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Studies & Degrees in Maritime Transportation

Maritime transportation is the study of how ships are navigated, loaded and operated safely. It trains deck officers: the people who stand the navigation watch on the bridge, plan the voyage, supervise cargo and passengers, and, at the top of the career, command the vessel as captain. The STCW Convention of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), adopted on 7 July 1978 and in force since 28 April 1984, with major revisions in 1995 and 2010, sets minimum standards of training, certification and watchkeeping for seafarers that every country must meet or exceed.

Students learn navigation and ship handling, stowage and cargo operations, maritime safety and pollution prevention, maritime law and English, on top of a base of mathematics, physics and computing. The Universidade da Coruña describes its degree as scientific and technological, designed to prepare students to direct navigation, safety, pollution prevention and all operations carried out on a ship.

Qualifications and levels

A maritime degree has two parts: an academic qualification from a university or school, and a professional certificate issued by the maritime authority after a period at sea. In Spain the steps are set out in Real Decreto 269/2022, which regulates the professional titles of the merchant navy.

  • Bachelor's degree. The Grado en Náutica y Transporte Marítimo has 240 ECTS credits over 4 years, the standard length of a Spanish bachelor's degree (grado). It gives access to the professions of deck officer (Piloto) and captain of the merchant navy.
  • Sea time. To obtain the professional title of Piloto de Segunda de la Marina Mercante, a graduate must complete 12 months on board as a deck cadet.
  • Master's degree. The title of Capitán de la Marina Mercante requires a bachelor's degree plus a recognised master's degree in the field, and 36 months of sea service as a deck officer. Official master's degrees in Spain have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. Examples are the Máster en Ingeniería Náutica y Transporte Marítimo of the Universidad del País Vasco (EHU) and the Máster Universitario en Ingeniería Náutica y Gestión Marítima of the Universidad de Cantabria.
  • Vocational training (FP). The higher-level qualification Técnico Superior en Transporte Marítimo y Pesca de Altura has 2,000 hours and leads to jobs such as Patrón de altura and bridge officer on fishing vessels, merchant ships and large yachts.
  • United States. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), officers need a Merchant Mariner Credential from the Coast Guard, and employers may prefer candidates with a bachelor's degree from a maritime academy.

Where to study

All 10 schools listed in the directory for this subject are in Spain. The bachelor's degree is taught at a small number of public universities with a nautical school on the coast:

  • Universidad de Cádiz, at its Escuela de Ingenierías Marina, Náutica y Radioelectrónica in Puerto Real, which also offers a Máster en Transporte Marítimo
  • Universidade da Coruña, at the Escuela Técnica Superior de Náutica y Máquinas, with company placements of up to 4 months
  • Universidad de Oviedo, at the Escuela Superior de la Marina Civil, taught in Spanish and English
  • Universidad de Cantabria, in Santander, where the degree is called Grado en Ingeniería Náutica y Transporte Marítimo
  • Universidad del País Vasco (EHU), at the Escuela de Ingeniería de Bilbao, taught in Spanish, Basque and English; the school has a training ship for on-board practice
  • Universidad de La Laguna, on Tenerife

Teaching is mainly in Spanish, with English as a working language of the profession. Fees at public universities are set per credit by each region. The EHU, for example, lists a price of €18.23 per credit for first enrolment. Applicants should know that a valid medical certificate of physical fitness is required to go to sea as a cadet and to obtain any professional title.

Careers

Most graduates start as deck officers on merchant ships and progress to first officer and captain as they add sea time. The universities also list careers ashore: ship inspector, posts in the maritime administration such as maritime rescue, vessel traffic control and customs, port and pilotage services, the management of shipping companies, and teaching or research. Life at sea means long periods away from home, a point the BLS also makes about schedules in this sector.

For the United States, the BLS projects that employment of water transportation workers will grow 4 percent from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to become a ship's officer in Spain?

The Grado en Náutica y Transporte Marítimo takes 4 years (240 ECTS credits). After it, 12 months on board as a deck cadet are required for the professional title of Piloto de Segunda de la Marina Mercante.

What do I need to become a captain?

Under Real Decreto 269/2022, a bachelor's degree plus a recognised master's degree in the field, a deck officer's title and 36 months of sea service as a deck officer.

Can I enter the profession through vocational training?

Yes. The Técnico Superior en Transporte Marítimo y Pesca de Altura (2,000 hours) qualifies for jobs such as Patrón de altura and bridge officer, and it gives access to the university degree.

In which language is the degree taught?

Mainly in Spanish. The Universidad de Oviedo lists Spanish and English as languages of instruction, and the EHU lists Spanish, Basque and English.