Application of Application of Total Quality Management in Maritime Education and Training

Abstract

Shipping is the most cost effective method of transportation of goods. Seaborne trade is about 90% of the total world trade and seafarers contribute substantially by ensuring that this trade is continuously performed as per schedule with minimum delays or loss to cargo, life or environment. About three forth of surface of earth is covered by water and there is long distance between countries with raw materials and industrialized countries. The economy of scale has resulted in development of large ships for carrying oil and other raw materials so as to keep the transportation costs low. Further modern container ships carry large number of containers with finished goods to places where they are in demand. Passenger shipping while diminished due to the slow speed of the ships, a new type of cruise shipping is fast developing in a big way where large ships with all modern amenities provide excellent holidays to interested people. Since not much is known about the shipping industry to outside world a brief perspective of maritime industry and education is presented in the following pages. newline newlineA ship is a complicated floating place with extensive equipment and has a competent crew on board. The crew is well trained and certified as necessary. Maritime education and training (MET) is an integral part of the maritime industry. With a large coastline, shipping is also very important for India. While the ship owning and operating activities have yet to be in a very large scale, the Indian MET activities have made a name in the global maritime industry. As of 2005 the Indian fleet was 411 ships totaling to 8.28 million gross tons with world figure being 37,644 ships totaling to 657.04 million gross tons [INSA (64)]. newline newlineQuality of our seafarers is extremely important if we have to remain in this global market. Therefore the quality of maritime education and training in this sector also becomes an important issue. This project is an attempt to develop a model where in the principles of total quality management are adopted in this area. newline newline