Opening of a class in Bastia
A new class for the Passerelle International shift supervisor course
On 5 February 2025, the École Nationale Supérieure Maritime, the Lycée Professionnel Maritime de Bastia, the Direction Interrégionale de la Mer Méditerranée, CMA CGM, la Méridionale and Corsica Linéa came together to sign an agreement to open a new Passerelle International class for Chief Mate Officers at the Lycée Maritime de Bastia. The announcement of the opening of this single-skilled deck officer training course, which will welcome 24 students on 1 September 2025, marks a major step forward in the structuring of maritime training in France.
Towards a change in higher maritime training?
This new class will complement the existing Passerelle International Chief Watch Officer course in Le Havre (64 students per class) by welcoming an additional 24 students to Bastia for the first two years of training. This course, run under the aegis of the École Nationale Supérieure Maritime, illustrates the complementary relationship between the École Nationale Supérieure Maritime and the maritime high schools, in an experiment that may well pave the way, from Bastia, for the development of higher maritime training.
The companies CMA CGM, La Méridionale and Corsica Linéa will play a key role in this project by providing officers under contract to teach part of the maritime courses at the Lycée Professionnel Maritime in Bastia.
Training arrangements
The 1st and 2nd year of Officier Chef de Quart Passerelle International :
Training provided at the Le Havre site (64 students) and at the Lycée Professionnel Maritime in Bastia (24 students), under the educational coordination of the École Nationale Supérieure Maritime.
3rd year :
Training continued at the École Nationale Supérieure Maritime site in Le Havre and/or Marseille, depending on the results obtained.
Admission procedures :
Applications via the Parcoursup platform with entry exclusively in 1st year.
Consistency of the programme :
It will be up to each institution to coordinate the delivery of the courses, drawing on the skills of each, in an original and new arrangement that will guarantee coordination under the terms of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW).
An application of the Contract of Objectives and Performance
This partnership is part of the École Nationale Supérieure Maritime’s Contract of Objectives and Performance, which aims to strengthen the complementarity between maritime vocational colleges and higher maritime education. It also meets the national objective of doubling the number of merchant navy officers by 2027, set by the President of the Republic in 2021. With this opening in Bastia, the École Nationale Supérieure Maritime and its partners are strengthening the attractiveness and competitiveness of French maritime training on the international stage.
“Let’s be clear, the lack of complementarity between the LPMs and the ENSM is detrimental to the conduct of our country’s maritime policy. Even if this is open to debate, it’s up to us to strengthen it, with the LPM in Bastia; it’s also in the ENSM’s objectives and performance contract, and it reinforces the special nature of public maritime training. Corsica needs seafarers, France needs seafarers, the world needs seafarers, and we must train them as efficiently as our training system allows. I would like to thank all the public and private players who have worked towards this achievement, which is simply the logical continuation of the development of maritime training throughout France. »
« Cette journée marque une étape importante, dans le développement du lycée maritime, la valorisation des métiers de la mer, la compétitivité de nos compagnies maritimes et la collaboration entre les acteurs publics de la formation maritime. Notre volonté partagée de faire de la formation maritime un levier de la promotion sociale pour notre jeunesse, nous a permis de mettre en œuvre une synergie pour atteindre cet objectif commun. Je tiens à souligner le rôle de l’École Nationale Supérieure Maritime dans sa démarche d’ouverture et sa volonté de modernisation de la formation maritime. Le lycée maritime de Bastia bénéficie de nombreux soutiens, nos installations témoignent du travail de la Collectivité de Corse et nos formations du soutien des institutions publiques, aujourd’hui ce sont les armateurs qui renforcent leurs actions en faveur de l’avenir de la jeunesse.”
About the Passerelle International Quarter Master Officer course
The ‘Officier Chef de Quart Passerelle International’ course at the École Nationale Supérieure Maritime trains Merchant Navy officers. They are destined to work on merchant ships, some with international crews, on all the world’s oceans and seas, transporting goods and passengers or carrying out specific work such as laying cables or supporting offshore installations. This is a three-year course. It includes theory courses, tutorials, simulated work situations and on-board training courses, and confers the degree of licence.
Trained officers will be able to work on different types of ship :
- Cargo ships : container ships, oil tankers, gas tankers, ro-ro ships, bulk carriers, etc.
- Passenger ships : ferries, cruise ships, private yachts
- Service and marine works vessels : cable-laying vessels, tugs, offshore platform support vessels, etc.
- Oceanographic research vessels
About LPM Bastia
The Lycée Professionnel Maritime de Bastia offers initial CAP, bacs professionnels and BTS maritime training courses. The school also trains many sailors through its continuing education courses, with professional and specific certificates, particularly in the field of maritime safety. For more information, click here.