American Caribbean Maritime Foundation

AMERICAN CARIBBEAN MARITIME FOUNDATION ("THE FOUNDATION") IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION WHOSE PRIMARY PURPOSE IS ALLEVIATING POVERTY AND TRANSFORMING LIVES IN THE CARIBBEAN THROUGH MARITIME EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THE FOUNDATION EXISTS TO SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE CARIBBEAN MARITIME UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, AND LJM MARITIME ACADEMY (BAHAMAS). THE FOUNDATION'S ACTIVITIES ARE FOCUSED ON RAISING FUNDS FOR SCHOLARSHIPS, EQUIPMENT, FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING CLASSROOMS AND PHYSICAL AMENITIES. THE FOUNDATION SUPPORTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MARITIME COMMUNITY IN WHICH THE CARIBBEAN MARITIME UNIVERSITY IS LOCATED.

THE ACMF, JUST AFTER A FEW SHORT YEARS, HAVE TRANSFORMED THE LIVES OF DOZENS OF ASPIRING CARIBBEAN SEAFARERS AND MARITIME PROFESSIONALS. IN 2021, THE ACMF QUADRUPLED THE NUMBER OF SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS AND GRANTEES FROM THIRTEEN (13) IN 2018 TO SIXTY-THREE (63) IN 2021, INCLUDING HELPING TEN (10) SENIORS WHO WERE A YEAR AWAY FROM GRADUATION AND AT RISK OF DROPPING OUT DUE TO LACK OF FUNDS TO PAY THEIR TUITION. IN ADDITION, WE ALSO DONATED EIGHTEEN (18) LAPTOPS TO HELP STUDENTS STUDY REMOTELY AS UNIVERSITIES ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN WERE CLOSED DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THE LACK OF COMPUTERS IN THE CARIBBEAN IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM AND MANY OF OUR STUDENTS WERE STRUGGLING TRYING TO STUDY UTILIZING MOBILE PHONES.WE HOSTED OUR SECOND ANNUAL MARITIME LINK-UP WEBINAR, ATTRACTING OVER 100 CARIBBEAN STUDENTS FROM JAMAICA, BARBADOS, BAHAMAS, ST. LUCIA, TRINIDAD, BELIZE, ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES, AND ST. THOMAS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR ACADEMIC PARTNER, THE UNIVERSITY OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO. WE AWARDED A FULL TUITION SCHOLARSHIP TO A STUDENT WHO ATTENDED THE WEBINAR AND WHO COMPETED FOR THE AWARD BY WRITING AN ESSAY ABOUT WHY HE/SHE SHOULD BE THE RECIPIENT. THE STUDENTS HEARD FROM A SENIOR MARITIME PROFESSIONAL ABOUT MARITIME CYBER SECURITY. WE BEGAN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FIRST JOBS BOARD EXCLUSIVELY FOR CARIBBEAN MARITIME GRADUATES TO ASSIST WITH JOB PLACEMENT AND FORGED A THIRD ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO. OUR WORK WITH MAJOR SHIPPING COMPANIES SERVING THE CARIBBEAN RESULTED IN UNIQUE PARTNERSHIPS INCLUDING A POINTED EFFORT TO PREPARE AND APPOINT THE FIRST CARIBBEAN CAPTAIN OF A CRUISE SHIP, A COMMITMENT MADE BY THE PRESIDENT OF ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL. WE ALSO SOLIDIFIED IMPORTANT STRATEGIC PARTNERS WITH TROPICAL SHIPPING, MSC CRUISES, NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE, NASSAU CRUISE PORT AND ARAWAK PORT DEVELOPMENT, ALL OF WHOM COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING OUR SCHOLARSHIP AND GRANT PROGRAMS.WOMEN CONTINUE TO BE UNDER-REPRESENTED AT SENIOR LEVELS IN THE MARITIME FIELD AND WE HAVE FOCUSED ON ENSURING THAT THEY RECEIVE THE KIND OF SUPPORT THEY NEED TO GET ACCESS TO MARITIME ACADEMIC TRAINING. THIS INCLUDES LAUNCHING OUR FIRST MENTORSHIP PROGRAM HEADED BY A SENIOR WOMAN AT A MAJOR SHIPPING COMPANY, TOTE MARINE. WE CAPPED OFF 2021 WITH THE ANNUAL ANCHOR AWARDS IN NOVEMBER 2021 WHICH WAS OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL EVENT, BRINGING TOGETHER SIX MAJOR MARITIME COMPANY CEOS AND CHAIRMAN, SEVERAL VICE PRESIDENTS, AND MARITIME PROFESSIONALS FROM ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN AND UNITED STATES.