Introducing
The French Maritime Academy (ENSM) provides higher education in maritime and related fields. It trains merchant navy officers and marine engineering graduates. The core values of the institution reflect those of seafarers, namely open-mindedness, curiosity, intellectual rigor, and a profound respect for people and the environment.
Given that a ship is a collection of small units managed with a high degree of autonomy and significant responsibilities ( in relation to the ship, the safety of the crew and the cargo being carried), the seafarer’s job is multidisciplinary: engineer, producer and distributor of energy, fresh water or cooling, manager, multicultural team leader, captain, logistician, human resources manager, etc.
Our advanced maritime and related courses face the challenges of maritime safety and security, sustainable development, and trade. They consequently demand high-level training.
- ENSM relies on experienced professors from the maritime sector or professionals who are experts in their respective fields of expertise.
- The Academy is equipped with specific educational tools, in particular simulators for navigation and engine room, as well as cargo handling simulators, dynamic positioning simulators, and even a steam plant, which is a unique educational facility in France today.
- Most of our courses include several months of internships. For maritime courses, on-board interships are mainly carried out under the French flag, recognised as one of the safest in the world.
- Research development in the areas of safety, maritime security, human factors, and energy efficiency is one of the Academy’s priorities.
To support this high level of maritime training, ENSM is accredited by the Engineering Titles Commission for 2 courses:
- Training for Dual-Purpose Officers and Engineers, first-class merchant navy officers (O1MM). The programme lasts five years, with the fourth year mainly dedicated to seagoing experience.
- Courses focused on sustainable development and blue growth: “Eco-Management of the Ship” and “Deployment and Maintenance of Offshore Systems”.
ENSM is certified by Lloyd’s Register for its quality management system.
From « Hydros » to ENSM, Over 450 years of history !
The Origins
While maritime studies at the University of Paris can be traced back to 1180, the establishment of academys for the merchant navy more generally dates back to the founding of the Academy of Hydrography in Marseilles by Charles IX in 1571.
This makes it the second oldest institution of higher learning in France after the Collège de France (1530).
Charles IX continued the vision of his father, Henry II, who wanted to increase the maritime power of his kingdom and had initiated a vast plan of port and naval construction.
To strengthen the commercial and military power of the French kingdom, King Louis XIV, like other European monarchs, began to form a specialised naval force. He wanted to modernise and regulate the kingdom’s naval forces, expand the arsenals, reinforce the ports and much more.
To this end, he appointed Jean-Baptiste Colbert as the first Secretary of State for the Navy. In 1681, Colbert wrote the “Grande Ordonnance de la Marine”, which defined the maritime public domain and comprehensively codified maritime practices.
In this context, during the 17th and 18th centuries, the teaching of hydrography (the study of marine or lacustrine topography for the production of nautical charts) and the “Art of navigation” spread throughout the territory, eventually encompassing more than forty academys. Teaching became more professional; teachers were selected by competitive examinations, trained in standardised teaching methods, and students were subject to examinations.
In Nantes, the teaching of the “Art of Navigation” dates back to 1625 (which became the Royal Academys of Hydrography in 1672). The academys in Le Havre and Saint Malo were founded in 1666 and 1673 respectively.
In the 20th century
More recently, in 1958, the four ‘hydros’ became the National Merchant Navy Academys (ENMM).
In 1965, France broke new ground by creating the First-Class Navigation Certificate (C1), the world’s first dual-purpose officer’s certificate, which gradually replaced the Master Mariner’s and Chief Engineer’s certificates. It allows the holder to work as a deck and engine officer on all the world’s oceans and on any type of ship.
Today
In 2010, in addition to the Grenelle de la mer, it was decided to create a “Grande école” for maritime professions by merging the four former “Hydros” (École nationale de la Marine marchande) into the École nationale supérieure maritime (ENSM).
ENSM is a scientific, cultural and professional public institution under the authority of the Secretary of State for the Sea and Biodiversity, attached to the Minister for Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion. Since 2011, it has been accredited to award an engineering degree to first-class navigation officers, giving them access to a wider range of careers.
In 2016, ENSM opened up to non-sailing courses, including maritime engineering.
The dual-purpose merchant navy officer course, which allows students to work both on deck and in the engine room, remains a uniquely French feature, contributing to the Academy’s reputation for excellence.
Fontenoy and the drive to preserve public maritime policy
The President of the French Republic announced a plan to double the number of officers graduating from the ENSM in 2021, at the Assises de l’économie de la mer conference in Nice. As a result, the ENSM has already begun to implement the decisions taken at the Fontenoy maritime conference, with the aim of graduating 446 students in 2027, compared with 222 in 2021. This will lead to changes in recruitment for initial and vocational training. We are aiming for 1,276 students in 2023, 1,406 in 2024, 1,497 in 2025, 1,541 in 2026 and 1,568 in 2027, before stabilising at 1,622 students from 2027.
ENSM Foundation
In 2023, the ENSM created its ENSM Foundation. It places the maritime world and the development of the School at the heart of its concerns. As a collector, manager and distributor of financial resources, this structure supports structuring projects for the advancement of education in this field, contributing to the promotion of maritime values.
Operating under the status of a university foundation and directed by a management board, it benefits from the support of its founding members, who are essential partners. The foundation has no legal personality.
The Year of the Sea
In 2025, France is celebrating the Year of the Sea, a national initiative to raise awareness of the vital importance of the oceans. To mark the occasion, ENSM is fully committed to the initiative, positioning itself as a player in maritime training, but also as a partner committed to promoting the sector. Announced by the French President in 2023 and introduced at the end of 2024 by the Minister for the Sea and Fisheries, Fabrice Loher, this Year of the Sea is being organised in the run-up to the Third United Nations Conference on the Oceans, to be held in Nice in June 2025. The 2025 programme promises major partner events as well as actions and projects labelled ‘La Mer en Commun’.