The Commencement Exercises Ceremony
XPATPINOY | MOL Magsaysay Maritime Academy Celebrates Graduates at Commencement Ceremony | The MOL Magsaysay Maritime Academy, located in Dasmariñas City, Cavite, is a merchant marine academy that is a collaboration between Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and Magsaysay Maritime Academy, Inc. Recently, the academy held its commencement exercises to celebrate the achievements of its second graduating class, consisting of 80 Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation (BS MT) and 72 Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering (BS MarE) who successfully completed the comprehensive curriculum, which included shipboard training. Around half of the graduates are set to work on MOL Group-operated vessels as third officers and third engineers, with plans to progress to captain and chief engineer roles. The remaining graduates will serve on ships from principals of Magsaysay.
During the ceremony, approximately 530 attendees were present, including local and Japanese media representatives, special guests such as former senator and boxer Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao, Japanese ambassador to the Philippines Mr. Endo Kasuya, Ms. Doris Magsaysay-Ho, President and CEO of A. Magsaysay, Inc., and Mr. Toshiaki Tanaka, MOL Executive Vice-President. In his address to the graduates, Mr. Tanaka emphasized the importance of utilizing their knowledge and experience gained at the academy to ensure safe vessel operations and contribute to global safety and development.
MOL, a prominent shipping company headquartered in Tokyo, boasts the world’s second-largest fleet of approximately 900 vessels, including dry bulkers, LNG carriers, car carriers, container ships, and tankers. The company is committed to developing various social infrastructure businesses and services centered on marine transport to meet evolving societal needs, including environmental protection. Furthermore, MOL has a long history of providing marine transport to the Philippines and considers Filipino seafarers as essential to its operations.
With the goal of training future professional seafarers, MOL established the MOL Magsaysay Maritime Academy in Cavite, which offers Bachelor of Science programs in Marine Transportation and Marine Engineering. The academy, inaugurated in 2018, features state-of-the-art facilities and aims to produce globally competitive maritime professionals through a curriculum focused on excellence, discipline, and service.
After the graduation ceremony, a press conference was held with key figures from MOL, MMMA, and other stakeholders, followed by interviews with graduating cadets.
The day concluded with a campus tour, including a visit to the MV Spirit of MMMA, a unique “ship in campus” facility equipped with various training areas and simulators to provide students with hands-on experience in a real-life maritime environment. Additionally, the academy features a student complex, academic center, and dormitory to support the holistic development of its students.
