In this edition, we spotlight a remarkable trailblazer who is steering one of Sri Lanka’s foremost maritime education institutions towards new horizons. With visionary leadership and an unwavering commitment to excellence, he is shaping the future of maritime training and international cooperation.
He currently serves as the Vice President – Maritime, International Cooperation & Foreign Projects at CINEC Campus. It’s a pleasure to welcome Capt. Peshala Medagama.
Setting the Standard in Maritime Education
Global CEO: CINEC has long been a leader in maritime education, and competition is undoubtedly fierce. What sets your programmes apart internationally?
Capt. Peshala: Being the flag-bearer of maritime education in Sri Lanka, since its inception in 1990, all programmes at CINEC are internationally benchmarked and industry-driven, designed to prepare trainees to serve onboard all types and sizes of vessels, ensuring they stay abreast of evolving, advanced equipment and cutting-edge technologies on merchant vessels.
We are guided by the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW) set by the IMO – our bible in maritime education. However, what differentiates CINEC is that we exceed these minimum standards. We focus on developing not just competence, but also the discipline, right attitudes, ethics, soft skills, and the practical relevance needed to thrive on modern vessels.
We offer comprehensive deck, engine, and electro-technical training with advanced simulators, facilities, onboard experience, and expert faculty. In close collaboration with industry, stakeholders, and the IMO, we ensure our curricula are aligned to global standards.
Enabling Global Careers for Sri Lankan Seafarers
Global CEO: As you rightly mentioned, maritime is a global and heavily regulated industry. How does CINEC contribute to building international career pathways for Sri Lankan students?
Capt. Peshala: Sri Lanka currently has about 21,000 active seafarers, compared to a global total of around 1.9 million-just over 1.1%. In this regard, CINEC has made a significant contribution, standing out as the only training institute in Sri Lanka to have produced over 350 Captains, 300 Chief Engineers, more than 5,000 Officers, and over 11,000 Ratings.
In this regard the primary challenge in capacity building is in facilitating initial assignments for trainees and newly qualified ratings.
Since our local ship-owning base is limited, we rely heavily on foreign shipping companies to provide career opportunities.
We’ve established close ties with many of these companies, largely thanks to our founder and CEO, Capt. Ajith Peiris, whose efforts— along with those of other senior members—have helped develop lasting partnerships. These relationships are critical in placing our trainees on international vessels.
Historically, Sri Lanka owned a fleet of about 17 ships, which served as a training ground for early professionals. We also had a coastal fleet through Mercantile Marine Management and a fluid cargo fleet through LAUGFS. However, what we lack today is a domestic tanker fleet—particularly oil and chemical tankers.
To change that, we need the government’s support in building a national fleet. With targeted subsidies and incentives—as seen in countries like China and Germany—private investors could be encouraged to develop this crucial sector. Such a move would create training pathways that allow our personnel to gain vital experience before transitioning into international careers.
Promoting Gender Representation in Maritime Careers
Global CEO: CINEC is also known for encouraging greater gender diversity in maritime. Could you elaborate?
Capt. Peshala: Indeed. Out of the 1.9 million global seafarers, only around 24,000 are women, with a very small representation from Sri Lanka. CINEC has taken proactive steps to address this imbalance by committing resources, facilities and systems to train exclusively female seafarer cohorts in navigation and engineering.
We’re proud of this initiative and offer scholarships, flexible and easy payment schemes for more young women to explore this exciting, dynamic and rewarding profession. which offers global exposure, career progression, financial stability, and a good quality of life. We invite more ladies to explore this opportunity.
Strategic Global Partnerships
Global CEO: International cooperation plays a pivotal role in such a global industry, and it falls under your purview at CINEC. What recent strategic partnerships has CINEC formed?
Capt. Peshala: CINEC has a long history of international engagement.
CINEC is also the only training institute in Sri Lanka offering Electro-Technical Officer and Rating programmes. Our graduates are now serving on some of the world’s largest and most advanced vessels. A recent example is one of our ETOs being appointed to a 26,000 TEU vessel—an incredible testament to the quality of our training.
We were the first—and remain the only—Sri Lankan maritime training institution to expand beyond our shores.
Our first international collaboration was with Seychelles in August 2013. At the time, Seychelles wasn’t in the IMO white list. We helped them build a high quality training system both at the administrative and institutional levels.
In 2014, we began managing the Fiji Maritime Academy for a decade. We implemented robust quality systems and elevated their training upto Junior Officer training.
Currently, we’re in advanced discussions with Qatar and Indonesia and are exploring opportunities in the Maldives. We are also finalising collaborations with universities in the UK, enabling us to incorporate advanced expertise into our maritime curriculum.
Staying Ahead in a Rapidly Evolving Industry
Global CEO: Maritime technology is advancing rapidly. How is CINEC adapting its curriculum to stay ahead?
Capt. Peshala: We’ve always taken a forward-thinking approach. We’ve upgraded all simulators and training equipment and have gone beyond STCW requirements to ensure our students are well-prepared.
We’ve embedded emerging technologies—including the advanced equipment, machinery and systems; the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, and blockchain— into our parallel course offerings.
These are not just buzzwords; they are key components of our future- oriented curriculum.
Vision for the Future
Global CEO: You’ve seen the maritime industry evolve over the years. What’s your vision for CINEC’s role in shaping the future of maritime education in Sri Lanka and the region?
Capt. Peshala: Our vision is to establish CINEC as the regional hub for maritime education and training.
Beyond producing seafarers, we want to develop policymakers, innovators, and thought leaders in the maritime sector.
CINEC trainees are already serving in the world’s top shipping companies and on the most technologically advanced vessels. Our international presence is growing—we currently train students from various nationalities. We also deliver tailored training programmes developed in partnership with global ship operators.
We aim to expand further, positioning CINEC as the premier training institute not just in Sri Lanka but across the region. This would significantly raise the global profile of Sri Lankan seafarers and generate greater employment and foreign income for the country.
At present, Sri Lankan seafarers contribute about USD 500 million in annual foreign income. Our goal is to be a key player in the Government’s vision to increase this to USD 1.5 billion by growing our seafarer base to over 50,000. That’s the legacy we aspire to build at CINEC.
(The above includes excerpts from an interview conducted by Oshada Bandara with Capt. Peshala Medagama.)
