CHALLENGES IN THE FORMATION OF MARINE ENGINEERS. GOALS AND OPPORTUNITIES IN THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING OF MARINE TECHNOLOGY

The design of merchant ships and super yachts every day is more complex, due to the continuous technological advances that they incorporate in their systems, either for their own operation and propulsion, as well as for comfort and safety. This evolution leads to an increase in energy demand, requires an increase in electrical services on board, forces these systems to also evolve with new concepts to improve the generation, distribution and demand of consumers. Supervision and regulation systems must optimise these operations, improve their performance and reduce emissions (greenhouse gases). An extensive network of sensors, their supervision, control and data acquisition (SCADA) is required. Overall, it represents a technical and qualification challenge for marine engineers who have to manage these systems. The paper presents how the current curriculums of Bachelor degrees and Master degrees of the Barcelona School of Nautical Studies (FNB), have incorporated the requirements for ship engineer officers and the new Electro-Technical Officer (ETO), in the area related to the function "Electrical, electronic and control engineering" included in STCW Code (2010 Manila Amendments). The new training challenges are also presented, which the current requirements of STCW Code and the IMO model course do not contemplate, and which should be taken into account in the study programs and their subjects in order to complement or expand them.