The South African International Maritime Institute (SAIMI) was established in 2014 to serve South Africa and the African continent in promoting maritime and marine skills development, education, training and research.
The establishment of SAIMI followed from the 2011 Maritime Skills Development study commissioned by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), which identified the need for additional education and training to close the skills gap hampering the growth of the country’s maritime economy.
One of the key findings of the feasibility and viability study which led to the creation of SAIMI is that there is no single institution of learning and training in South Africa which has the ability to meet the maritime research, education and training needs of the maritime industry.
SAIMI is well positioned to facilitate the collaborative relationships and partnerships, and linkages between the education sector and the maritime industry, that are essential for the development of comprehensive, relevant and responsive skills training, education, research and knowledge management initiatives to ensure that the diverse sectors of the maritime economy have access to the skills, innovative technologies and knowledge needed to support growth in the oceans economy.