Batumi State Maritime Academy

What Batumi State Maritime Academy does

Batumi State Maritime Academy (BSMA) is a state-owned higher-education institution headquartered in Batumi, Georgia, operating since 1929 as the country's dedicated maritime academy and structured as a Legal Entity of Public Law Teaching University under Government of Georgia decree No. 184 (9 October 2009). The academy delivers STCW-aligned education across three faculties — Navigation, Engineering, and Business & Management — awarding accredited bachelor's and master's degrees in disciplines including Maritime Navigation, Ship Electromechanics, Port Transport Engineering, and Marine Operations, and operating an English-language track to support international career placement. A regional campus in Poti extends its footprint with professional programs in port logistics, customs affairs, crane operation, and welding. Beyond degree programs, BSMA runs two dedicated service centers: the Seafarers Training, Certification and Service Center (for STCW competency verification) and the Professional Training Center (for short-term continuing-education courses), plus cadet training delivered in partnership with Bernhard Schulte Ship Management (BSM) — now in its fifth cohort — and international mobility through Korea's KIMFT and the Erasmus+ program.

The business model combines Georgian state budget appropriations with tuition fees from degree and professional-program students recruited primarily through Georgia's unified national examinations. Its core technology is maritime simulation and training equipment supporting deck officer, marine engineer, and port-operations preparation, and the institution leverages its geographic proximity to the Black Sea ports of Batumi, Poti, Kulevi, and the Supsa terminal for practical seamanship training. Since inception the academy has prepared approximately 5,000 maritime specialists serving on vessels under Georgian and foreign flags, with employer demand spanning ship-management companies, maritime crewing agencies, and port authorities. Customer concentration risk is moderate due to dependence on a single government funding source and the BSM partnership, while forward growth is supported by re-authorization of accredited programs (2024), the scheduled 6th International Maritime Scientific Conference (October 2026), and integration into European and Korean maritime-education networks.

Name

Batumi State Maritime Academy

Legal name

Legal Entity of Public Law Teaching University Batumi State Maritime Academy

Website

https://bsma.edu.ge

Company type

Private

Founded year

1929

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Batumi State Maritime Academy is Georgia's state maritime university, founded 1929, delivering STCW-aligned bachelor's and master's degrees across Navigation, Engineering, and Business faculties, plus seafarer certification and professional training from campuses in Batumi and Poti.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Education and Training

NAICS

Other Support Activities for Water Transportation (48839)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Merchant Marine & Deck Operations (EDAOANAA), Marine Engineering & Engine Room Operations (EDAOANAB), Navigation, Seamanship & Offshore Operations (EDAOANAE), Pilot Training, Certification & Medical/Fitness Services (TLAHAGAI), Maritime Safety Management Systems & Training (ISM/ISO 45001, Drills, Competency) (TLAHANAF), Naval Training, Simulation & Shore-Based Test Facilities (IMAJABAN)

Keywords

• Maritime education
• STCW training
• Seafarer certification
• Marine engineering degrees
• Port logistics training

Headquarters

HQ city

Bat'umi

HQ country

Georgia

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. State Budget Funding: As a Legal Entity of Public Law Teaching University (SSIP - State Teaching University), the academy receives government funding for educational programs, maintaining its status as a public maritime educational institution established by the Government of Georgia.
2. Tuition Fees: Revenue generated from tuition fees for various educational programs across bachelor's, master's, and professional levels.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Batumi State Maritime Academy delivers maritime higher education and professional training, including bachelor's and master's degree programs in Maritime Navigation, Ship Electromechanics, Port Transport Engineering, Economics, and Transport Insurance across three faculties (Navigation, Engineering, Business and Management). It also operates the Seafarers Training, Certification and Service Center and the Professional Training Center to deliver STCW-aligned certifications and continuing education for working seafarers, with a regional campus in Poti offering port logistics, customs, and crane operations programs.

