A new academic building for the Maritime Academy of Sh. Yessenov Caspian University of Technology and Engineering (Yessenov University) has been inaugurated in Aktau, Kazakhstan.
The opening ceremony was attended by representatives of the Mangystau regional administration, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education, maritime industry specialists, faculty members, and students.
The new facility is part of a project launched under President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s initiative to establish regional centers of academic excellence. The project aims to train modern specialists in maritime affairs, logistics, and port infrastructure to support the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route.
Built with funding from Yessenov University, the three-story academic building covers an area of 4,600 square meters and is designed to accommodate 900 students. The total cost of the project is reported to be 1.43 billion tenge.
The academy has been equipped with modern navigation and engineering simulators. As part of the project supported by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education, simulators and software produced by Norway’s Kongsberg company were acquired. The total value of the equipment amounts to 1.11 million euros.
The simulation systems allow training on more than 300 vessel types, including navigation, engine room operations, and realistic maritime scenario modeling. The academy has also been supplied with IMO-compliant training modules.
Established in 2018, the Maritime Academy currently offers 10 undergraduate and graduate programs. Around 350 students are enrolled in fields such as ship navigation, marine power systems, logistics, and water transport management.
During the ceremony, speakers noted that the commissioning of the new academic complex marks a new stage in the development of maritime education in Kazakhstan and will strengthen the region’s position as an international transport, logistics, and educational hub.
