Rear Adm. Michael Alfultis, president of SUNY Maritime College, and Cmdr. H.C.G. Danopoulos Evangelos, of the National Merchant Maritime Academy of Hydra, Greece, recently signed a memorandum of agreement to establish an articulation agreement between the two maritime institutions. It also allows the two institutions to develop further partnerships and find additional areas of cooperation.

The agreement, signed earlier this week, will allow the Greek students, upon completion of their program at Hydra, to transfer to SUNY Maritime College to earn a Bachelor of Science in Marine Operations.

“Whether they’re from Hydra or Maritime College, these students are entering a global maritime industry,” said Dr. Joseph Hoffman, provost and vice president for academic affairs at SUNY Maritime. “It is vitally important that they are exposed to an international perspective and international opportunities. This partnership between our two maritime nations will help our students, who are the future workforce of the maritime industry, learn about and build relationships across international borders.”

Students from the Hydra academy earn their merchant marine licenses, which certify them to work onboard commercial vessels around the world. The new agreement will allow them to transfer those credits into one of Maritime College’s academic programs and apply them toward the completion of a bachelor’s degree, which will help the students to advance in their careers.

This agreement marks the latest in a series of agreements SUNY Maritime College has signed to build international partnerships, and to help students and faculty stay connected to the international maritime industry. Previously, the college has signed agreements with LJM Maritime Academy in the Bahamas, National Taiwan Ocean University and Svendborg International Maritime Academy in Denmark.