Centers of Excellence (CoE) for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education

The Secretary of Transportation, acting through the Maritime Administrator, may designate certain eligible and qualified training entities as Centers of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education (CoE) and may, subsequently, execute Cooperative Agreements with CoE designees.

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) developed the CoE Program to support maritime workforce training and education at designated CoEs, including efforts of the designees to: admit additional students; recruit and train faculty; expand facilities; create new maritime pathways; and, award students credit for prior experience, including military service.

MARAD developed a policy to provide interested parties with comprehensive agency guidance on how best to apply for CoE designation. On a yearly basis, MARAD will review and consider all applications it receives and may contact applicants with questions to assist in reviewing their applications. The CoE Program is a voluntary program and, therefore, any eligible and qualified training entity is free to decide whether it wishes to participate in the program and apply for a CoE designation.

Latest Updates

(7/19/22 - 9/19/22) MARAD is accepting applications from eligible and qualified institutions to apply for a Center of Excellence (CoE) designation which recognizes and supports community or technical colleges and maritime training centers that prepare Americans for careers in the maritime industry. For details see the Federal Register Notice. MARAD's announcement on this application window is here. 

MARAD will host two (2) Center of Excellence application sessions to provide guidance to prospective applicants on how to submit documents requested in the Federal Register Notice. The first session will be held on Tuesday August 2nd 2022 at 1:00 E.D.T.; the second session will be held on Thursday August 18th 2022 at 1:00 E.D.T. Attendance at either of those sessions is entirely voluntary and not a requirement of the application process. If interested in attending either session, please send contact information to CoEDMWTE@dot.gov to receive Zoom meeting details.

You can also discover more detailed information on each of the current CoE designees through our CoE Interactive Map.

Previous Actions

Previous CoE designees were announced in a May 19, 2021 MARAD Press Release.

The following previous Federal Register Notices provided opportunities for comment on the agency’s policy for CoE: 

• CoE - Request for Comments on the Renewal of a Previously Approved Information Collection-Center of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education (CoE) Annual Application for Designation - 86 FR 18115 (April 7, 2021)
• CoE - Notice of Opportunity to Apply for Training and Education Designation - 85 FR 67599 (October 23, 2020)
• CoE - Final policy and information collection requests for comments - 85 FR 13231 (March 6, 2020)
• CoE - Notice and request for comments - 84 FR 34994 (July 19, 2019)
• CoE - Notice and request for comments - 83 FR 25109 (May 31, 2018)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Gerard Wall, Centers of Excellence Program Manager, Maritime Administration, at Gerard.Wall@dot.gov or 202-366-7273.