Canadian, Irish Maritime Colleges Forge Partnership

There has long been a special connection between Newfoundland and Labrador and the Republic of Ireland, a relationship that has helped foster economic, social and educational linkages for decades.
The Fisheries and Marine Institute (MI) of Memorial University of Newfoundland is a very active participant in such partnerships, as was evident by a recent visit to MI from a prominent Irish post secondary institution.

The National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI) recently sent a delegation to the Marine Institute, on the heels of a freshly signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the institutions. Among the visitors from Ireland was Commander Martin Counihan, associate head of NMCI, who gave a glowing review of the Marine Institute and the budding relationship between MI and the National Maritime College of Ireland.

“The Marine Institute is the premiere marine institution in all of Canada, and Canada is a very big country,” Counihan said. “This was an important visit because it confirmed the partnership between MI and NMCI. We both want to further develop this partnership so there are many benefits for both parties. Research and training are two key elements we would like to move forward with.”
Counihan pointed out that there are many similarities between the Marine Institute and the National Maritime College of Ireland. Both facilities house some of the most modern training tools in the world, such as a wide array of bridge simulators. NMCI also makes use of an engine room simulator used to train mariners in watch keeping and process management, and like MI offers world-class instruction in survival training and firefighting.

Visit www.mi.mun.ca or www.nmci.ie for more information.