The Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education is a merchant marine educational facility in

Piney Point, Maryland Piney Point (also known simply as "The Point"), is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in St. Mary's County, Maryland, United States. It is known for the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education, houses along the ...

, which is affiliated with the

Seafarers International Union The Seafarers International Union or SIU is an organization of 12 autonomous labor unions of mariners, fishermen and boatmen working aboard vessels flagged in the United States or Canada. Michael Sacco has been its president since 1988. The orga ...

. Founded in 1967 in

Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

as "The Seafarers' Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship", the Paul Hall Center is the largest training facility for deep sea merchant seafarers and inland waterways boatmen in the United States. The school was moved to the plot at the confluence of the

Potomac River The Potomac River () drains the Mid-Atlantic United States, flowing from the Potomac Highlands into Chesapeake Bay. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map. Retrieved Augus ...

and St. George's Creek at the Piney Point location in 1991, and at the same time renamed after former SIU president Paul Hall. According to SIU, "Tens of thousands of rated and licensed seamen have completed upgrading classes at the training center. Additionally, more than 21,000 men and women from every state in the U.S., Puerto Rico and several U.S. territories have graduated from the trainee program for those just beginning their maritime careers." The center features a number of buildings, including: * The Joseph Sacco Fire Fighting and Safety School * The Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship * The Thomas B. Crowley Sr. Education Center * The Paul Hall Library and Maritime Museum * The Romeo Lupinacci Culinary lab Prior to the opening of the Paul Hall Center, SIU maintained training facilities at five different ports. In 1966, the union bought the Piney Point site. The program grew to include other offerings, such as a reading skills program, a high-school equivalency program, an adult basic skills program, and English as a Second Language program. In 1978, SIU entered into an arrangement with Charles County Community College of Maryland which allows participants to earn an Associates of Arts degree. In 1993, the Maryland Higher Education Commission authorized the college program to change its degree award to an Associate of Applied Science degree and to a certificate program in Maritime Technology.

Training programs

Professional training begins with basic or entry-level vocational education programs. * Unlicensed Apprentice Program * Deck Upgrading Courses * Engine Department Upgrading Courses * Steward Department Upgrading Courses * Other Miscellaneous Courses * Passenger Vessel Training The upgrading programs provide experienced seafarers the opportunity to advance their professional skills.Paul Hall Center Maritime Training
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NCL America

In 2004, Norwegian Cruise Lines' ''NCL America'' division began operating the ''

Pride of Aloha ''Norwegian Sky'' is a ''Sun''-class cruise ship owned and operated by Norwegian Cruise Line. She was originally ordered by Costa Cruises as ''Costa Olympia'' from the Bremer Vulkan shipyard in Germany, but she was completed in 1999 by the Llo ...

'' in

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

. The cruise line was plagued by customer complaints which prompted them to seek out a training program for new employees. The Paul Hall Center was chosen as the location of NCL America's training facility until early 2007, when part of their training operations were moved to a facility at Barber's Point, HI.

References

External links

Paul Hall Center

Seafarers International Union
{{DEFAULTSORT:Paul Hall Center Educational institutions established in 1967 Vocational education in the United States Maritime education 1967 establishments in New York City Transport education

Training programs

NCL America

See also

References

External links