Goa’s Maritime School at Britona is set to expand its training programme with 24 new courses covering yacht operations, water sports, personal craft handling, navigation, lifesaving and recreational diving, after the state government approved the proposal for the Goa Institute of Maritime Excellence (GIME) Foundation.
The courses will be introduced during a transition period from GIME’s temporary campus at Kadamba Plateau in Old Goa. The permanent GIME campus at Britona is yet to become operational. The Captain of Ports has been authorised to issue the administrative orders required to implement the approval, subject to statutory requirements and the terms of the concession agreement.
The new programme is designed to provide education and hands-on training for activities and occupations connected with Goa’s inland and coastal waters. It includes a basic safety course for inland vessel personnel, revalidation courses for deck and engine disciplines, and training for personal craft operators.
Other operational courses approved by the government include power boat operation for inland canoes below 40 horsepower, high-speed craft operation, jet ski operation, crowd management and passenger safety. The list also includes training for water sports trainers and assistant water sports trainers.
The approval extends to yacht-related qualifications at multiple levels. These include master coastal and master open-sea courses for sail or power yachts, as well as master ocean-going yacht courses. A yacht deck crew course and a fishing trawler skipper navigation course have also been included in the expanded offering.
Safety and rescue training form another major part of the programme. The courses include pool lifeguard training, advanced open-water lifeguard training, rescue operations head, beach captain, pool maintenance worker, swimming instructor, and a combined safety, rescue, firefighting and first-aid course.
The remaining courses cover dinghy sailing, kayak and sea bob handling, and recreational scuba diving. Together, the approved courses broaden the school’s remit beyond conventional maritime qualifications to include recreational water activities and specialised safety roles.
The state government has also permitted the continued conduct of the mandatory New Entrants Training Course and the Advanced Refresher Training Course at the existing government-approved fee structure. These courses will continue at the current facility until the permanent GIME campus at Britona becomes operational.
The transition arrangement places the temporary campus at the centre of the immediate rollout. It allows the approved courses and mandatory training programmes to continue while the permanent institutional facility is being established. The Captain of Ports will oversee the administrative implementation, with the courses remaining subject to applicable statutory conditions.
The government’s approval links the expansion to a formal training and regulatory structure for people working across yacht operations, passenger safety, inland navigation, water sports and rescue services. The next operational step is the issuance of administrative orders by the Captain of Ports, followed by the conduct of the approved courses under the stated statutory and concession-agreement conditions.
