Education

DTU and MARTEC create a new joint maritime engineering programme

The maritime industry is increasingly in need of maritime engineers who can contribute to the green transition and design the ships of the future. DTU and MARTEC are now joining forces to strengthen the education of future maritime engineers.

The new maritime engineering programme is expected to launch in August 2025. Photo: MARTEC

Wednesday 31 July 2024

Sole Bugge Møller

Christina Tækker

DTU and MARTEC are joining forces to establish a new maritime engineering programme expected to launch in August 2025 in Frederikshavn and Copenhagen. The aim is to strengthen and develop Denmark's maritime engineering education and meet a demand from the maritime industry to ensure a qualified labour force that can help transform the industry in a greener direction.

According to Jenny Braat, CEO of the industry association Danish Maritime, there is an acute shortage of maritime engineers for the design and production of sustainable ships of the future, where retrofitting, automation and digitalization are also key. She elaborates that engineers will be needed to develop everything from advanced fishing vessels, ferries and service vessels to new defence ships or advanced environmental vessels.

At the same time, the industry is on the threshold of a revolution in green technology. This makes the need for skilled maritime engineers even greater, which is why Danish Maritime is looking forward to strengthening the admission and training opportunities. The plan is that the total admissions will eventually be larger than in the existing programmes today. Pia Ankerstjerne, Director of MARTEC, elaborates:

"We need to train more engineers in the maritime industry because it is almost impossible to find a maritime engineer today. We believe that a close collaboration with both DTU and the industry will strengthen the programme and attract more young people, also in the North Jutland region. We look forward to the collaboration."

DTU President Anders Bjarklev rings the ship's bell along with MARTEC’s director Pia Ankerstjerne. At MARTEC it’s a tradition for the students to ring the bell when they’ve passed their last exam. Photo: René Ribberholt Kæseler.

Close to industry

MARTEC already offers a maritime engineering programme which is a professional bachelor's degree that launched in August 2023 in close collaboration with the industry. In September 2024, DTU will launch a Bachelor of Engineering in Maritime Technology. The new, joint maritime engineering programme will be a Bachelor of Engineering programme, which will also give students access to a master's degree as a civil engineer.

The establishment of the new programme fits well with DTU's vision of being present throughout Denmark and establishing close partnerships with both private and public companies. This will help fill more of the available engineering jobs throughout Denmark.

"We train engineers for the needs of industry and society – all across the country. We need engineers who can help solve some of the societal challenges we face. With the new programme in Frederikshavn, we are joining forces to provide the academic depth and practical expertise that will make the programme stronger than ever," says DTU President Anders Bjarklev.

The Mayor of Frederikshavn, Birgit S. Hansen, welcomes the new collaboration between DTU and MARTEC:

"The present and the future call for maritime engineers, and by supporting a new generation of maritime engineers, we not only uphold the maritime history of Frederikshavn but also support the local and regional industry and ensure that we can continue to be a guiding star in maritime innovation."

The first admissions for the new programme is planned for August 2025 and the duration of the programme will be 3.5 years.

Facts

AboutMARTEC

MARTEC is a maritime and polytechnic education centre that offers all maritime education programmes in Denmark. MARTEC is located in Frederikshavn and also manages the training ship Danmark.

Contact

Anders Overgaard Bjarklev President Rektoratet Mobile: +45 20761512 DTU-rektor@adm.dtu.dk