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Merchant Navy Day serves as a timely reminder of the importance of seafarers and the valuable role they provide, from coastguards and cruise liners to those ensuring that huge quantities of goods move safely to and from our island nation. We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of those who work at sea, and wish all those in the Merchant Navy a safe and productive year ahead.

Our dedicated team here at Marine Society works to ensure those working in the Merchant Navy can further their education and have access to onboard libraries improving knowledge, wellbeing and social relations at sea.

For 262 years we have been supporting all seafarers to get ahead in their careers. Whether supporting them to study a range of formal qualifications - often at long distance - via our Ofsted-certified Marine Society College or providing them with books and libraries at sea. We're now also able to offer an online bookshop which can provide seafarers across the world with books and we have developed a free app to enable seafarers to learn online.  

"If it hadn't been for the Marine Society's help I wouldn't have been wearing the uniform shown in the photo back in 1965. Without their help I would not have been able to fulfil my marine engineering ambitions to become chief engineer. Their help was also invaluable in my gaining higher academic qualifications and later to become a marine surveyor and consultant. As a thank you, I have bequeathed a cash gift to the Society in my will. I hope others will do the same."

Mike Wall, BSc, MSc, FIMarEST, CMarTech, QDR.

Our summer 2019 I/GCSE and A-Level results saw some great results.

Our understanding of the seafarer’s way of life and our unique ability to enter students for I/GCSE/A level examinations wherever they find themselves at exam time shows our commitment to making sure they receive the very best support. This year’s results at I/GCSE and A-Level demonstrate just how effective that support is.

Marine Society’s I/GCSE/A-Level courses offer an unmatched level of services with tutor support.

60% of our students sitting exams were Royal Navy/Royal Marines serving personnel, 20% were spouses of Royal Navy personnel and the remaining 20% serve with the RFA/Merchant Navy.

We ensured our learners did not muss exams by arranging for them to be sat on board ships or on RN/RM establishments around the UK or overseas.

How we help you to be where you want to be

- 100% of learners achieved passes at A-Level, with 33% achieving A*- C grades.

- 100% of learners achieved passes at GCSE, with 100% achieving A*- C grades.

No organisation has more experience in delivering learning at sea. We understand the difficulties seafarers face when studying at sea, and we know how important the quality of learning is to them.

“We are proud of the support and expertise we are able to offer seafarers to help them study and achieve qualifications in challenging circumstances. The resources coupled with the support and encourgaement our learners recieve, ensures they have the best chance to succeed.”

Carla Rockson
Head of Seafarer Education

Marine Society is the first in learning and professional development for seafarers, helping them to learn new skills, gain accredited qualifications and realise their full potential.

Marine Society is delighted to bring its crew libraries to new global customer Technip FMC, an international leader in oil and gas projects technologies, systems and services. Technip FMC operate 18 vessels that specialise in subsea pipelay and subsea construction.

The first ship 'Global 1201' (pictured) took delivery of a 100 piece paperback library from Marine Society in January 2018. 

Marine Society would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

It has been a great 2017 for the charity. We were delighted to be rated 'good' by Ofsted earlier this year, and we also welcomed our 10,000th seafarer to Learn@Sea.

Please note that our offices will be closed from Friday 22 December to Tuesday 2 January. We look forward to hearing from you in 2018!

Nick Chubb and Caroline Buckland of Marine Society attended 2017 Crew Connect Summit, that took place in Manila, Philippines 7-8 November. The Crew Connect Summit is the global conference for all aspects of crew management such as training and welfare. The Marine Society were there to promote Marine Society's Learn@Sea programme, the book and crew library services and to join the debate about the future of crew management.

Sessions included discussions on controversial topics such as introduction of autonomous ships and digital technologies, through to training initiatives such as ‘coming ashore’, the transition of seafarers into shore-based careers - a campaign the Marine Society have supported in the UK.