Seably, an online marketplace for global maritime training, have recently announced the launch of bespoke superyacht training courses in collaboration with the global network of seafarers ACREW. There are over 50 courses being made immediately available upon launch, with the company claiming to provide affordable and free access within the virtual and digital Seably platform.

The courses aim to cover all aspects of the sector and provide training in hospitality, assets conversation, vessel maintenance, safety on board, career development, personal health and well-being. The bespoke courses, which were initially launched at Monaco Yacht Show, are being made available through a partnership with superyacht industry specialist Abigail McGrath and the global network of superyacht captains and crew ACREW.

Andrea Lodolo, CEO of Seably, said, “The Superyacht industry is thriving. Even with the COVID-19 crisis, the global market, estimated at US$64.1 Billion in 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$84.7 Billion by 2027. It is only natural that we expand our focus in this area. From cyber security and art-on-board conservation to safety, health and wellbeing…we are introducing this extensive and timely package of online training courses to strengthen crews and captains in the superyacht industry.”

Courses addressing medical safety and instruction for specific circumstances that require medical attention will be delivered by MedAire. Brent Palmer, MedAire director of education revealed, “We see the Seably platform as a way of allowing crew to keep their medical knowledge up-to-date. Our concise courses are highly relevant to the specific environment of a superyacht. We plan to also offer short situational awareness type courses for superyacht crew travelling to areas not previously visited.”

Many industry stakeholders and security experts have also been calling for accessible crew courses on cyber security with human error being the most common reason for cyber-attacks on board superyachts. The timely content for these training courses will be provided by CSS Platinum.

Safety culture material will also be authored by Seably and approved by ISWAN. The material includes the free-to-access onboard work environment, and Covid-19 guidance and response courses; as well as safe food handling and working at height. Georgia Allen, ISWAN project manager, said, “We know that a positive and effective safety culture on board is important for the physical and mental wellbeing of the crew. The ability for them to access these educational trainings, in such user-friendly and engaging formats, will be of great benefit to crew in the superyacht industry globally.”

Seably have also introduced highly specialised paid courses such as the practical care of onboard art collections, art appreciation, cultural heritage at sea, and export risks with onboard art collections. Pandora Mather-Lees, from Art On Superyachts, offered a brief quote on the immense responsibility falling on crews to care of art, which in some cases can be more valuable than the vessel itself, “Owners get very upset when their valuable objects are damaged. Our unique courses support crew in protecting the owners’ valuable assets and provide them with the toolkit to care for the art.”

A recent investigation by SuperyachtNews on the trafficking of teak from Myanmar exposed some of the unethical practice and lengths that businesses are willing to go through to provide expensive material for UHNWI clients. Richard Strauss, President of Teakdecking Systems announced that they will be offering deck building and maintenance courses to tackle the cleaning of teak decks and procedure of re-seaming a teak deck. Strauss revealed his excitement towards the initiative as it becomes among the first courses on offer, “Teak and composite decks are an impactful element of a superyacht and come at a significant cost. Proper care and maintenance extend the life of the decks. We see Seably as an excellent platform for the delivery of our free online training with interactive learning for product handling, cleaning procedures, re-seam teak decking, and maintenance.”

Abi McGrath, who is leading this initiative, commented, “This collaboration is a natural fit. Our partnership with Seably and the launch of this exclusive content ensures that superyacht captains and crew are able to access dedicated and relevant material for their professional learning, career progression and personal development through the Seably marketplace at all times.”

The inclusion of accessible online courses will help eliminate some of the anxiety surrounding the lack of training and accreditation in the superyacht industry. Highly specialised courses such as art appreciation will also help recruiters cherry pick candidates who are best suited to the crew and owner while courses such as basic cyber security training will become more of a widespread requirement as the industry becomes increasingly digitalised.

Click here to become part of The Superyacht Group community, and join us in our mission to make this industry accessible to all, and prosperous for the long-term. We are offering access to the superyacht industry’s most comprehensive and longstanding archive of business-critical information, as well as a comprehensive, real-time superyacht fleet database, for just £10 per month, because we are One Industry with One Mission. Sign up here.