Institut de Sécurité Maritime Interrégional - ISMI

What Institut de Sécurité Maritime Interrégional - ISMI does

The Institut de Sécurité Maritime Interrégional (ISMI) is a regional intergovernmental training institute headquartered on the ARSTM campus in Yopougon, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. Operating under the Regional Academy of Marine Sciences and Techniques (ARSTM), which serves 15 French-speaking countries of West and Central Africa, ISMI delivers professional training in maritime safety, security, law, and operations to civilian and military personnel from Gulf of Guinea states. Its core offerings are the 10-month Master 2 DSAMO (Droit et Sécurité des Activités Maritimes et Océaniques), co-delivered under the seal of Nantes Université, and a portfolio of short professional qualifying courses covering ISPS Code port security, dangerous goods handling (IMDG/IMSBC), container targeting, cybersecurity, nautical driving, and crisis management. Programs are taught in-person at the Abidjan campus and in Dakar, Senegal, with a distance-learning (FOAD) mode for the Master 2; a civil professional drone pilot training center is scheduled to open on campus in June 2026.

ISMI has no proprietary technology platform — its product is structured human instruction and credentialing — and it does not generate revenue through conventional commercial channels. Funding flows from three sources: modest tuition (e.g., 1,257,000 FCFA in-person / 1,863,000 FCFA FOAD for the Master 2), international development grants from French Cooperation, German Cooperation (via the SAFE PORT project with UNITAR), the European Union (via SAFE SEAS FOR AFRICA), and the Government of Japan, and in-kind institutional support from ARSTM member states. Recruitment of trainees is channel-driven: candidates are nominated by governments through AEM cooperant networks, AGPAOC (for port personnel), and regional customs attaché networks, then validated by ISMI. Customer segments are exclusively governmental — maritime prefectures, port authorities, customs and police, naval forces, fisheries administrations, judicial personnel, and operators of the Yaoundé Architecture monitoring centers.

The organization operates with a small core team of 9 employees under Director Colonel ABE Aké Lazare, who reports into Colonel Karim Coulibaly as Director General of ARSTM. To date, ISMI has trained more than 4,000 personnel and delivered over 150 training sessions across 13 West African coastal states and 5 Central African countries, producing 8 cohorts of Master 2 DSAMO graduates. Its competitive position rests on its quasi-monopolistic role as the designated regional capacity-building institute under the Yaoundé Architecture, its formal partnership with Nantes Université for diploma issuance, and its dense institutional ecosystem of bilateral and multilateral donors.

Name

Institut de Sécurité Maritime Interrégional - ISMI

Legal name

Institut de Sécurité Maritime Interrégional

Website

https://ismi-ci.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ISMI is the regional intergovernmental training institute for maritime safety, security, and law in the Gulf of Guinea, operating under ARSTM in Abidjan and serving civilian and military personnel from 15 French-speaking West and Central African states through degree, short-course, and donor-funded capacity-building programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Security Training

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAOANAD

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

Education/Vocational, Technical & Trade Education/Maritime, Logistics & Transportation Trades

SECONDARYBPAKAOAL

Maritime/Port Facility Security (ISPS) Training

Business & Public Services/Security & Investigations Services/Training & Certification for Security Personnel

SECONDARYTLAHANAF

Maritime Safety Management Systems & Training (ISM/ISO 45001, Drills, Competency)

Transportation & Logistics/Ports, Terminals & Maritime Services/Maritime Security, Safety & Compliance Services (ISPS, Inspections, Vetting)

SECONDARYBPAKALAG

Maritime Security Training & Drills (ISPS, Crew Training)

Business & Public Services/Security & Investigations Services/Maritime & Port Security Services

Keywords

• Maritime security training
• Professional maritime education
• Port security courses
• Maritime law programs
• Maritime capacity building

Headquarters

HQ city

Abidjan

HQ country

Côte d’Ivoire

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Training tuition fees: ISMI generates revenue through tuition fees charged for its professional programs. The Master 2 DSAMO program charges 1,257,000 FCFA for face-to-face delivery and 1,863,000 FCFA for distance learning (FOAD). Application fees of 26,500 FCFA are charged. Additional ancillary fees include uniform (45,000 FCFA) and medical insurance for foreign students (330,000 FCFA).
2. International development funding: Significant program funding is sourced from international donors including French Cooperation (Coopération française), German Cooperation (Coopération allemande), and the European Union (via SAFE SEAS FOR AFRICA and SAFE PORT projects). These funders finance specific capacity-building programs and participant training.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ISMI is a regional training institute that delivers professional education and capacity-building programs in maritime safety, security, law, and operations for civilian and military personnel of Gulf of Guinea states. Its portfolio includes a Master 2 degree in Law and Security of Maritime and Oceanic Activities (DSAMO) co-delivered with Nantes Université, short qualifying courses on port security, dangerous goods, cybersecurity, and crisis management, and a newly announced regional civil drone pilot training center. Programs are delivered on-site in Abidjan, off-site in Dakar, and through distance learning (FOAD), targeting government administrations, port authorities, naval forces, customs, police, and maritime professionals.

