Transnet Maritime School of Excellence (MSoE)

Transnet Maritime School of Excellence (MSoE)

Well-trained and competent port and terminal personnel are not just critical to the efficient, economic performance of our company, but to commerce, industry and the country, in general.

Here’s how Transnet Maritime School of Excellence (MSoE) prepares learners for these important roles in Southern African ports.
Ports, especially well-run and efficient ports, are an absolute necessity to the maritime industry, and the transport economy, as a whole. The MSoE was established, specifically, to provide the necessary skills for Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) and Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), within the Transnet Academy. In addition to TPT and TNPA, the Maritime School of Excellence supplies maritime skills for the broader industry, the country and the Southern African region through various local and international collaborations.
Strategically located in Durban (the biggest port in Africa) and with satellite campuses in Richards Bay, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, the MSoE is carving out a position as the premier provider for marine training programmes. Plans are afoot to establish itself as Africa’s leading training provider in Marine Operations, Terminal Operations, Port Management, Port Engineering and supplying high quality seafarers to the market.
The vast experience and expertise accumulated over the years within the Maritime industry, enables the MSoE to facilitate knowledge transfer in port related training and business solutions specific to customers’ needs.
The MSoE philosophy is to develop a partnership with the customer. This serves as a platform for expert advice, on the best learning and/or tailor-made learning interventions that the client’s business requires. Strategic partnerships with other training providers; technical suppliers and technology specialists’ reinforce our capacity to deliver comprehensive business solutions.
The Maritime School of Excellence ensure that all  service offerings remain on par with international best practice by offering globally competitive and accredited training courses. Qualifications and courses are nationally and internationally aligned and further alignment with internationally recognized and accreditation bodies, continues.
The Maritime School of Excellence is an accredited training institution of the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA); Transport Education and Training Authority; and the leading provider of high-end training in the Port and Maritime sector. Here you can receive training from experienced and qualified facilitators that provide some of the best training available on the African continent in Marine and Terminal Operations, Port Management and Port Engineering.
The school has been successfully offering certification in marine careers since 1991, helping to fulfill the dreams of thousands of students. With over 40 courses and ample lecture rooms that can accommodate up to 60 000 students per year, there is certainly place for you.
When you join MSoE, you are in the hands of experienced mentors and training staff such as Harbour Masters, Marine Pilots, Tug Masters and Port Engineers, and Terminal Operators. Learners will be taught using advanced training aids, with the use of state-of-the-art full mission simulators as they learn how to manoeuvre ships, tugboats and terminal related equipment and machinery.
Maritime School of Excellence has attracted the attention of marine entities seeking training interventions from across the continent including Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Namibia and Cameroon.​
Whilst the internal Transnet skills demands from the school have increased over recent years, the institution is also respected among customers and academic institutions for external training, as well as research and development services to the broader maritime industry.
Continuous research and development take place alongside benchmarking exercises with other maritime organisations around the world.

The MSoE works closely with these partners and fellow associations include:

Belgian Technical Cooperation Program with APEC in Antwerp
South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA)
STC Group in Rotterdam
Department of Transport
Department of Public Enterprises
Various academic institutions
South African Police Services
South African Customs
Ethekweni Maritime Cluster
Maritime Chamber of Commerce
Transport Education and Training Authority (TETA)
International universities
DUT
CPUT
With learners already enrolled for the Marine Pilot Qualification, Tug Master training, Skipper Port Operations, Motorman Grade II and Operator Lifting Equipment courses, the school comprises a Main Campus at the site of the Old Durban International Airport, with satellite campuses on Bayhead in Durban; in the Ports of Cape Town, Richards Bay and Port Elizabeth/Ngqura.​​