Strengthen ability and capacity implementation of maritime safety trainings.

<< Background >>The reason we applied for this project was to increase access to maritime safety training in line with International Maritime Organization (IMO) standards and to improve students' theoretical and practical training experiences. Maritime safety training provided under the STCW (Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers) Convention is mandatory to ensure that seafarers can respond correctly and quickly in emergency situations. While students generally have sufficient opportunities to acquire theoretical knowledge, their access to practical training alongside peers from different countries at an international level remains limited. This limitation can lead to deficiencies in seafarers' ability to respond effectively to emergencies when working on foreign-flagged vessels.Our project is designed to eliminate this deficiency by enabling students and instructors to gain practical experience through international cooperation, observe best practices, and strengthen maritime safety culture.<< Objectives >>The main objective of this project was to enhance the knowledge, skills, and competence levels of maritime high school and university students and lecturers in basic safety training as defined by STCW. Thanks to the project, participants received training in areas such as personal survival techniques, firefighting and prevention, personal safety, and social responsibilities in accordance with international standards.In addition, the project aimed to increase cross-cultural interaction and develop communication and teamwork skills by bringing together participants from different countries to participate in joint training activities. In the long term, this project aimed to contribute to the development of qualified seafarers who can perform their duties in the international maritime sector in a safer, more conscious, and more effective manner.<< Implementation >>During the project, three workshops were organized in three different countries. These workshops included both theoretical and practical training covering STCW training within the scope of STCW:Romania: Theoretical and practical fire extinguishing drills and courses were conducted on fire prevention and firefighting techniques as well as ISPS Code applications.Türkiye: Training on personal survival techniques was provided, including practical exercises on abandoning ship in an emergency, using life rafts, properly wearing life jackets, and survival methods at sea.Bulgaria: Both theoretical training and practical exercises were conducted on personnel safety, social responsibility, and basic first aid.In addition, project meetings were held, dissemination activities were carried out, and all activities were shared on the official websites and social media of the partner institutions. Furthermore, our MarSaT project was featured in local newspapers and maritime news websites. The project was shared on a webpage supported by photos and videos to ensure that the results reached a wide audience.<< Results >>All workshops within the scope of the project were successfully completed, and participants gained both theoretical and practical experience in STCW training. The concrete outputs and other results of the project are as follows:• Photographs and videos taken during the activities carried out in the workshops were used to disseminate the project results and shared on digital platforms.• A project website was created to ensure long-term accessibility to all project outputs.• Participating students showed significant improvements in teamwork, intercultural communication, and problem-solving skills.• Partner institutions had the opportunity to strengthen their curricula by experiencing educational methods used in different countries.These results have contributed to the development of a safety culture in maritime practical education, the more effective implementation of STCW standards, and the strengthening of the educational capacities of participating institutions in the long term.