
The university was working in close collaboration with the United Shipbuilding Corporation and Rosoboronexport. The varsity offered courses in marine economics as also maritime law to familiarise budding engineers in law and economics related aspects of the seas. Home for 5,000 students, the university had frequent visits by scholars from the developed countries participating in the conferences. It had helped China in setting up the Harbin engineering university which focussed on naval architecture.
The university authorities explained the Chief Minister that 60 per cent of its graduates were employed by the ship building industry. It would also provide the State with facilities for continuous upgradation of skills of professionals engaged in ship building and related areas.
United Shipbuilding corporation president Rakhamanov Alexey said the corporation was considering making Andhra Pradesh its headquarters since the State had unique marine activity. The university which focuses on innovation and research in ship building was in the process of setting up new labs and centres of study within its campus.
Opportunities in A.P.
The Chief Minister highlighted the opportunities provided by the vast coastline in the State and said efforts were under way to make it a logistics hub on the strength of the coastline. The Government was keen on promoting inland navigation as also the commercial usage of water transport as water based transport would be cheaper compared to other modes.
He assured the university that the Government would take steps to set up maritime university at the earliest as there was international class infrastructure available at the Hindustan Shipyard Limited.
Authorities tell the Chief Minister that 60 per cent of its grads are employed by the ship building industry
