Seamen Training Specialist MSTI Relocates to New Premises

Merchant marine education provider, MSTI marked the beginning of a new chapter recently when it relocated to No. 32, Station Road, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia.

MSTI, formerly known as Mercmarine Training, operated from its old premises at Maradana, Colombo 10 for a long period and relocated to Galle Road to offer enhanced service with better facilities to students.

MSTI was started in 1986 as Mercantile Seamen Training Institute (MSTI) and later became Mercmarine Training. It recently came under a new management under the leadership of Capt. Ajith Peris, effecting a return to the old brand name ‘MSTI’ to mark the beginning of a new journey.

As Sri Lanka’s first privately owned seamen training school, MSTI has produced thousands of Sri Lankan seafarers who went on to conquer the global seafaring industry over the past 37 years. 

MSTI has been offering courses for prospective Engineering Officers/Ratings, Navigation Officers/Ratings, and Catering and Housekeeping professionals, and they possess some of the most advanced training facilities for merchant navy training in the country. High tech simulators used for equipping trainee engineers and deck officers with practical knowledge provide testimony to the high standard of education MSTI provides.

The world is dependent on sea trade for its survival due to the fact that over 90% of the global trade is carried out via the sea. As a result merchant navy professionals are a well-respected group of professionals that are in high demand globally and earn lavish income. Although Sri Lankans have historically shown relatively little interest in the profession, developing countries in Eastern Europe and Asia such as India and Philippines have taken an active interest in promoting the trade among their citizens and gone on to dominate the global sea trade, ensuring a steady flow of foreign exchange into their economies.

MSTI has been instrumental in uplifting Sri Lanka’s seafaring industry for the last four decades by creating awareness and educating thousands of Sri Lankan youth to take up careers in sea, thereby significantly contributing to the national economy. Marking a new chapter in their journey, MSTI hopes to continue its mission with renewed vigour and strength to create even more impact.