Andreas Karamitas
In a bid to foster interest in maritime professions among young individuals and align with environmental, social, and corporate governance goals, Polly Hatzioannou's company, SAFE BULKERS Inc., has announced the initiation of the Deck Officer Training Scholarship program. This initiative presents five annual scholarships for Cypriot or Greek citizens to pursue Deck Officer studies at the Cyprus Maritime Academy, with each scholarship amounting to €5,000 per year of training. These scholarships cover annual tuition fees and living expenses, considering that the Cyprus Maritime Academy provides tuition-free education in exchange for the scholarships.
Throughout its implementation, the program will financially support a total of 20 students, with the cumulative cost of their studies reaching €100,000. Recipients of these scholarships will have the opportunity to serve as cadets on state-of-the-art ships under the Cypriot flag owned by SAFE BULKERS, featuring high-speed satellite connectivity. Upon graduation, they will further have prospects to work on Mr. Hadjioannou's ships, with potential advancements to the rank of Master of the Merchant Navy, and opportunities to work within SAFE BULKERS' offices.
The Deck Officer Scholarship Program aims to nurture and incentivize more young individuals to pursue maritime professions and evolve into proficient Deck Officers with substantial prospects for progressing as Captains. As the largest shipowner in the Cypriot registry, Safe Bulkers aspires to instill a maritime culture in the new generation, attracting talented young executives to Cyprus' maritime industry, and thereby fortifying the Cypriot flag with a scientifically trained and skilled workforce.
For those interested in a rewarding career at sea, the scholarship program applications are open through the Cyprus Maritime Academy website: [www.cyma.ac.cy/scholarships](www.cyma.ac.cy/scholarships)
[This article was translated from its Greek original and edited for brevity and clarity]
