Qatar is setting sail on a fresh push to grow its own seafarers and ship engineers, with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) and the Ministry of Transport joining forces to fund Qatari students through degrees in Marine Engineering and Marine Navigation.
Announced at a press conference Sunday, the joint national initiative is designed to deepen local expertise in a sector that underpins the country's trade lifelines yet has long leaned on expatriate know-how. The aim is to build a homegrown bench of specialists capable of crewing, operating and regulating the vessels and facilities on which a trading nation depends — and, in doing so, to advance the Qatar National Vision 2030.
Assistant Undersecretary for Higher Education Affairs at MoEHE Dr Hareb Mohamed al-Jabri said the initiative flows from the strategic weight of the maritime sector, one of Qatar's priority areas, which demands qualified nationals able to meet present and future needs across ship operations, port facilities and the management of maritime activities.
The overseas scholarship programme offers students a route to a bachelor's degree in Marine Navigation, al-Jabri said. It carries a one-time pre-departure allowance of QR25,000, a monthly stipend of QR14,000 and an annual airfare ticket, with extra benefits for those enrolled at universities on the Amiri Scholarship Programme's approved list.
On the domestic track, Qatari students reading for a bachelor's in Marine Engineering will receive a monthly stipend of QR8,000 throughout their studies — an incentive, al-Jabri added, to draw national talent into engineering disciplines, including programmes at the University of Doha for Science and Technology.
Assistant Undersecretary for Maritime Transport Affairs at the Ministry of Transport Eng Abdulaziz Abdullah al-Sulaiti said the scheme seeks to prepare nationals both academically and professionally, meeting the workforce needs of organisations operating in maritime transport and logistics. The two pathways — overseas study for navigation, domestic study for engineering — reflect the ministry's commitment to building a diversified, sustainable economy in step with the national vision, he said.
The disciplines matter, al-Sulaiti stressed, because they produce specialists who can support inspection and oversight, assess the technical and engineering soundness of vessels, develop systems and regulations, assist in investigating maritime accidents, and strengthen safety, security and seafarer licensing. They also sharpen Qatar's compliance with international maritime conventions.
By increasing the readiness of specialised nationals, he added, the initiative will reinforce the ministry's role as the maritime sector's regulatory and legislative authority, support evidence-based decision-making and feed directly into the national maritime economy.
The ultimate goal, he said, is full reliance on specialised national expertise.
Director of the Scholarships Department at MoEHE Noora al-Ansari described the move as an investment in national human capital, developing talent to the highest standards in line with labour-market needs and lifting the competitiveness of Qatari professionals.
The initiative is expected to ready nationals for technical and operational roles, improve the efficiency of the maritime transport system, and support the country's plans to grow its logistics services and maritime economy in line with international best practice.