Product overview

Batumi State Maritime Academy operates as a unified university offering a comprehensive maritime education portfolio through its three main faculties (Navigation, Engineering, and Business and Management) along with specialized training centers. The institution provides bachelor's and master's degree programs in maritime navigation, ship engineering, port logistics, and business administration. Additionally, the academy operates the Seafarers Training, Certification and Service Center and the Professional Training Center for continuing education and professional certification. The academy also maintains a regional campus in Poti. The institution focuses on preparing competitive specialists for the maritime industry and related sectors, with graduates capable of serving in command positions on commercial vessels, maritime crewing companies, and port authorities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Navigation Faculty Programs Academic faculty offering Maritime Navigation bachelor's programs in Georgian and English, preparing students for deck officer careers on commercial vessels. Includes theoretical and practical training aligned with STCW requirements.
• Engineering Faculty Programs Academic faculty offering Ship Electromechanics and Ship Mechanics bachelor's programs, training engineering officers for maritime vessel systems and shipboard engineering roles.
• Business and Management Faculty Programs Academic faculty offering Economics, Finance, and Transport Insurance programs, including programs delivered at the Poti Branch campus.
• Seafarers Training, Certification and Service Center Center providing specialized training, certification services, and professional development for seafarers in accordance with international maritime standards (STCW). Supports competency verification and certification for working maritime professionals.
• Professional Training Center Continuing education center offering short-term professional courses and certification programs for maritime professionals seeking skill upgrades and specialized credentials.
• Poti Branch Campus Programs Satellite campus in Poti, Georgia offering various maritime and logistics professional programs including Port Logistics Management, Customs Affairs, Crane Operations, Ship Deck Department Exploitation, Ship Engine Department Exploitation, Fishing Vessel Navigation, and Welding.
• Maritime Navigation (Bachelor's Program) Accredited bachelor's degree program in maritime navigation, preparing students for navigation officer positions on commercial vessels through STCW-compliant theoretical and simulator-based training.
• Ship Electromechanics (Bachelor's Program) Accredited bachelor's degree program in ship electromechanics, training engineering officers for maritime vessel electrical and mechanical systems.
• Port Transport Engineering (Bachelor's Program) Accredited bachelor's degree program in port transport engineering, covering port operations, terminal logistics, and maritime transport infrastructure management.
• Master's Programs (Ship Energy Systems and Marine Operations) Accredited master's degree programs in Ship Energy and Electrical Systems and Marine Operations, providing advanced specialization for maritime professionals.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates can occupy command positions on maritime trading vessels, work in maritime crewing companies, and serve in public and private maritime transport organizations.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bernhard Schulte Ship Management (BSM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 May 2025The academy's 5th cohort of students is completing cadet training programs at BSM's training center. This partnership provides practical seamanship training opportunities for students, bridging academic education with industry requirements and facilitating graduate employment pathways.
• Korea Institute of Maritime and Fisheries Technology (KIMFT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKIMFT invites high-potential students from the academy to participate in global maritime training and educational programs, providing international exposure and advanced skills development opportunities.
• Telavi State University (Erasmus+ PRODIGE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative participation in Erasmus+ PRODIGE project coordination meetings, supporting internationalization and educational exchange initiatives within the European higher education framework.
• Black Sea Basin Research InstitutionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipation in the WatchReefFish project (Non-Invasive Fish Monitoring Network for Reef Fishes in the Black Sea Basin) with research collaboration including BRUV (Baited Remote Underwater Video) training workshops conducted in Alexandroupoli, Greece.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Marine Academy of Constanta: Romanian naval academy providing both military and civilian maritime training. A regional peer offering overlapping cadet training programs in the Black Sea basin with comparable institutional heritage.
• Georgian Technical University: Georgia's largest technical university with adjacent engineering faculties. While not maritime-focused, it competes for Georgian students who could otherwise enroll at BSMA and offers overlapping engineering and management programs.

Broad incumbents

• World Maritime University: A UN-affiliated postgraduate maritime university in Sweden operated under the IMO. Offers master's programs in maritime affairs, ocean sustainability, and maritime law, attracting global students and providing a broader international benchmark for advanced maritime education.
• Korea Maritime and Ocean University (KMOU): One of Asia's premier maritime universities, with deep simulator infrastructure, ship management partnerships, and global alumni networks. A broader incumbent that KIMFT is connected to, providing a model for international maritime education expansion.
• Istanbul Technical University Maritime Faculty: Turkey's leading maritime higher education faculty, offering navigation, marine engineering, and maritime transportation engineering programs with significant state investment. A broader incumbent serving a larger regional maritime labor market.

Direct peers

• Azerbaijan State Marine Academy: Azerbaijan's primary maritime higher education institution providing STCW-certified training across navigation, marine engineering, and ship operation. A close regional peer sharing the Caspian/Black Sea adjacency and post-Soviet institutional heritage.
• Constanta Maritime University: Romania's leading maritime university located on the Black Sea, offering accredited nautical and engineering programs with extensive simulation facilities. Closely comparable in geographic context, curriculum structure, and EU-adjacent regulatory positioning.
• National Maritime University of Odesa: One of the oldest and largest maritime universities in the Black Sea region, offering navigation, engineering, and maritime management programs aligned with STCW standards. Directly comparable to BSMA in mission, curriculum, and Black Sea geographic context.
• Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy: Bulgaria's primary naval and maritime education institution, providing STCW-compliant officer training with strong Black Sea regional focus. Directly comparable in mission and regional positioning as a state-backed maritime academy.

Emerging players

• International Maritime College Oman: A relatively newer maritime education institution in the Middle East with strong industry partnerships and modern simulator infrastructure. An emerging player showcasing the international maritime education model BSMA could emulate or partner with.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/s.t.s.c.bsma

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Batumi State Maritime Academy