Marine Engineering education got yet up-scaled in the country when on 10 th of August 2007, the AMET (Academy of Maritime Education and Training, Chennai) Ship-in-campus, "Jewel of AMET" was commissioned and dedicated to the nation by none other than the Chief Surveyor, GOI Shri Ajoy Chatterjee in the august presence of Chairman of MASSA Captain Shyam Jairam himself.

The occasion coincided with the Passing out of the 3 rd batch of B.E. Marine Engineering from AMET, once again with full placements for all 93 cadets in the top of the line Shipping companies of the world.

The function started with the arrival of Chief Guest Shri Ajoy Chatterjee and Guest of Honour Captain Shyam Jairam to the welcome tunes of the AMET band. After the impressive Guard of Honour , the invocation and the felicitations, Capt S. Bhardwaj, CEO & Director of the academy introduced the Chief Guest and Guest of Honour and invited the Chairman Mr Ramachandran to give his welcome address.

Mr Ramachandran heartily welcomed Shri Ajoy Chatterjee and Capt Shyam Jairam and thanked them for bestowing the honour of their visit to the academy. He then recounted some of the recent achievements at AMET as follows:- AMET - Recent Achievements.

•  The Angolan cadet sponsored by Wallems who did his first year at AMET - Cadet Carvalho Afonso has been adjudged the best Engineer by GCNS and has bagged the UK Marine Society Prize.

•  Our B.Sc Nautical Science cadet Joseman George with A.P.Moller has been adjudged the best cadet among all nationalities in the A.P.Moller fleet.

•  AMET has been awarded Seatrade Award in Dubai for best services in the Region at the hands of IMO Secretary General himself.

•  Our Board of Advisors comprise very eminent persons from the industry worldwide. We meet every year and review the progress.

•  We have launched a Distance Learning MBA in Shipping & Logistics especially for Masters and Chief Engineers and it has already become very popular in the industry.

•  Mitsui has now strengthened relationships by giving scholarships of 200 $ per month to their selected cadets from AMET.

•  Our Marine Electrical and Electronics Officers course is a big hit with the industry with 3 rd batch now fully placed and demanding more.

•  We have an exemplary MoU with A.P.Moller Singapore to train their 300 cadets every year in dual competency.

Capt S Bhardwaj, in his Passing out address spoke thus:-

"Marine Engineering Education, in this country, has truly come of age.

Under the great visionary leadership of our Chief Surveyor, there is no reason, why not?

His words are still ringing in my ears, when about 2 years ago I had visited him informing of my visit to South Tyneside College in the U.K. where Sir had done his Extra-Chiefs.

"Did you visit the Engine room there? Could you feel the heat of the boilers? That is how your Ship-in-campus ought to be."

Sir, your guidance and encouragement at all stages have been very valuable.

And it is this batch of BE 3 - You have had the good fortune of not only setting up but even operating upon the working systems.

As you go out to sea shortly, the 6 months as trainee engineer will pass off in a jiffy. You will actually realize the benefits when you start keeping independent watches.

CS Sir and Capt Jairam Sir, AMET has substantially changed course. AMET has embarked on a comprehensive paradigm shift, starting with the governance itself to raising its academic profile as well as in its global role.

AMET, with its international mandate and as a player in the increasingly competitive international market for professional maritime education, our capability to respond effectively to new challenges and opportunities finds stretched targets.

Our aim is to make this acronym AMET an internationally recognized brand for academic and professional excellence.

The progress to date indicates, that we are on course to achieve this.

All this of course is not possible without the assistance of Administration as well as the strong industry interface through organizations like MASSA.

The very affable Capt Jairam at the helm of affairs, has his own ways of going about the Administration very easily.

Sirs, your friendliness and mutual respect is well known which augurs well for this country.

You cadets are really the fruits of these efforts. As you go out to various companies world wide, please remember, you carry the brand of nationality with you.

Your role defines the fate of your fellow country men. It is not Cadet GuruPrasad or Cadet Rajasimhan, the company views you as Indians and watches how you perform. You are giving them the opportunity to decide whether to continue with Indians or try out Vietnamese or Burmese or Croatians.

So do take care, and as always, I wish each and every one of you favourable winds and following seas always.

"Best Wishes"

He then administered the 'Oath of Honour' to the graduating cadets in a very solemn manner.

Capt Shyam Jairam, in his eloquent address, acknowledged AMET's leading position in the country's maritime education and set yet higher benchmarks for the students and the institution in wake of the emerging global competitions.

Chief Surveyor Shri Ajoy Chatterjee, in his keynote, commended the commitment of Shri Ramachandran towards maritime education and elaborated the many pioneering and exemplary initiatives in the field of maritime education of which the Administration was proud, even propagating its emulation in the country.

