On September 16, the Marine Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (hereinafter referred to as the Hong Kong Marine Department) officially issued an approval letter, accrediting the Basic Training/Advanced Training for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (T13/14) offered by Dalian Maritime University (DMU). Previously, the Maritime and Aviation Training Fund (MATF) of Hong Kong had already included this course in its list of subsidized courses, funding the relevant costs for applicants who take the course.

The Hong Kong Marine Department conducted the review in strict accordance with the STCW Convention, IMO Model Courses, and the standards of the Merchant Shipping (Seafarers) Ordinance of Hong Kong, verifying the course’s instructors, teaching materials, and syllabus item by item. In April 2026, it issued an approval letter granting the course in-principle recognition. Subsequently, DMU submitted an application to the Maritime and Aviation Training Fund (MATF) to include the T13/14 training course in the Fund’s list of subsidized courses and it was approved.

From September 3 to 9, the first Polar Waters Ship Operation Crew Training Course of 2026 was held at DMU. The training was divided into two stages: Basic Training (T13) and Advanced Training (T14), with a total of 15 trainees from Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland participating. During the training, the Hong Kong Marine Department assigned a Marine Officer to conduct an on-site review of the training course, examining the entire process of teaching, equipment, examinations, and management. On September 16, the Hong Kong Marine Department officially issued an approval letter, confirming that DMU’s course of Basic Training/Advanced Training for Ships Operating in Polar Waters fully comply with the statutory standards for Hong Kong seafarer certification training. Following the accreditation, trainees who complete the polar training at DMU and pass the assessment can directly apply to the Hong Kong Marine Department for a Certificate of Proficiency in Polar Waters Training upon presenting their certificate of completion, without the need for repeated training or a second assessment at another institution. Meanwhile, trainees from Hong Kong may apply for funding from the Maritime and Aviation Training Fund to participate in the above training course.

In November 2025, the university officially signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the Transport and Logistics Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, agreeing to carry out cooperation in areas such as maritime education, talent cultivation, and research innovation. Both sides attached great importance to advancing this cooperation. In August 2026, the two sides jointly held the First Dalian-Hong Kong Symposium on Maritime Education and Teaching in Dalian, bringing together teachers from both places to discuss maritime education and teaching. After nine months of application and two rounds of review, the Basic/Advanced Training for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (T13/14) offered by the university became the first seafarer training course in the Chinese Mainland to receive formal certification from Hong Kong and funding support. In the future, the university will continue to leverage its educational strengths, deepen exchanges and cooperation with Hong Kong, and support Hong Kong in its mission to revitalize its development as an international shipping centre.