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Antwerp Maritime Academy (Hogere Zeevaartschool) - Education and Training

Nautical Sciences and Marine Engineering Education & Maritime and Commercial Yatching Courses in Antwerp, Belgium

antwerp maritime academy hzs

Founded in 1800 during the Napoleonic era, the Antwerp Maritime Academy (Hogere Zeevaartschool Antwerpen) offers Nautical Sciences and Marine Engineering education and other marine training programs in Belgium and is the only one in the country. The academy also participates in the Erasmus program and other projects around the world. All the programs are STCW compliant.

The Academy is fully equipped with state-of-the-art didactic equipment, laboratories and workshops including simulators for Cargo handling, propulsion, marine communications, and ship navigation with a well equipped library. Apart simulators, students take part in training on board commercial merchant marine or dredging vessels during holidays.

The language of instruction is Dutch and French with instructions for a certain number of subjects are avaible in English in the 4th year (second semester) of the Nautical Sciences program. So proficiency in Dutch or French is a prerequisite for all the programs except the Ph.D. and short courses. 

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Education & Training Programs

Navigation & Engineering

  • Nautical Sciences (4 years): The program consists of two cycles. At the end of the first cycle (3rd year), students receive a Bachelors degree in Nautical Sciences and at the end of the second cycle (4th year) they receive a Masters degree in Nautical Sciences. Students completing the Bachelors degree in Nautical Sciences are awarded the STCW Operational Level (STCW II/1) and the STCW Management Level (STCW II/2) at the end of the Masters program.
  • Marine Engineering (3 years): Students receive a Bachelors degree in Marine Engineering after 3 years of training and are awarded the STCW Management Level (STCW III/2).

STCW Programs

  • STCW Operational Level AII/1: The STCW Operational Level A-II/1 is a modular course, aimed at maritime companies, which includes all competencies laid down in the STCW Convention & Code.
  • STCW Management Level A-II/2: The STCW Management Level course is structured modular and covers all competences as determined by the STCW 1978 convention and code, as amended.

Yacht Programs

  • Commercial Yachting 500 GT: The academy offers a training program in Commercial Yachting. This training is aimed at the crew of pleasure craft used for commercial activities, with a gross tonnage lower than 500.
  • Commercial Yachting 200 GT: The academy offers a training program in commercial yachting 200 GT. This training is aimed at the crew of pleasure craft used for commercial activities, with a gross tonnage lower than 200 or a length from 2,5 to 24 meters. The crafts are allowed up to 30 nautical miles of coast.

Training Courses