Nassau Cruise Port donates $50,000 to support hurricane-impacted maritime students

Nassau Cruise Port (NCP), a member of the Caribbean Tourism Organization, has donated $50,000 to strengthen Caribbean maritime education and provide relief for students affected by Hurricane Melissa.

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The company announced Tuesday that it contributed $25,000 to advance maritime education and training for Caribbean students, and an additional $25,000 to support maritime students impacted by Hurricane Melissa across the region.

The donation marks the fourth consecutive year NCP has supported the American Caribbean Maritime Foundation (ACMF) since entering a partnership in 2021.

This year’s contribution also launches the Mike Maura Jr. Scholarship, named in honour of NCP CEO and Director Mike Maura Jr., who also serves as Chairman of Arawak Port Development. Maura recently hosted the 2025 ACMF Anchor Awards Gala in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

“Supporting the ACMF is an investment in the Caribbean’s future,” Maura said. He highlighted the region’s role in global shipping and tourism while underscoring workforce gaps in key maritime disciplines.

“The maritime sector offers tremendous opportunity for our young people, and by helping students access high-quality training, we are contributing to a stronger, more innovative regional workforce,” he said.

He added, “The Caribbean sits along some of the world’s most critical shipping routes—hosting an estimated 30% of global container transshipment activity—and is also the world’s most visited cruise destination, welcoming more than 40% of all global cruise passenger arrivals. Yet our people remain underrepresented in engineering, navigation, logistics, compliance, port operations, and emerging maritime technologies. To fully benefit from the business that moves through our waters, we must prepare more Caribbean nationals to lead, innovate, and shape the future of this vital industry.”

NCP noted previous scholarship support for both Bahamian and Jamaican students pursuing maritime careers.

Between 2021 and 2023, Bahamian students Caleb Swann and Vernice Jonassaint both completed three-year maritime programmes at LJM Maritime Academy, graduating in 2023.

This year, two students from Jamaica, Dibari Scott and Kwesi Scott, received one-year scholarships from NCP and Arawak Port Development to study at Caribbean Maritime University. Both students are expected to graduate in 2028.

Maya Nottage, Regional Marketing Director at NCP, said the port’s investment in maritime education forms part of a wider philanthropic strategy.

“Our support of maritime education represents just one part of our broader philanthropic mission,” she said.

“We invest in youth and sports development, cultural enrichment, and community-building initiatives across The Bahamas. Through partnerships with schools, nonprofits, and cultural institutions, we provide students with access to technology, creative opportunities, mentorship, and safe learning environments to ensure that our impact extends far beyond the waterfront—strengthening communities, empowering young people, and helping shape a stronger future for Bahamians.”