Product overview

The Institut de Sécurité Maritime Interrégional (ISMI) is a strategic training institute operating within the Regional Academy of Marine Sciences and Technology (ARSTM) in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. It does not offer a unified software product but rather a portfolio of maritime and maritime-security training programs. The core offerings consist of: (1) the Master 2 DSAMO — a 10-month professional Master's degree (co-delivered with Nantes Université) in Law and Security of Maritime and Oceanic Activities, available in face-to-face or distance-learning (FOAD) modes; (2) a broad suite of short professional qualifying courses (Formations Qualifiantes) covering topics such as dangerous goods handling (IMDG/IMSBC codes), port security (ISPS Code), maritime container targeting, cybersecurity, cybercrime investigation, crisis management, nautical driving (TICA), and maritime information processing within the Yaoundé Architecture framework; (3) a recently launched regional Drone Center for civil professional drone pilot training (opening June 2026); and (4) specialized capacity-building programs under the EU-funded SAFE SEAS FOR AFRICA and German Cooperation/UNITAR-funded SAFE PORT projects targeting 13+ Gulf of Guinea and Central African countries. The portfolio is anchored by the DSAMO degree program, supplemented by short courses and project-based training, delivered at ISMI in Abidjan or at partner locations such as Dakar, Senegal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Master 2 DSAMO (Droit et Sécurité des Activités Maritimes et Océaniques) A 10-month professional Master's program in Law and Security of Maritime and Oceanic Activities delivered under the seal of Nantes Université, available on-site in Abidjan or fully online (FOAD), for maritime professionals, lawyers, navy officers, shipping safety inspectors, and students from Gulf of Guinea states.
• Short Training Courses (Formation Courte) A portfolio of intensive professional short courses (typically two weeks) targeting maritime, port, and coastal administration personnel from Gulf of Guinea states, covering ISPS Code compliance, dangerous goods management, maritime container targeting, cybersecurity, crisis management, nautical driving, cybercrime investigation, and maritime information processing.
• Qualifying Training Programs (Formations Qualifiantes) Scheduled qualifying professional training sessions covering specialized topics including IMDG containerized dangerous goods management, IMSBC bulk solid dangerous goods management, sulphur-clinker-ammonium nitrate handling, port facility security audits, port domain litigation, and PFSO security exercise conduction, delivered at ISMI in Abidjan.
• Centre Régional de Formation aux Métiers du Drone Civil Professionnel (Drone Center) A regional training center offering theoretical and practical instruction for the operation of remotely piloted aircraft (civil drones), targeting maritime surveillance, port security, and coastal zone management professionals across West and Central Africa. Opening June 5, 2026 at the ISMI campus in Abidjan.
• SAFE PORT Project Training Programs A suite of training programs delivered under the SAFE PORT project financed by German Cooperation and piloted by UNITAR, covering cybercrime in the maritime environment, container targeting, dangerous goods management, ISPS port security, crisis management, and harbor master services optimization, targeting judicial police officers and port personnel from 13 Gulf of Guinea and Central African countries.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,000+ trainees trained since creation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SAFE PORT Project (German Cooperation / UNITAR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 November 2023SAFE PORT is a project financed by German Cooperation and piloted by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). ISMI organizes training courses under this project for Gulf of Guinea states on cybercrime, port security, dangerous goods management, and container targeting. The project covers 13 eligible countries including Côte d'Ivoire, Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea, Nigeria, and others.
• Académie Régionale des Sciences et Techniques de la Mer (ARSTM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISMI is a constituent institute of ARSTM, the regional training institution for 15 French-speaking countries of West and Central Africa. ARSTM encompasses five schools/institutes: ESTM, ESN, CEAM, CREMPOL, and ISMI. ARSTM's Director General oversees ISMI operations.
• Nantes Université (France)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNantes Université's Faculty of Law and Political Science co-delivers the Master 2 DSAMO program with ISMI, awarding a French national diploma under its seal. Faculty lecturers teach alongside ARSTM instructors. Additional collaboration with the Ecole Nationale Supérieure Maritime (Nantes site).
• Ecole Nationale de Cybersécurité à Vocation Régionale (ENVR Cybersécurité)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerENVR Cybersécurité provides pedagogical support for the SAFE PORT training on cybercrime in the maritime environment, contributing technical expertise in cybersecurity instruction.
• Haute Autorité de la Sécurité et de la Sûreté Maritimes (HASSMAR) - SenegalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHASSMAR provides institutional backing for the SAFE PORT training activities organized in Dakar, Senegal.
• Expertise FranceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExpertise France is listed as an ISMI partner organization, likely contributing to capacity-building and institutional development support.
• ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerECOWAS is listed as an ISMI partner, providing regional institutional backing for maritime security training under the Yaoundé Architecture framework.
• IMO - International Maritime OrganizationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMO is listed as an ISMI partner, providing international regulatory framework support for maritime safety and security training programs.
• AGPAOC (Association des Ports Africains de l'Océan Atlantique)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAGPAOC serves as the channel for nominating port personnel from member countries for ISMI's SAFE PORT training programs.
• SEACOP (Symbolic Maritime Crime Programme)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEACOP is listed as an ISMI partner, contributing to maritime crime prevention and capacity building programs in the Gulf of Guinea.
• Université de Nantes (France)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversité de Nantes contributes teaching staff to the DSAMO program alongside ISMI and Nantes Université faculty. The 8th DSAMO cohort graduation was attended by Ms. Aurélie Raffy representing Nantes Université.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• International Maritime Organization (IMO): IMO is the UN specialized agency that sets global maritime safety, security, and environmental standards and runs capacity-building programs worldwide. It is a strategic partner of ISMI and a benchmark for the regulatory frameworks (ISPS, STCW, IMDG) that ISMI teaches, while also being a potential competitor for donor-funded training mandates.

