Merchant Navy Training Board

What Merchant Navy Training Board does

The Merchant Navy Training Board (MNTB) is the UK shipping industry's central body for promoting and developing sector-specific seafarer education, training, and skills. Founded in 1935 as the Central Board for the Training of Officers in the Merchant Service and reconstituted under its current name in 1942, MNTB operates as a voluntary body under the UK Chamber of Shipping umbrella and is headquartered at 30 Park Street, London. The organisation holds formal responsibility for setting and approving training frameworks for new entrants into the Merchant Navy, working in close collaboration with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) on STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping) compliance and officer cadet programme approval.

MNTB's core outputs are training standards, publications, and funding administration services rather than technology products. The product portfolio comprises Training Record Books (TRBs) for deck, engine room, and electro-technical disciplines priced at £35-£70 per copy, STCW Short Course Criteria booklets priced at £10-£60, the Course Recognition Service (a quality kitemark for training providers, now extended internationally following the first overseas award to PHILCAMSAT in Manila in 2019), administration of the Department for Transport's SMarT (Support for Maritime Training) scheme covering up to 50% of seafarer training costs, and the Careers at Sea brand for recruitment promotion. Distribution is conducted through Witherby Seamanship publications, direct sales to approved companies and educational establishments, and 12 UK and Irish nautical colleges.

Revenue mechanics rest on three pillars: UK Chamber of Shipping membership contributions as the primary funding base, modest unit-price publication sales, and pass-through administration of government SMarT training subsidies. The Slater Scholarship Fund (managed with The Marine Society) provides outcome-linked scholarships of up to £18,500 for ratings pursuing officer certification. The organisation employs a small core team (1-10 staff including Director, Business Operations & Skills Manager, Training Development Manager, Administration Manager, and Training and Careers Coordinator) and operates on a tripartite governance model encompassing shipping employers (Gardline, DFDS, P&O Ferries, Svitzer, Carnival UK, Seapeak, RFA), seafarer trade unions (Nautilus International, RMT), and maritime educational members, with MCA and DfT holding assessor status.

Name

Merchant Navy Training Board

Legal name

Merchant Navy Training Board

Website

https://mntb.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Merchant Navy Training Board (MNTB) is the UK shipping industry's central body for setting and approving seafarer education and training frameworks, administering government SMarT funding, publishing Training Record Books and STCW criteria booklets, and promoting Merchant Navy careers through the Careers at Sea brand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Training Services

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Other Support Activities for Water Transportation (48839)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Maritime Safety, Security & Compliance (STCW/ISM/ISPS) (EDAOANAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Navigation, Seamanship & Offshore Operations (EDAOANAE), Maritime Safety Management Systems & Training (ISM/ISO 45001, Drills, Competency) (TLAHANAF), Classification Society & Flag-State Liaison / Plan Approval Support (IMAJAGAN)

Keywords

• Maritime training standards
• Seafarer workforce development
• Vocational qualification frameworks
• Shipping industry education
• Course quality assurance

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. UK Chamber of Shipping Membership: MNTB is a voluntary body and part of the UK Chamber of Shipping, funded through the chamber's membership contributions.
2. Publication Sales: Sales of Training Record Books (£35.00 plus VAT per copy for new entrant training) and STCW Short Course Criteria booklets (£10.00 to £60.00 per copy) through Witherby Seamanship publications.
3. SMarT Funding Administration: The Department for Transport provides Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) scheme funding covering up to 50% of seafarer training costs, administered by MNTB for eligible training providers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

MNTB is the UK's voluntary maritime training standards body. It develops and publishes training standards and documentation (Training Record Books, STCW Short Course Criteria, Training at Sea Guidance, Workplace Experience Guidelines), administers the Course Recognition Service as a quality kitemark for maritime training providers, manages the SMarT funding programme for officer cadet and rating apprenticeship pathways, and promotes seafaring careers via the Careers at Sea brand.

