WILLEMSTAD – Students from several secondary schools were introduced to Curaçao’s maritime industry this week during the annual Maritime Days, held this year at Damen Shiprepair Curaçao as the island marks 100 years of ship repair activities.
The Curaçao Ports Authority (CPA) organized the activities in cooperation with Damen Shiprepair Curaçao, giving students an opportunity to learn about the companies, professions and educational opportunities connected to the island’s port and maritime sector.
During the first two days, students from schools including Triniteit College, Maria College, KAP, New Song College, Ancilla Domini, Albert Schweitzer VSBO & HAVO and St. Jozef VSBO visited the shipyard.
Several organizations operating within Curaçao’s maritime sector participated in the program, including Damen, tugboat company KTK, Nilda Pinto SBO, Curaçao Refinery Utilities, 2Bays and the Curaçao Pilots Organization.
The emphasis was on showing young people that the maritime industry offers a wide range of career opportunities and explaining which educational paths can prepare them for employment in the sector.
This year's location provided students with an experience that is normally unavailable to the general public. Participants received a tour of the Damen facility and its dry docks, allowing them to see parts of Curaçao's ship repair operations firsthand.
The activities coincide with the 100th anniversary of ship repair on the island. Curaçao's modern ship repair history dates back to 1926, when the first vessel was received in the Queen Wilhelmina floating dock.
The Maritime Days also coincided with World Maritime Day, which was observed Thursday under the international theme “From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence.”
In Curaçao, the occasion was used particularly to connect young people with the maritime sector and encourage them to consider careers in an industry that has played an important role in the island's economy for a century.
The Curaçao Maritime Association also held its annual gathering at the shipyard on Thursday evening. During the event, Damen transferred a historic ship component to the Country of Curaçao. The artifact is eventually expected to become part of the collection of the Curaçao Maritime Museum.
The anniversary activities will conclude Saturday when Damen employees and their families are invited to visit the shipyard, bringing the week commemorating Curaçao's century of ship repair to a close.