FSM FISHERIES AND MARITIME INSTITUTE (FSM-FMI) is located on the island of Yap, occupying the facilities built in the late 1960’s for the Loran Station operated by the United States Coast Guard. The Institute is situated some six miles north of the capital, Colonia.
There are three majors offered at FSM-FMI: Navigation, Marine Engineering and Fishing Technology. Currently, these fields of studies or programs normally run for two years, and anyone completing one of them is awarded an Advanced Certificate of Achievement in each of them, and an industry Certificate of Competency as Master of vessels of not over 200 gross tonnage (or Class 5 Master) for a Navigation major; or a Certificate of Competency as Marine Engineer of vessels of not over 500 kilowatts total propulsion power (or Class 5 Marine Engineer) for a Marine Engineering major. These programs, particularly Navigation and Marine Engineering, are offered in accordance with the standards and requirements of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, as amended (STCW Convention). The STCW Convention is the international treaty which prescribes the minimum qualifications for seafarers worldwide and, by becoming a Party to the treaty (on October 14, 1998), the FSM has indicated its intention to provide training and maintain the qualifications of FSM seafarers in accordance with the standards and requirements prescribed in the Convention. (Detailed information regarding admission requirements, program, and courses for FSM-FMI is located in separate publications.)