Product overview

The Merchant Navy Training Board (MNTB) is a voluntary body and part of the UK Chamber of Shipping that serves as the shipping industry's central body for promoting and developing sector-specific education, training and skills. Rather than a unified software platform, MNTB operates a portfolio of interconnected training support services and publications including Training Record Books (TRBs) for deck, engineering and electro-technical disciplines, STCW Short Course Criteria booklets, the Course Recognition Service providing industry kitemark endorsement, SMarT funding administration, and the Careers at Sea careers promotion brand. These offerings work together to set training frameworks, approve programmes, administer funding, and promote careers in the Merchant Navy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Training Record Books (TRBs) Structured training record publications used by officer cadets and rating apprentices in UK maritime training programmes to log and evidence their training progress against MNTB standards. Issued through sponsoring shipping companies and nautical colleges.
• STCW Short Course Criteria Booklets Published criteria booklets defining the standards and content for STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping) short courses delivered in the UK. Used by training providers delivering courses aligned to MCA requirements.
• Course Recognition Service Independent quality assurance scheme through which MNTB assesses and recognises UK maritime training providers delivering officer cadet and rating programmes. Acts as a sector kitemark referenced by sponsoring companies and the MCA.
• SMarT Funding Administration Administration of the Sponsorship, Mentoring, Apprenticeships, Recruitment, Training (SMarT) programme funding for officer cadet and rating apprenticeship pathways. Manages government and industry funding flows to sponsoring companies, training providers, and individual trainees.
• Training at Sea Guidance Documents Guidance publications supporting seafarers undertaking structured training while serving at sea, used by sponsoring companies and nautical colleges as part of cadet and rating programmes.
• Workplace Experience Guidelines Guidelines for shipping companies hosting workplace experience placements for maritime trainees, providing a consistent framework for on-board and shoreside experience elements of officer cadet and rating pathways.

Quantifiable outcome

• £4.8 return to UK economy for every £1 spent on SMarT training between 2011/12 and 2015/16
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• PHILCAMSATminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 June 2019MNTB awarded its first overseas maritime training centre recognition to PHILCAMSAT (Philippine Centre for Advanced Simulation and Training) in Manila for Human Element Leadership course. Achieved quality mark for gold standard seafarer training.
• Maritime Skills AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016MNTB works closely with the Maritime Skills Alliance to achieve joint aims with partner organisations in the maritime sector. MSA develops National Occupational Standards suite and attends MNTB Board meetings by invitation.
• Department for TransportcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 1998DfT provides the SMarT (Support for Maritime Training) scheme covering up to 50% of seafarer training costs. MNTB operates the Merchant Navy Training Provider to administer SMarT funding for unemployed seafarers.
• Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1942MNTB works closely with MCA for approving UK Cadet Officer Training programmes and STCW short course criteria. MCA has 'assessor' status at MNTB Board meetings. Glenys Jackson (former Director) commented on new seafarer training standards developed with MCA input.
• UK Chamber of ShippingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1935MNTB is a voluntary body and a part of the UK Chamber of Shipping, the trade association for the UK shipping industry. The MNTB works under the chamber's umbrella and shares staff resources, with the chamber providing administrative and strategic support.
• Nautilus InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrade union representing seafarers, with David Appleton and Rachel Lynch serving on MNTB Board. Nautilus International co-hosts skills and careers hub at London International Shipping Week and partnered on Chartered Master Mariner development.
• The Marine SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Marine Society administers the Slater Scholarship Fund in association with Nautilus International, providing scholarships of up to £18,500 to ratings studying for first Certificate of Competency as officer.
• Maritime Educational Foundation (MEF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMNTB Director Kathryn Neilson manages the charitable work of the Maritime Educational Foundation. MEF funded the 'To Sea or Not to Sea' Careers at Sea film with support from Maersk and Port of Felixstowe.
• The Honourable Company of Master Mariners (HCMM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHCMM launched Chartered Master Mariner status with MNTB, UK Chamber of Shipping, Nautical Institute and IMarEST supporting the development. HCMM chairs the Registration Authority overseeing the chartership process.
• The Nautical InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with HCMM, MNTB, and IMarEST to develop Chartered Master Mariner status. Mike Deegan from Maritime Skills Alliance represents at MNTB Board.
• IMarESTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology partnered with HCMM and MNTB to make Chartered Master Mariner chartership a reality.
• Witherby Seamanship PublicationsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWitherby Seamanship publishes MNTB Training Record Books for existing seafarers and STCW Short Course Criteria booklets, distributing MNTB intellectual property to the maritime industry.
• International Association of Maritime Institutions (IAMI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMNTB attends IAMI AGMs and conferences. Simon Ashton from South Shields Marine School (IAMI) and John Wyborn (IAMI) serve on MNTB Board. IAMI represents nautical colleges in training framework development.
• QinetiQminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresented at MNTB Autumn Seminar on Marine Autonomous Systems, discussing construction of intelligent vessels and training requirements for those working with autonomous technology.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=DLai9EIK5_4
• Xx.com/mntbuk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mntbuk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Merchant Navy Training Board