Cyprus Maritime Academy

What Cyprus Maritime Academy does

Cyprus Maritime Academy (CyMA) is a private, for-profit educational institution founded in 2015 and operational since 2016, headquartered in Engomi (Nicosia), Cyprus, with a secondary training facility in Limassol. It is the first Maritime Academy in Cyprus and provides STCW-compliant training for aspiring and experienced merchant marine officers, delivered through a 4-year BSc in Nautical Science program (in collaboration with Intercollege under the auspices of the University of Nicosia) and a 16-week Master/Chief Mate Course for experienced officers seeking management-level certification. The academy augments classroom instruction with Bridge, GMDSS, and Cargo Handling simulators covering navigation, ECDIS, ARPA, RADAR, and ship handling operations, and supplements academic degree delivery with short professional certifications (ARPA, ECDIS, BRM, Medical Care).

The business model is anchored on tuition fees (€7,200/year for the BSc program) and professional training course fees (€4,950 for the Master/Chief Mate Course), with substantial subsidization through the Cadet Scholarship Program funded by shipping industry partners. Revenue is partially offset by grants and corporate-sponsored scholarships, but the academy does not publicly disclose revenue. Its go-to-market is sales-led, relying on direct admissions through an online application system with rolling Fall and Spring intakes, open days, and industry forums (e.g., Capital Link Cyprus Shipping Forum). The customer base is primarily individual students seeking careers as Deck or Engine Officers, while B2B partnerships with at least eight major shipping companies (MSC, Columbia Shipmanagement, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, Intership Navigation, Lemissoler Navigation, Fleet Management Limited, Petronav Shipmanagement, Olympia Ocean Carriers, Safe Bulkers) provide onboard placement and partial study funding through the annual Adopt a Cadet event.

Financially, the academy operates as a small private institution with 11-50 employees, regulatory exclusivity as the first STCW-approved maritime academy in Cyprus, CYQAA and EQAR accreditation, and ISO 9001/IQNet quality certifications. It is governed by a 22-member Board of Directors drawn from the maritime industry and is institutionally embedded in the Cyprus Shipping Chamber, Cyprus Marine Club, and Cyprus Foundation of the Sea. The combination of regulatory moat, industry-validated placement pipeline, and dual academic-professional credentialing creates a defensible niche in Eastern Mediterranean maritime training.

Name

Cyprus Maritime Academy

Legal name

Cyprus Maritime Academy

Website

https://cyma.ac.cy

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cyprus Maritime Academy is the first STCW-approved maritime academy in Cyprus, offering a 4-year BSc in Nautical Science (with Intercollege) and a Master/Chief Mate Course for merchant marine officer training, serving aspiring and experienced deck officers with subsidized placement into shipping companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Education & Training

NAICS

Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Merchant Marine & Deck Operations (EDAOANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Navigation, Seamanship & Offshore Operations (EDAOANAE), Maritime Safety, Security & Compliance (STCW/ISM/ISPS) (EDAOANAD), Marine Engineering & Engine Room Operations (EDAOANAB)

Keywords

• Maritime education
• Nautical science
• STCW training
• Officer certification
• Merchant marine training

Headquarters

HQ city

Engomi

HQ country

Cyprus

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Annual tuition fees charged for the BSc in Nautical Science program, with scholarships available through the Cadet Scholarship Program (CSP) in partnership with shipping companies
2. Professional Training Courses: Short professional courses including Master/Chief Mate Course (16 weeks) and additional certificate programs such as ARPA, ECDIS, BRM, and Medical Care training for continuing maritime education

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cyprus Maritime Academy is a private maritime education institution that delivers a 4-year BSc in Nautical Science (degree awarded by Intercollege under the University of Nicosia) along with the STCW Certificate of Competence for Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch, and a 16-week Master/Chief Mate Course for experienced officers seeking management-level certification. Training combines classroom instruction, bridge/GMDSS/cargo handling simulators, and a one-year paid onboard practical placement arranged through shipping company partners.

Product overview

The Cyprus Maritime Academy (CyMA) offers maritime education programs primarily through its core BSc in Nautical Science degree program (a 4-year Bachelor of Science offered in collaboration with Intercollege under the auspices of the University of Nicosia), which combines academic education with professional certification leading to a Certificate of Competence. Additionally, CyMA provides a 16-week Master/Chief Mate Course for experienced officers seeking career advancement to management-level positions. The academy focuses exclusively on nautical/maritime education and does not operate as a technology product platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BSc in Nautical Science A 4-year Bachelor of Science program in Nautical Science that prepares students to become professional officers in charge of a navigational watch on merchant ships; upon completion, graduates receive both the BSc in Nautical Science from Intercollege and the STCW Certificate of Competence (Section A-II/1) from the Cyprus Maritime Academy. Annual tuition of €7,200 with €7,200/year scholarships available under the Cadet Scholarship Program for qualifying cadets.
• Master/Chief Mate Course A 16-week professional training program aligned with STCW Code Table A-II/2 for experienced deck officers pursuing a management-level Certificate of Competency. Covers three core functions: Navigation at Management Level, Cargo Handling and Stowage at Management Level, and Controlling Ship Operations and Care for Persons on Board at Management Level. Total course fee €4,950, with cohort capped at 15 trainees.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates receive BSc in Nautical Science from Intercollege plus Certificate of Competence (CoC) of Officer in Charge of Navigational Watch from Cyprus Maritime Academy

