Academy Profile

Cambridge Academy of Transport has been conducting a wide range of maritime transport related educational programmes for over 35 years. No two courses are alike, other than in their basic structure. Current issues always dictate content, which is being continually updated by the lecturers who have hands-on experience and day-to-day contact with the industry, thereby giving a practical slant to all the programmes.

We offer a variety of methods of learning and different styles of programmes. Many major shipping and trading companies recognise our courses as providing a high level of education and regularly enrol their managers and executives. A brief outline of the programmes can be found on the website and further details will be provided upon request. Below is a summary of the groups of educational products offered.

Online Courses

For nearly four decades, Cambridge Academy of Transport has focused on contact courses with the exception being our highly regarded Distance Learning programmes. The self-isolation and travel restrictions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic has caused us to consider alternative methods of delivery, the most obvious being online. A number of our contact courses have been re-cast into an online-friendly format to provide a high level of training capability despite the pandemic. An expanding set of online courses will be rolled out complementing the existing courses which will be temporarily suspended while the pandemic persists.

Cambridge Residential Courses

The Cambridge Residential Courses present a unique opportunity to study in the historic environment of the University town of Cambridge. The content includes workshops, case studies and discussion sessions; participants benefit from the opportunity of interaction with others of different cultures and nationalities.

All courses include a varied social programme where participants can join our guided tour of Cambridge with its internationally famous colleges, experience punting on the River Cam or enjoy sports, pubs or the theatre. The course concludes with a Farewell Dinner at one of the prestigious colleges of the University of Cambridge.

Business contacts, lasting friendships and opportunities have all resulted from these carefully balanced programmes. The Cambridge Academy of Transport motto is Fellowship Scholarship Leadership recognising our aspiration to deliver education in its widest possible terms.

London Short Courses

For individuals who cannot afford the time commitment of a residential course, the Academy offers a number of short courses in London which are centred around a number of specific subjects. Most have a legal theme looking in detail at aspects of charter parties and bills of lading.

The London Chartering Course Series

Cambridge Academy of Transport have tailor made a series of practical courses to meet the needs of those involved in the chartering of vessels whether they work for shipowners, cargo interests or as time charter operators. The courses are regularly held at The Baltic Exchange which lies in the heart of Maritime London. Its members represent many of the major owners and charterers in addition to the broad spectrum of companies that service their needs. Staging these practical chartering courses at the Exchange, the home of shipbroking, will give participants a unique insight into this fascinating city together with an opportunity to further business contacts. Lecturers and workshop tutors are carefully selected from the industry; all have an in-depth working knowledge of their specialist area based on many years of experience.

Distance Learning

If you work in shipping, shipbroking, marine insurance or the legal profession, you will find a great deal of useful information in the distance learning courses which Cambridge Academy of Transport offers. Much of it would take years to acquire through day-to-day experience. Indeed, the value of these courses is their widespread overview of each subject so that, however specialised your own career, you will be able to understand how other areas of the industry fit in with your own expertise. This additional knowledge will not only improve the enjoyment of your daily work but also increase your personal value in the shipping community.

Profiled Courses

As the name implies, these courses are of a unique format, offering a range of topics specially designed to meet the sponsoring organisation's needs either in-house or at a local venue. By using appropriate experts as lecturers and structuring the course around a specific set of objectives, a Profiled Course will help an organisation to remain sharp, competitive and well organised for a positive future.

Oversea Courses

As the name implies, these courses are held overseas but from the perspective of our home base: Cambridge England. Typically Dubai or Singapore is used as a venue for courses derived from the range of our programmes described above. As an example, the two-week Anatomy of Shipping residential course held twice annually in Cambridge has been concentrated into a four-day non-residential format. While it would be impossible to deliver all of the benefits of the Cambridge course, these shortened Business of Shipping programmes are ideal for individuals who have limited time and may not be able to travel to the UK.