He then elaborated on the nuances of hands on training on the ship-in-campus and shared his valuable views on the profession, which the cadets relished with awe, coming from the highest position of a marine engineer in the country.

He then gave away the Gold medals as below:-

1)The Gold Medal for Best in Academics in the batch went to - Cadet J. Guruprasath placed with A P Moller

2) The Gold Medal for Best in General Proficiency in the batch went to - Cadet Momaya Gaurav Kulinkant also placed with A P Moller.

3) The Gold Medal for Best in Officer-like-Qualities instituted in the name of Captain Ib Fruergaard the former Managing Director of A P Moller Singapore was won by Cadet Rushil Tandon placed with Shell U.K.

4) The Gold Medal for Best Sports Achiever was won by Cadet Harjit Singh placed with A P Moller.

5) The Gold Medal for Best Sports man was taken by Cadet Karthiban M.K. placed with NSSPL.

6) The Gold Medal for Best Sports Volunteer was bagged by Cadet Yogarathinam M.L. placed with Eurasia.

The Chief Surveyor then also congratulated the AMET cadets who won the prizes at the Institute of Marine Engineers organized Technical Paper Presentations from all institutions in the South. The Prize winners being Cadets Vinay Polisetti and Cadet Rushil Tandon who got the 1st prize for their paper on 'Nuclear Propulsion for Merchant Naval vessels' and Cadets Sudhanshu Gajaria and Cadet Shankar Ganesh who got the 3 rd prize for their paper on Ballast Water Management.

It was then the turn of Capt Shyam Jairam to give away the Passing out certificates.

Capt S Bhardwaj then read out the messages of goodwill received from some important industry persons as below:-

1) Captain Navin Passey, Chairman FOSMA

Dear Captain Bhardwaj,

Thanks for your kind invitation.

 Due to previous commitment I am unable to attend.

 I am happy to see Mr Ajoy Chatterjee dedicating yet another Ship-in-Campus to the nation, at your institute.

My good friend Capt Jairam is there too giving away the Passing out certificates.

I take this opportunity to announce that Wallem Ship Management is pleased to sponsor Rolling Trophies at AMET for the Best All Round Cadet in Nautical Science and the Marine Engineering streams from 2008 Passout.

Please keep up the good work.

With best wishes,

=Navin Passey=

Managing Director

Wallem Ship Management

2) Shri C V Subba Rao, Chairman, Institute of Marine Engineers, Chenna.

Dear Capt Bhardwaj
Many thanks for your kind invite to the Graduation ceremony.
Much as I would like to attend, due to prior commitments I would not be able to attend the function at this time.
I have always held your goodself and your institution in high esteem.
I feel that your commitment to taking Indian Maritime Education to a high level is indeed exemplary.
Please accept my congratulations and  my best wishes for a successful function.
Please pass on my congratulations to the young graduates and my best wishes to them for a successful career ahead.

With warm regards

C V Subba Rao
President
Sanmar Shipping Limited

3) Shri N Hariharan, Head of IRS, Chennai.

Dear sir,

Received the mail and I am delighted to note that SHIP IN CAMPUS is being dedicated at the hands of the CS to GOI.

As I am out of India I will not be able to be present at the occasion.

My congratulations to you & your team.

Regards

N.HARIHARAN
INDIAN REGISTER OF SHIPPING
EGMORE, CHENNAI, 600008

Shri P Venugopal, HOD of Marine Engineering and chief architect of the "Jewel of AMET" then recounted his trials and tribulations in the process of setting up of the ship-in-campus and thanked the cadets of BE-3 batch for their very enthusiastic participation.

Chief Surveyor then unveiled the engraved granite stone marking the commissioning of the ship-in-campus to the resounding celebration tunes of the AMET band; thus permanently etching his name and that of the Capt Jairam in the annals of glorious history of AMET.

The function wound up after the ceremonial 'Change of Guard' with Academy Cadet Captain Rushil Tandon handing over and passing the baton to Academy Cadet Captain Bhupreet Singh; followed by 'Sunset' and the National Anthem.

Shri Ajoy Chatterjee and Capt Jairam then inspected the campus and visited the ship-in-campus 'Jewel of AMET'. Enthusiastic Marine Engineering faculty and staff greeted the dignitaries and invited them for the ribbon cutting. As the main engine came to life and running, the Chief Surveyor walked around hawk eyed and feeling every nook and corner of the machinery. Joy knew no bounds when the Chief Surveyor signaled 'thumbs up'.

The icing on the cake came when Mrs. Chatterjee remarked, "This is like the real engine room I had seen many years ago sailing on board."