Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland

The 12th annual Nautical Skills Competition will kick off Friday, Feb. 9, at 5 p.m. and continue on Saturday, Feb. 10, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Marine Institute.

The Master Mariners of Canada (MMC) N.L. Division hosts the competition in collaboration with the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University.

Using state-of-the-art marine simulators from the Marine Institute and local company Virtual Marine, the competition includes seven challenging marine exercises designed to evaluate nautical science students’ knowledge and ability.

The competition aims to promote the maritime sector, encourage team building and professionalism, and foster a safety culture.

Competition objectives

The Master Mariners of Canada (N.L. Division) started the competition in 2012 to mentor the younger generation of upcoming seafarers.

During the past decade, it has become the flagship event in the division’s annual calendar, engaging the maritime industry locally and nationally, and nationally through sponsorship.

“Our students come well prepared for the competition and every year, they excel in showcasing their skills and competency in front of our industry,” said Capt. Eben March, MMC divisional master and founding member of the Nautical Skills Canada planning committee.

“It is beneficial to have industry participate throughout the competition as judges and mentors to encourage leadership, work ethic, safety and confidence to those entering the nautical field.”

Skills demonstration

Forty-nine nautical science students will demonstrate their skills in ship manoeuvering, navigation, stability, seamanship, dynamic positioning, emergency management and offshore operations to veteran master mariners from the Newfoundland and Labrador region.

This year, 12 high school students from Newfoundland and Labrador and Atlantic Canada will also participate in the event.

Twenty-two maritime companies are supporting this year’s competition, providing opportunities for cadets to interact with the region’s most experienced mariners.

Team awards will be presented for safety, professionalism, leadership and teamwork, with the top overall team receiving $2,000 for each team member and their name on the Capt. Jim Thorpe plaque.

Viewers can follow the competition @marineinstitute and use #2024NSC on the Marine Institute’s channels: X, Instagram and LinkedIn.