IMO charts course for global maritime e-learning

Promoting access to training

A new implementation plan could transform how maritime professionals worldwide access training, with early results already proving the model works

For many maritime administrations around the world, access to quality training has long been constrained by distance, cost, and staffing. Officials in small island developing states (SIDS) or least developed countries (LDCs) often cannot afford to send personnel abroad for weeks at a time, and attracting qualified trainers locally can be just as difficult. A new e-learning initiative being developed by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is designed to change that.

At the 76th session of the IMO's Technical Cooperation Committee (TCC), held in April 2026, the Secretariat presented its draft e-Learning Implementation Plan, a structured roadmap for embedding online training into the organisation's broader technical cooperation programme. While still in development, the plan represents a significant step towards making high-quality maritime training more accessible, flexible and scalable.

The IMO's strategic plan for 2024 to 2029 places maritime education and training at its core. The organisation's rules and instruments only work if the people responsible for implementing them, flag State officials, port inspectors, seafarers and coastal State administrators, are properly trained. Yet for many Member States, that training is hard to come by.

The barriers are well documented: limited budgets, few local experts, poor transport links and, in some cases, unreliable internet connectivity. Traditional in-person training, while effective, is expensive and takes people away from their desks for extended periods. E-learning offers a practical alternative, one that can be completed at any time, from almost anywhere, and scaled to reach thousands of learners at a fraction of the cost.

What the plan involves

The draft Implementation Plan is structured around five pillars that together cover the full lifecycle of e-learning delivery.

The first pillar focuses on identifying training gaps and priorities. This means conducting needs assessments, surveying learners, and drawing on IMO audit findings to determine where e-learning can be most effective and where in-person training remains necessary. The plan explicitly commits to considering blended or hybrid delivery for countries with limited connectivity.

The second pillar addresses content development. Courses will be built using clear learning outcomes, structured from foundational through to advanced levels, and organised around real maritime tasks such as flag State functions, port State control and coastal State responsibilities. Content will be modular so it can be updated as regulations change and reused across different delivery formats.

The third pillar deals with technology and accessibility. The IMO's Learning Management System (LMS) will be upgraded to be more user-friendly and mobile-accessible, and courses will be translated into English, French and Spanish. Where funding permits, offline-access options will be made available for learners in areas with poor connectivity.

Pillars four and five cover quality assurance and financial sustainability respectively. Regular monitoring of completion rates and learner feedback will drive continuous improvement, while long-term viability will depend on a combination of careful cost management, strategic use of reusable content, and sustained support from Member States and partners. The plan also notes the potential role of artificial intelligence in supporting scalable, cost-effective delivery.

Early results are encouraging

The plan comes on the back of results that already demonstrate the potential of the approach. The IMO has, in collaboration with the World Maritime University (WMU), developed 11 free, self-paced e-learning courses covering topics ranging from the ISM Code and MARPOL Annex V to biofouling management and counter-wildlife trafficking. Available in English, French and Spanish, these courses have attracted over 21,000 enrolments from learners in 180 countries and territories.

Twelve per cent of enrolments came from SIDS and LDCs, precisely the communities the initiative is designed to serve. The average course completion rate of 46% compares favourably with the 10 to 20% typical of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), suggesting that focused, purpose-built content for a professional audience produces meaningfully better engagement.

New courses are expected to launch in 2026, covering the London Protocol, the ISM Code (in Spanish), Marine Casualty Investigation, and an updated module on marine biofouling. The Secretariat has also outlined plans to develop course content informed by findings from IMO Member State Audit Scheme (IMSAS) audits, ensuring that training priorities reflect real-world compliance gaps.

The plan does not position e-learning as a replacement for face-to-face training. Instead, it describes a blended model in which online courses serve as a prerequisite to in-person sessions. By ensuring that all participants arrive at a workshop with a common baseline of foundational knowledge, in-person time can be used more productively and the scope of what is covered can be expanded. This approach has already been applied in several IMO technical cooperation programmes.

Challenges ahead

The Secretariat is candid about the obstacles that remain. Resource constraints, uneven digital infrastructure across Member States, the rapid pace of technological change and the challenge of sustaining user engagement are all acknowledged risks. Mitigation measures in the plan include strong onboarding processes, offline and mobile-friendly course options, regular content updates and backup IT systems. The Secretariat is also calling on Member States and international partners to provide both financial and in-kind support, particularly for translation and platform upgrades.

The full e-Learning Implementation Plan is expected to be finalised and submitted to the TCC at its next session. Once approved, rollout will follow a phased 12-month timeline covering needs assessment, content development, platform set-up, quality assurance and multilingual localisation before a full programme launch.

For the maritime industry, the implications extend beyond regulatory compliance training. Seafarers, training institutions and maritime companies could all benefit from a broader, more accessible suite of IMO-backed professional development resources. As the global maritime workforce faces mounting demands around decarbonisation, digitalisation and evolving safety standards, the ability to upskill quickly and affordably will only become more valuable.

The building blocks are already in place. Whether the plan fulfils its potential will depend, in no small measure, on the financial and political commitment of Member States to support it.