On November 18, a graduation ceremony for year 2021 graduates was held at the NYK-TDG Maritime Academy (NTMA), a merchant marine university jointly operated by NYK and the Transnational Diversified Group (TDG)* near Manila, Philippines. This ceremony had been postponed due to the spread of COVID-19.

NYK President Hitoshi Nagasawa, Representative Director and Senior Managing Executive Officer Hiroki Harada, Senior Managing Executive Officer Tomoyuki Koyama, and TDG Chairman J. Roberto C. Delgado participated in the graduation ceremony. In addition, a congratulatory video message from Susan V. Ople, secretary of the Philippines’ Department of Migrant Workers, was played as the 108 students from NTMA’s 11th batch celebrated their November 2021 graduation.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NTMA switched to online classes when dormitory life and on-campus classes were not feasible, and the students completed the classroom curriculum without delay. However, there was a delay in graduation due to difficulties in accepting trainees for onboard training on the oceangoing ships operated by the NYK Group.

In his congratulatory speech, President Nagasawa commented about the onboard training during a worldwide pandemic, saying, “I’m proud that each of you was able to overcome our anxieties about this pandemic and achieve your goals. NYK's job is to contribute to the lives of our customers and continue to earn their trust. This is the NYK spirit that has been cultivated over 137 years, and I believe that you, the graduates, will be able to embody it in the future.”

NYK was the first Japanese company to establish a maritime academy in the Philippines, and NTMA is currently celebrating its 15th anniversary since opening in 2007. The academy strives to produce high quality seafarers and has established a student loan program for students who might find it financially challenging to pursue such a degree. In addition to maintaining a high pass rate of the state examination for certification as a marine officer, NTMA has gained a strong reputation as a merchant marine school, having been accredited as Japan's first seafarer educational institution overseas under the institutional approval system established by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in August 2011.

A total of 1360 students have now graduated from NTMA since the academy opened, and most graduates are actively engaged as officers or engineers on NYK-operated ships. In fact, in April 2021 an NTMA graduate rose to the rank of captain of an NYK vessel for the first time, and in April 2022 an NTMA graduate became the first from the school to reach the rank of chief engineer on an NYK ship. Additionally, many of our graduates are active in important land positions that play a role in safe ship operations, and their fields of activity have spread to important bases such as Japan, Singapore, and Australia.

Going forward, the NYK Group will continue to make use of the knowledge of seafarer education cultivated over the past 15 years at NTMA to train even more talented Filipino seafarers and conduct training at major locations around the world, including Singapore.

Outline of NYK-TDG Maritime Academy (NTMA)
Established: June 3, 2007
Number of students: 120 per academic year in two academic disciplines, 60 in marine navigation and 60 in marine engineering
Instructors and staff: About 70
Location: Canlubang, Calamba City (a suburban city about a one-hour drive from Manila) Curriculum: Four years (three years of academic study and one year of onboard training) Mission: To foster global seafarers through higher education by focusing on building an individual’s sense of humanity and providing training in practical maritime technologies

On February 3, 2021, NYK released the “NYK Group ESG Story,” which aims to further integrate ESG into the company’s management strategy and promotes activities that contribute to the achievement of the SDGs through business activities. On March 24, 2022, NYK released the updated “NYK Group ESG Story 2022,” which introduces initiatives for integrating ESG into the Group’s management strategies set forth in the "NYK Group ESG Story" and provides a partial explanation of the Group’s sustainable growth strategy from a long-term perspective.

<The NYK Group ESG Story>
A guideline detailing concrete efforts to integrate ESG into management strategies of the NYK Group. Details: https://www.nyk.com/english/news/2021/esg-story_01.html

<The NYK Group ESG Story 2022>
Details: https://www.nyk.com/english/news/2022/20220324_01.html

*Transnational Diversified Group (TDG)
A business group established by Chairman J. Roberto C. Delgado. Business activities include vessel agent services, seafarer manning, training and cadet education, as well as other logistics businesses. TDG and NYK have maintained a cooperative relationship since the establishment of TDG.