Named customers8 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 October 2025ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton visited CyMA. ITF collaborating with OMEPEGE-SEK and CyMA on scholarship programs for deck cadets.
• OMEPEGE-SEK (Federation of Transport, Petroleum and Agriculture Workers)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 October 2025Full scholarship program for Nautical Science studies awarded to deck cadet Konstantinos Petrou, in collaboration with ITF and CyMA.
• University of NicosiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIntercollege operates under the auspices of the University of Nicosia. CyMA is ideally placed within the University of Nicosia Campus. General academic education follows standards of Ministry of Education of Republic of Cyprus for Higher Education.
• IntercollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCyMA collaborates with Intercollege to offer maritime programs. Intercollege awards the Bachelor's Degree while CyMA provides Certificate of Competence through Shipping Deputy Ministry.
• Board of Governors - Maritime Industry MemberscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner22 selected members from maritime industry including MSC Shipmanagement, Columbia Shipmanagement, Safebulkers, Bernhards Schulte Shipmanagement, Lemissoler Navigation, Intership Navigation, Steamship Insurance, CMMI, Celestyal Cruises, Thomas Schulte Shipmanagement. Board provides direct link to industry needs and advises on industry developments.
• Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides onboard practical placement for Deck and Engine Cadets. Partially funds cadet studies for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year upon successful review. Contracts graduates as Deck or Engine Officers upon completion.
• Columbia Shipmanagement (CSM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides onboard practical placement for Deck and Engine Cadets. Partially funds cadet studies for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year upon successful review. Contracts graduates as Deck or Engine Officers upon completion.
• Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides maritime training centre for Basic Safety Training for cadets. Maritime Training Centre located in Limassol. Collaborates on practical training programs.
• Intership NavigationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides onboard practical placement for deck cadets on dry cargo ships. Contributes to practical training and gaining maritime experience.
• Lemissoler NavigationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on onboard practical placement for cadets. Provides shipping industry experience for training.
• Fleet Management LimitedmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining collaborator providing practical onboard placement opportunities for cadets.
• Petronav ShipmanagementmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides onboard practical placement and ship familiarisation courses for cadets.
• Olympia Ocean CarriersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on practical training arrangements for cadets.
• Uniteam MarinemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining collaborator for practical onboard placement.
• Interorient ShipmanagementmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining collaborator for practical onboard placement.
• Cyprus Shipping Chamber (CSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCyMA is a member of Cyprus Shipping Chamber. CSC provides representation in BIMCO through substitute representative Dr. Andreas Frangos.
• Cyprus Marine Club (CMC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional membership in Cyprus Marine Club.
• Cyprus Foundation of the Sea (CyFOS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional membership in Cyprus Foundation of the Sea.
• SAFE BULKERScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSP sponsor providing cadet scholarships. Safe Bulkers is represented on the Board of Governors (Loukas Barmparis, President & Director).

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pangaea Maritime Training: Mediterranean-focused maritime training provider offering STCW courses and competency programs for serving seafarers. Comparable in delivering STCW short courses (BRM, ECDIS, ARPA) that overlap with CyMA's professional short-course portfolio.
• Warsash Maritime Academy: UK-based maritime academy (part of Solent University) delivering STCW-compliant officer cadet and management-level training. Directly comparable mission, curriculum (deck/nautical science) and accreditation model to CyMA, but operating at significantly greater scale and broader international student base.
• Bernhard Schulte Maritime Training: In-house and third-party maritime training arm of Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, one of CyMA's key partners. Comparable in delivering STCW Basic Safety Training and continuing professional development for seafarers, often paired with placement into managed fleets.
• South Shields Marine School: Long-established UK maritime school delivering STCW-certified officer training with strong links to UK shipping companies. Comparable in offering STCW-aligned deck officer programs and maintaining relationships with shipowners for cadet placement.
• City of Glasgow College (Maritime Faculty): Scottish maritime training institution offering STCW-aligned nautical science and officer training pathways. Comparable in targeting aspiring merchant marine officers through accredited deck/engineering programs and structured onboard placements.
• Norwegian Training Center (NTC Måløy): Norwegian maritime training center providing STCW-certified deck and engine officer training with advanced simulator facilities. Comparable in combining degree-level education with STCW certification and shipowner-sponsored cadet pipelines.

Broad incumbents

• Marlins (V.Group): Maritime training, assessment and crew competence provider owned by V.Ships/ V.Group. Comparable in delivering STCW-aligned training, testing, and certification products across multiple jurisdictions — overlapping with CyMA's short-course portfolio.
• Seagull Maritime (Ocean Technologies Group): Global maritime e-learning and crew competence management platform serving shipowners and training institutes. Comparable as a competing delivery channel for STCW content; broader in scope and digital-first rather than campus-based.

Regional players

• Merchant Marine Academy of Chios: Greek merchant marine academy delivering STCW-certified officer training, part of the wider Greek national maritime education system. Closest regional peer given Mediterranean proximity, similar curriculum and shared shipping-industry ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific: Philippines-based maritime academy producing large numbers of merchant marine officers each year. Comparable in offering STCW-aligned deck/engineering programs with structured onboard training, though at much larger scale and lower price point.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CyprusMaritimeAcademy

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Cyprus Maritime Academy