Regional players

• Maritime Training Services (MTS) Nigeria: MTS Nigeria is a private maritime training provider in Lagos serving the Nigerian and West African market with STCW, ISPS, and offshore safety courses. It competes with ISMI for commercial trainees in Nigeria, although ISMI's focus on government-designated cohorts differentiates the two.

Direct peers

• World Maritime University (WMU): WMU is a graduate maritime university in Malmö, Sweden, founded by the IMO, offering Master's and PhD programs in maritime affairs. Like ISMI, it builds maritime capacity in developing countries and delivers postgraduate qualifications, making it the closest global benchmark for ISMI's Master 2 DSAMO program.
• IMO International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI): IMLI is a specialized institute in Malta delivering postgraduate education in maritime law under the IMO umbrella. ISMI's Master 2 DSAMO covers a very similar maritime-law curriculum and targets a comparable audience of government legal and maritime officials, making IMLI a direct curricular peer.
• Regional Maritime University (RMU) Ghana: RMU is a regional university in Accra, Ghana, providing maritime education and training to ECOWAS member states. Both ISMI and RMU serve West African maritime administrations and compete for the same regional pool of students, faculty, and donor funding.

Others

• Nantes Université: Nantes Université's Faculty of Law co-delivers the Master 2 DSAMO and awards the French national diploma. It is a key academic partner and a proxy for the European university ecosystem that supports francophone maritime legal education in West Africa.
• SEACOP (Symbolic Maritime Crime Programme): SEACOP is an EU-funded initiative building maritime law enforcement capacity against drug trafficking and organized crime. It overlaps with ISMI's mandate on maritime crime training and is an institutional partner, while also being an alternative channel for similar training programs.

Emerging players

• Ecole Nationale Supérieure Maritime (ENSM): ENSM is the French national network of maritime higher education schools and an active partner of ISMI. ENSM co-delivers content for the Master 2 DSAMO and is a potential comparator for quality and methodology, while also being a downstream pipeline for advanced French maritime credentials.
• ECOWAS Maritime Security Project (CRESMAO / CMC): ECOWAS-led maritime security coordination centers (CRESM, CMC) and related programs train personnel from member states on maritime domain awareness and law enforcement at sea. They share ISMI's regional mandate and target audience, serving as both partners and alternative capacity-building channels.
• African Maritime Administrations and Security Support Programme (AFMAS): AFMAS is an IMO-coordinated regional program supporting African states in implementing maritime safety and security conventions. It overlaps directly with ISMI's mandate to train Gulf of Guinea administrations on IMO instruments and is a close regional counterpart in capacity building.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ismi-ci

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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