A first cohort of trainee maritime pilots from Tanger Med and Nador West Med has successfully passed Morocco’s Maritime Pilotage Probationary Examination, marking an important development in the country’s approach to pilot training and competency assessment.
The achievement was announced today by Ahmed TAHIRI, Senior Marine Pilot at the Tanger Med Port Authority and an expert in maritime and port operations. In a post published on LinkedIn, TAHIRI reported that the candidates had passed the examination and received the congratulations of the responsible National Commission.
According to TAHIRI, this was the first cohort of maritime pilots in Morocco to be prepared through a dedicated and structured academic training programme specifically designed for the pilotage profession. The programme was benchmarked against internationally recognised standards, recommendations and established practices in maritime pilot training.
The initiative brought together academic education, operational pilotage experience and institutional requirements. Its development reportedly involved international benchmarking, programme design, training coordination, candidate mentoring, assessment methodology and cooperation with the relevant stakeholders and authorities.
TAHIRI, who was closely involved in these activities, described the successful examination results as confirmation of both the candidates’ individual commitment and the broader training concept.
Beyond the immediate qualification of the new pilots, he highlighted the institutional significance of the programme. The progress achieved during its development has reportedly strengthened dialogue and mutual confidence between pilotage professionals and Morocco’s national maritime administration.
This may provide a foundation for closer institutional cooperation, more clearly defined professional frameworks and additional capacity-building initiatives for maritime pilotage in Morocco.
Structured education and transparent competency assessment are becoming increasingly important as ports manage larger vessels, more complex traffic situations and growing operational and environmental requirements. Training models that combine academic instruction with practical experience can help ensure that pilots are prepared for both routine operations and demanding manoeuvring situations.
The successful completion of the probationary examination by pilots from Tanger Med and Nador West Med therefore represents more than an individual achievement. As TAHIRI emphasised, it reflects a collective ambition to raise maritime pilot training and competency assessment in Morocco to a higher level of professionalism, consistency and international alignment.
While the long-term impact of the initiative will become clearer as the programme develops, the first cohort’s success constitutes a noteworthy step in the continued professionalisation of Moroccan maritime pilotage.
Source: Based on information published by Ahmed TAHIRI on LinkedIn. TAHIRI is a Senior Marine Pilot at the Tanger Med Port Authority and was involved in the development, coordination and implementation of the training initiative.
