The Naval and Maritime Academy (NMA) plays the most prominent role by imparting professional training for both officers and senior and junior ratings in the Sri Lanka Navy. The academy is situated within the picturesque Naval Dockyard in Trincomalee. Trincomalee is considered one of the best natural harbours in the world with a rich history of maritime affiliation.
The origin of training in the Sri Lanka Navy dates back to 1951, when a humble beginning was made by the then Royal Ceylon Navy with the establishment of a Recruit Training Centre at Her Majesty’s Ceylon Ship (HMCyS) Rangalla (named after Rahangala Hill) Diyatalawa. In 1963, this training centre was transferred to the Ceylon Army, and HMCyS Rangalla moved lock, stock, and barrel to Kochchikade in Colombo. In 1965, a seaman training establishment was set up at HMCyS Parakrama; at that time, in HMCyS Tissa, Trincomalee was providing the administrative support.
Since the necessity of establishing a separate academy was felt, the NMA was established at its present location on 15th January 1967, and was subsequently commissioned on 15th July 1967, with Instructor Commander MGS Perera as the first commandant, who was also the main pillar behind the establishment of the NMA as its proud founder father. With the commissioning and officer training that were then undertaken by the Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth, Great Britain came within the ambit of the NMA.
The NMA has proved its mettle by training an umpteen number of officers and sailors to cater to the needs of the Sri Lanka Navy. Apart from the initial officer training for various entrants, the NMA today conducts Sub Lieutenant Technical Courses for Executive, Logistics, NPM/Marine, Provost branches and Service Entry Candidates.
The Officer Cadet Entry training programme was accredited to the esteemed University of Kelaniya in 2001 and subsequently to Kotelawala Defence University in 2012. Officer Under Trainees undergoing these programmes are conferred with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Naval and Maritime Studies, Naval Studies or Naval Logistics Management according to their respective branches.
The NMA has conducts in house Post Graduate Diploma Programme for the Junior Naval Staff Course since 2005 and commenced the Long Logistics Management Course in 2015, leading to a Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA). The NMA is reaching another milestone this July by introducing Long Courses of Navigation, Gunnery, Communication, and Anti-Submarine Warfare to her list of programmes.
The training for naval ratings encompasses advanced professional training courses comprised of branch, specialization, mechanical, and technical training through more than twenty schools.
The NMA continues to strive for and achieve international standards while holding the ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management System Certification awarded by the Sri Lanka Standards Institution, in 2007. This was upgraded to ISO 9001:2008 in the year 2010 and was again upgraded to 9001:2015 in 2016. In recognition of the yeoman service rendered over the years, the NMA was awarded the prestigious President’s Colours in 2003.
Accomplishments of the Sri Lanka Navy over the past decades bear testimony to the quality of training imparted by the Naval and Maritime Academy.
