This February will be marked by the first delivery of the world renowned Intermediate Marina Management Course (IMM) in Hong Kong. The course is managed by the Marina Industries Association (MIA) under the banner of the Global Marina Institute (GMI).

MIA President Andrew Chapman

MIA President Andrew Chapman CMM said delivering the course for the first time in Hong Kong was another sign of the development of the marina industries across the region. “Hong Kong has a comparatively mature marina sector with nine marinas operating at high occupancy levels. However with the growth in marina facilities in China and nearby countries we are seeing strong demand for recognised marina training. There is also growing demand from marina staff to embark on a recognised marina career pathway”.

The course will be conducted from 24 – 27 February and includes both theoretical and practical components including site visits to three Hong Kong marinas.

IMM course topics include leadership development; safety and emergency management, operations, maritime law and marketing. Eight registrations have been confirmed to date with strong enquiry from marinas as far afield as New Zealand. Marinas across the region are encouraged to enroll suitable staff in the course noting the next regional IMM course will be held on the Gold Coast Australia in August.

The Hong Kong course follows successful MIA marina training that has been conducted in China and Korea over the past three years. Andrew Chapman said with the emergence of the marina industry across the Asia Pacific region it is important that marina training in the region is internationally recognised and aligned, while also allowing for the nuances of each country to be accommodated. “MIA has strong industry alliances across the region and this is ensuring the roll out of marina training is effectively integrated with the needs of each country while still aligning with global standards”.