The Merchant Navy Training Board (abbreviated to MNTB) is a voluntary body responsible for maritime training in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

and for the training of the

British Merchant Navy The Merchant Navy is the maritime register of the United Kingdom and comprises the seagoing commercial interests of UK-registered ships and their crews. Merchant Navy vessels fly the Red Ensign and are regulated by the Maritime and Coastguar ...

. The MNTB are based at the

UK Chamber of Shipping The UK Chamber of Shipping is the trade association and voice of the UK shipping industry, representing around 200 member companies. They work with Government, parliament, international organisations and others to champion and protect the industry ...

office in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

and publications are provided by the

Witherby Publishing Group Witherby Publishing Group, formerly known as Witherby Seamanship, is a technical publisher of maritime, nautical and navigation training, reference and regulatory materials. The company is the resulting merger of Witherby Books and Seamansh ...

. The Head of the MNTB is Secretary Kathryn Neilson who leads the MNTB board responsible for setting the policies and standards of the organisation.

Training, Standards and Syllabuses

The MNTB promote seafarer training in the UK and are responsible for the official UK government training syllabuses for Merchant Navy Officers. Officers are issued with an MNTB training portfolio which must be completed. Together with OPITO (the international skills organisation for the energy industry), the MNTB provide a training programme for transitioning between the

oil and gas A fossil fuel is a hydrocarbon-containing material formed naturally in the Earth's crust from the remains of dead plants and animals that is extracted and burned as a fuel. The main fossil fuels are coal, oil, and natural gas. Fossil fuels ...

industry into shipping. In 2020, the MNTB launched a ''Careers at Sea'' initiative to highlight maritime careers. Additionally, in 2020, in partnership with the Merchant Navy Welfare Board and several maritime charities, the MNTB launched a Mental Health Awareness and Wellbeing Training Standard.

References

{{Reflist Education in the London Borough of Southwark Organisations based in the London Borough of Southwark