Learning to put IMO policy into practice at Dalian Maritime University

IMO has experienced first-hand how the next generation of maritime leaders are being trained to put IMO policy to practice and power maritime excellence - the subject of IMO's World Maritime Day theme 2026-2027 - during a visit to Dalian Maritime University (DMU), China.

Maritime educators, students and faculty staff - both in classrooms and on board - outlined how IMO rules and regulations are key to many of its undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes, including maritime law, navigation, maritime management, maritime English and marine engineering.

"IMO regulations set the course", said DMU President Dr. Shan Hongjun. "The development of new regulations, such as the non-mandatory International Code of Safety for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS Code), as well as the comprehensive review of the STCW Convention, will profoundly impact our talent cultivation system". "Technology determines the speed," President Shan added. "Technologies for intelligent shipping, green and low-carbon innovations, and digital education are being gradually integrated into teaching systems, continuously transforming the modes of maritime education." Read the full interview with DMU President Dr. Shan.

Onboard training

Visits aboard the DMU Dual-Purpose Intelligent Training Ship Xin Hong Zhuan and DMU Training Ship Yukun provided an insight into onboard training and intelligent shipping technology.

Aboard the autonomous-ready vessel Xin Hong Zhuan, Captain Li Lianbo, Professor and Vice-Dean of the Navigation College, outlined that "the training conducted on such an autonomous-ready vessel is highly practical, interactive, and technologically immersive. The vessel employs digital twin technology to reconstruct real-world scenarios, enabling students to understand and operate the simulated ship from multiple perspectives, achieving immersive teaching and training that blends virtual and physical environments". As a captain and a professor of nautical science major at DMU, Captain Li has closely followed the development of the MASS Code, describing it as a "critical milestone for the safe, orderly development of MASS worldwide," and important for maritime education and training going forward.

Yukun Chief Engineer Song Liguo said that onboard training "helps students bring textbook knowledge to life and complete the process of making theoretical concepts tangible". "At this stage, they have already acquired a fair amount of theoretical knowledge on campus, but it is only by stepping into the engine room, handling equipment with their own hands, and taking part in operations and maintenance that they can truly connect the principles learned in class to the actual machinery, piping systems, and operating conditions they see before them."

Tasked with teaching lifesaving and fire safety, Yukun Third Officer Lyu Wenyu puts IMO policy into practice by teaching IMO Conventions such as the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) in the classroom, before bringing it on deck with practical training exercises.

IMO-DMU cooperation

During the 22nd class of the joint World Maritime University (WMU)-DMU Master of Science (MSc) in Maritime Affairs, specialising in Maritime Safety and Environmental Management (MSEM), Ms. Zhao Lu, Program Coordinator, explained how the course focused on three parts: conventions, operation and management and that "more than 900 students have graduated from the programme since its inception and have taken on careers at the China Maritime Safety Administration, shipping companies and maritime organizations from other countries".

With the message that international organizations are not as far out of reach as one might think, DMU students attended a presentation introducing IMO, its regulatory processes, and opportunities within the UN system. To-date, 41 DMU interns and externs have undertaken a placement at IMO, furthering the process of putting policy to practice, with many moving onto roles across the maritime sector.

Highlighting the value of these students gaining early exposure to international maritime affairs - Prof. Ma Mingfei, Director of the International Cooperation and Exchange Office, said that "this cooperation helps the university stay closely connected to emerging maritime issues, such as green shipping, digitalization, and sustainability" and "an important bridge connecting us with the international maritime community".

Find out more about the World Maritime Day theme for 2026-2027: "From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence".