IIT Madras supports Zanzibar develop a technically sound blue economy

IIT Madras Zanzibar has launched a new MTech Program in Ocean Structures for the Academic Year 2024-25. The new two-year MTech comes with two streams - ‘Offshore and Ship structures’ and ‘Port Harbour & Coastal structures’. Tanzania being surrounded by sea has traditionally been involved with port and sea-related businesses, however, the demand for technical growth has prompted IIT Madras to introduce the course in Ocean Structures.

The admission process for the course has been initiated with the session starting in September 2024. The screening tests will be conducted on June 30 and the admission letters will be issued from July 15.

President of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan, requested IIT Madras to start the course to train the local people on how to tap ocean resources. “The natives of Tanzania lack the technical know-how in sea drilling and oil and gas exploration. This has been an economic burden on the government, which has to get experts from the US and UK,” adds Prof S Nallayarasu, head, Department of Ocean Engineering, IIT Madras.

Right now, the infrastructure is being set up on the campus to start the course soon. While the first, second and fourth semesters will be at IITM Zanzibar Campus, the third semester will be at the Chennai campus.

“Blue economy is a priority area for the world today, and engineering programmes that will yield skilled human resources in this domain are an urgent need,” said Professor Preeti Aghalayam, dean, School of Engineering and Science and Director-in-charge, Zanzibar campus, IIT Madras.

“This programme opens up new career opportunities for graduate engineers in ocean engineering including niche areas of offshore industry, port and harbour development. IITMadras launched with Maritime India Vision 2047 and will contribute significantly to training professionals in the blue economy sector. We will follow a similar structure in the Zanzibar campus,” added Prof S Nallayarasu.

Course structure

“Ocean Structures programme is about the analysis and design of offshore and coastal structures for oil and gas exploration and port construction. The programme holds importance as maritime transport is an integral part of human development prompting the demand for trained engineers. Besides this, the oil and gas exploration requires offshore structures to support the drilling and production facilities.”

The MTech in Ocean Structures programme curriculum covers offshore platforms for oil and gas exploration, renewable energy such as offshore wind, wave and tidal energy, and port and harbour infrastructures including jetties, berths, breakwater, dredging and reclamation aspects. Along with core courses like wave hydrodynamics, offshore structures, port and harbour structures and a selection of supplementary electives, the institute has emphasized hands-on lab work cum tutorials and industry-driven projects.

Only BTech students will be eligible for the course. The BTech includes subjects such as wave coastal engineering, hydrodynamics, offshore and coastal structures, deep sea technology, marine robotics, machine learning for ocean engineers, drilling technology, structural design for oil and gas exploration offshore platforms, ocean behaviour and analysis, design of marine vehicles, management in petroleum and offshore engineering, Ocean Environment Policy and Coastal Zone Management, harbours including port structures and breakwater, among others.

Employment

The potential employers include both government and private stakeholders. “Job prospects lie offshore oil and gas and port design and management sector. It is aligned with Maritime India Vision 2047. The MTech students can also continue their research by doing PhD in IIT Madras or any other overseas university in ocean engineering," says Prof Nallayarasu.

Prominent engineering companies such as Technip, Aker Solutions, Mcdermott International, and international engineering consultant agency - COWI are the potential employers in this sector. In Tanzania, Songas Ltd, 
Panafrican Energy Tanzania Limited, East Coast Energy Tanzania Limited, Mogas Tanzania Limited are prospective employers.