Department of Maritime Science

Prof. Nwabueze Ebere

The Current Head of Department

Maritime Science

Maritime science is a well-rounded and multi-disciplinary programme aimed at providing a practical-based qualification that will be suitable and relevant to a career in the off-shore and shore-based Maritime Industry infrastructure.

What is more, maritime education today encompasses a full knowledge of seafaring including but not limited to information technology, environment, economics, security, management, and transportation logistics.

The Maritime Science programme is designedto combine a rigorous academic programme with a regimented lifestyle that instills honor, responsibility, team spirit, discipline and leadership.

On successful completion of this programme, the student would have obtained the knowledge, skills and values deemed critical to off-shore and on-shore operations in the industry. Graduates will have gained a general understanding of one or more of the principles of navigation, meteorology, marine engineering, naval architecture, transportation, logistics, management and maritime laws amongst others.

Staff list in the Department

Name	Rank	Area Of Specialisation	Email
Prof. N. Ebere	Ag. HOD Professor	Marine Biology	ebere.nwabueze@ust.edu.ng
Capt. E, Eleyi (Contract staff)	Senior Lecturer	Marine Transportation/Marine Affairs	eleyielias@gmail.com
Capt. L. Bereiweriso (Contract staff)	Senior Lecturer	Maritime Education &Training	larrybere2@gmail.com
Capt. N. Otian (Contract staff)	Lecturer II	Marine Transportation	otiannnamdi@gmail.com
Mrs.Ndamati promise	Administrative officer
Mrs Ewute, Margret	Administrative officer
Uzah Ijeoma	Confidential secretary
Godstime Father Echombe	Messenger
David Aya Elendu	Messenger

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The duties and responsibilities of the department are as follows

1 To train adequate manpower that will face the challenges of the maritime industries

2 To provides the motivation, enthusiasm, impetus, and guidance for staff and students of the department to strive to be the best in academic pursuits, research, and service to the community

3 To equip the students with knowledge of appropriate skills, competencies and disposition that will make them globally competitive and capable of establishing their own businesses so that they will be self employed

4To provide the drive for the application of knowledge and skills towards the provision and improvement of research and development products that affect the quality of life in general and the fortunes of industries and the private sector

5 To train students to assume officer responsibilities on merchant ships and prepare them for careers in the marine related fields ashore

6 To prepare students for a regimental life style that requires self –discipline, personal growth, professional development, team work, strength of character and social responsibility

STRUCTURE OF THE UNIT

The department is structured in such a way that there is division of labor among various categories of staff. The Head of department which is normally appointed by the vice-chancellor following the recommendation of the Dean of the faculty serves as the administrative head. He supervises and chairs all activities in the department and gives directives which are carried out through chains of communications. The HOD appoints other officers of the department and assign them specific roles which are normally carried out. The officers are as follows

i Postgraduate coordinator

ii Time table officer

iii Seminar coordinator

iv Students academic advisers

v project coordinator

vi Examination officer

In the absence of the Head of Department, the postgraduate coordinator oversees the administration of the department. He is also responsible for postgraduate matters in the Department.

The timetable officer prepares the lecture and examination time tables. He ensures that classrooms are made available for lectures at designated times. He also ensures that venue clashes are avoided by providing alternative venue if such situation arises.

The seminar and project coordinators prepare the students for oral presentation of their seminar and project works. He guides and assigns supervisors to them.

The Examination officer collates the results of students, present them at the departmental board meetings. He /she also works with ITC officials to upload the result and handles all cases of complaint by students such as missing script, wrong calculation of GPA/CGPA etc.

The students’ academic adviser is responsible for the counseling of students on academic and moral issues. He monitors the students’ academic performances and counsels the students either to improve or change department. He also guides them on the registration of their courses.

Apart from the academic staff the department has non-academic staffs that support the HOD in the administration of the department. They handle the daily administrative matters of the department. These include the General secretary, confidential secretary, administrative staffs, messengers, cleaners. They perform their statutory functions as enshrined in the appointment letters.

PHILOSOPHY OF THE PROGRAMMES

The underlying philosophy of this programme is anchored on the need to provide and equip graduates with adequate science and technology skills to enable them to cope and develop a sound understanding of Maritime Operations, exploitation and management of Marine Resources. This has become most pertinent in the face of rapid advances in maritime transport technology as accentuated by the presence of river banks rich in oil exploration operations as common in coastal states such as Rivers. To this end, highly skilled maritime and shipping personnel are the prime requirements for the development of maritime industries in Nigeria thus heightening the need to arouse a sense of awareness and broaden the scope of knowledge in Maritime operations.

OBJECTIVE

The objectives of the programme are to:

i. Train students to the standards required by the international maritime industry and equip them for careers in related fields ashore and offshore.

ii. Develop comprehensive and liberal programmes of maritime education and training tomatch modern technological innovations in shipboard operations on Merchant ships,fishing vessels and ashore.

iii. Provide a labour source for well-trained and internationally recognizedprofessionals forthemaritime industry in Nigeria and elsewhere.

iv. Build up competent instructional capacity at all levels and impact pre-sea training to prepare young persons (males and females) for a career at sea.

v. Prepare sea-going officers to assume higher responsibilities on Merchant ships and on fishing vessels.

vi. Promote efficient and sustainable exploitation of natural aquatic resources for enhanced marine operations

vii. Give students the option to graduate with the relevant certificate of competency aftersatisfying NIMASA Examination requirement and other cognate examining bodies