Aboa Mare is a Maritime Academy and Training Center that specialises in educating professionals in the nautical sector.

Aboa Mare develops and uses simulation and other efficient teaching methods, enabling skill and knowledge assessment.

The navigation bridges in our simulation department are equipped with real instrumentation representing different original equipment manufacturer (OEM) brands.

Aboa Mare is audited by the Finnish Education Evaluation Centre to supply STCW education and training courses.

The ship models we use in our full mission bridge simulator are high-quality and highly realistic due to 6° freedom motion capabilities.

A total of 320 ship models are available for use in the simulator, with a 180ᵒ sphere projection and a 3m height, tilt and rotation. Stern visuals and bridge wing configuration are also available.

Our tailor-made Wärtsilä NACOS Platinum simulator has a bridge wing configuration with a console and NAVIS Joystick control system. It is used by vessels from operators such as Viking Line, Destination Gotland and TUI Cruises.

The integrated navigation system by Sperry Marine is equipped with VisionMaster FT ECDIS and Visionmaster FT Chart Radar. Projected visuals are available to 180ᵒ tilt and rotation.

A navigation system equipped with Transas Navi-Sailor 4000 ECDIS and Transas Navi-Radar 4000. Through Aboa Mare‘s global simulator network, it offers connectivity to other training centres for joint exercises.

Our DP simulator consists of a simulator bridge and a classroom audited by the Nautical Institute. We are accredited for DP induction and simulator training.

The engine control room simulator can be connected to one of Aboa Mare’s ship bridge simulators and other centres through the European Maritime Simulation Network.

Aboa Mare has extensive facilities where students and course participants have unique opportunities for practical learning. We have state-of-the-art simulators with real bridge equipment, classrooms, lounge areas and a café.

There are 18 classrooms that can accommodate between 12 and 50 people, depending on size and equipment.

Aboa Mare is also accredited by Finnish maritime authorities to provide pilotage training and examinations.

In addition, Aboa Mare is accredited by IALA and the Nautical Institute to respectively provide VTS and dynamic positioning (DP) training. Parts of our education are audited by DNV-GL ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 18001 standards.

Degree programmes at the accredited Maritime Academy

Aboa Mare offers Bachelor and Master level education at Novia University of Applied Sciences and secondary education at Axxell vocational institute.

We educate sea captains, marine engineers, watchkeeping officers and watchkeeping engineers.

Courses for seafarers in the accredited Training Center

Aboa Mare Training Center provides safe and environmentally sustainable training, which fulfils the requirements laid down in the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) convention.

The facility provides safe and environmentally sustainable training, which fulfils the requirements laid down in the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) convention.

We offer ice navigation courses in accordance with the Polar Code, Vessel Traffic Service courses, shiphandling training in ice and ice management training, as well as customised courses for shipping companies. We also offer basic and advanced ship training, where participants will gain the minimum standard of competence for ships subject to the Code of Safety for Ships using gases or other low-flashpoint fuels (IGF Code).

Polar Code-compliant navigation training

Aboa Mare and our partners offer ice navigation training in accordance with the Polar Code, as well as shiphandling training in ice and ice management training.

The STCW Polar Code courses are carried out in association with DNV-GL and we offer both basic and advanced training. The course content is a result of co-operation with the Finnish maritime cluster.

The ice navigation course covers a full range of related themes in detail and provides practical instructions and essential information to operate safely in Polar regions or in the Baltic Sea during colder seasons.

Aboa Mare continues to develop simulator training tools in order to offer the best possible training and an optimal training environment. Our most recent R&D project is the Arctic Simulator Training Program (ASTP), which develops a next-generation simulator for adverse winter and ice conditions.

Ongoing R&D projects for maritime simulations also include:

• Bonus STORMWINDS: strategic and operational risk management for wintertime maritime transportation
• ChemSAR: operational plans and procedures for maritime search-and-rescue in Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea Convention (HNS) incidents
• Meri-Erko: training of specialists for the maritime cluster by a network of higher education institutions
• Sea traffic management (STM) validation project
• ÄlyVESI – Smart City Ferries: new solutions and services for the intelligent transport of mass traffic in urban waterways

Hands-on training in our ship bridge and technical simulators

Aboa Mare uses the latest state-of-the-art simulator equipment and pedagogical tools to provide an enhanced maritime training experience in a simulated environment, promoting teamwork, critical thinking, problem solving, decision-making, and confidence.

Specialising in maritime training, research, and product development, our simulators allow the course participants and students to practice realistic situations in various conditions.

Training courses for vessel traffic services

Aboa Mare has been audited by the Finnish Transport Agency and has the accreditation to provide vessel traffic services (VTS) training courses in compliance with The International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) Guideline 1014.

Most Finnish and Norwegian VTS operators are trained by Aboa Mare.

We also train VTS operators in the Mediterranean area on behalf of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), as well as provide tailor-made training for operators who do not require IALA certificates.

STCW education courses

Aboa Mare is audited by the Finnish Education Evaluation Centre to supply STCW education and training courses.

The centre is also accredited by Finnish maritime authorities to provide pilotage training and examinations.

In addition, the academy is accredited by IALA and the Nautical Institute to respectively provide VTS and dynamic positioning (DP) training. Parts of our education are audited by DNV-GL ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 18001 standards.