Professional Diploma in Commercial Shipping Fleet Management
This professional diploma gives you the essential tools to run a fleet of merchant ships efficiently, safely and profitably. You will learn how shipping companies and ship managers are organized, how vessels are chartered and scheduled, how technical management, maintenance and dry-docking are planned, how crews are recruited and managed under MLC and STCW, how the ISM Code and ISPS shape operations, how CII, EEXI and MRV drive efficiency, and how OPEX, CAPEX, financing and digital platforms support fleet decisions.
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What is the Professional Diploma in Commercial Shipping Fleet Management?
This professional diploma prepares you to manage commercial ship fleets from the office, balancing the commercial, technical, human, regulatory and financial sides of the business. You will study fleet types, the structure of a shipping company and third-party ship management, commercial strategy, freight contracts, spot and long-term charters and voyage profitability, maintenance plans, PMS systems, dry-docking, class and flag inspections and spare parts, crew selection, MLC 2006, STCW, crew changes and manning agencies, the ISM Code, voyage planning, ISPS, vetting and incident investigation, fuel consumption, CII, EEXI, MRV and alternative fuels, OPEX and CAPEX budgets, ship financing and insurance, and fleet management platforms, real-time monitoring, dashboards and digital twins.
What sets this professional diploma apart: a specific focus on merchant ship fleets, as distinct from road freight or leisure fleets; an integrated view that connects chartering, technical management, crewing and safety in a single decision framework; up-to-date coverage of the IMO efficiency and carbon intensity indicators and EU emissions rules; a financial perspective with OPEX and CAPEX budgets, variance analysis and fleet value; a digital approach to fleet platforms, data analysis, cybersecurity and digital twins; and a final project in which you draw up the management plan of a commercial fleet.
Program highlights
- Merchant fleet focus: shipping companies and third-party ship management.
- Commercial management: chartering, vessel scheduling and voyage profitability.
- Technical management: PMS, dry-docking, class and flag inspections and spare parts.
- Crewing and safety: MLC 2006, STCW, the ISM Code, ISPS and vetting.
- Efficiency and finance: CII, EEXI, MRV, OPEX, CAPEX and fleet value.
- Final project: the management plan of a commercial fleet.
Syllabus of the Professional Diploma in Commercial Shipping Fleet Management
8 modules. Select a module to see its content.
Fundamentals of fleet management
- 1.1. Types of commercial fleets
- 1.2. Structure of a shipping company
- 1.3. Technical and commercial ship management
- 1.4. Management objectives
- 1.5. Key indicators
- 1.6. Third-party ship management
- 1.7. Benchmarking between shipping companies
- 1.8. Sector trends
Commercial management and chartering
- 2.1. Commercial strategy
- 2.2. Freight contracting
- 2.3. Vessel scheduling
- 2.4. Relations with charterers
- 2.5. Voyage profitability analysis
- 2.6. Spot market and long-term charters
- 2.7. Charterers and brokers
- 2.8. Voyage analysis
Technical management and maintenance
- 3.1. Maintenance plans
- 3.2. PMS systems
- 3.3. Dry-docking and repairs
- 3.4. Class and flag inspections
- 3.5. Spare parts management
- 3.6. Dry-dock planning
- 3.7. Breakdown management
- 3.8. Class surveys
Crew management
- 4.1. Selection and recruitment
- 4.2. The MLC 2006 Convention
- 4.3. STCW training and certification
- 4.4. Crew changes and crew logistics
- 4.5. Wellbeing on board
- 4.6. Manning agencies
- 4.7. Crew performance appraisal
- 4.8. Talent retention
Operations and safety
- 5.1. The ISM Code and the safety management system
- 5.2. Voyage planning
- 5.3. Incident management
- 5.4. ISPS security
- 5.5. Audits
- 5.6. Incident investigation
- 5.7. Third-party inspections (vetting)
- 5.8. Company emergency plans
Efficiency and sustainability
- 6.1. Fuel consumption
- 6.2. CII and EEXI indicators
- 6.3. MRV reporting
- 6.4. Performance improvement
- 6.5. Fleet renewal
- 6.6. Fleet energy efficiency plans
- 6.7. Alternative fuels
- 6.8. European emissions regulations
Economic and financial management
- 7.1. Operating budgets (OPEX)
- 7.2. Capital investment (CAPEX)
- 7.3. Ship financing
- 7.4. Insurance
- 7.5. Cost control
- 7.6. Annual budgets per vessel
- 7.7. Variance analysis
- 7.8. Fleet value
Digitalization and decision-making
- 8.1. Fleet management platforms
- 8.2. Real-time monitoring
- 8.3. Data analysis
- 8.4. Cybersecurity
- 8.5. Fleet dashboards
- 8.6. Digital twins
- 8.7. Final review of the management plan
- 8.8. Final project: management plan for a commercial fleet
Duration and format of the Professional Diploma in Commercial Shipping Fleet Management
It is 800 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.
This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the installment plan.
Academic leadership and faculty
The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programs.
Dr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Eng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Capt. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Senior Lecturer in Ship Handling, Electronic Navigation (ECDIS/Radar/ARPA) and GMDSS; STCW Compliance and Bridge Resource Management Coordinator
Dr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Eng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Eng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Eng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration CoordinatorObjectives of the Professional Diploma in Commercial Shipping Fleet Management
Career opportunities after the Professional Diploma in Commercial Shipping Fleet Management
Questions about the Professional Diploma in Commercial Shipping Fleet Management
To maximize the efficiency and profitability of a fleet of ships while controlling operating costs, keeping vessels safe and complying with the regulations.
It focuses on merchant ships: shipping companies, ship managers, chartering, technical management, crewing and maritime regulations.
Shipping and ship management companies, logistics operators, and professionals such as fleet managers, operations officers, technical and crewing staff and maritime financial analysts.
No. You learn the ISM Code and how it works in practice, but those roles require the specific training and appointments set by each company and administration.
You prepare the management plan of a commercial fleet, covering commercial strategy, maintenance, crewing, safety, efficiency, budget and digital tools.
Fully online, through a virtual campus available 24/7, with live sessions that are recorded and tutorials with the teaching staff.
The professional diploma comprises 800 hours of study across 8 modules of about 100 hours each and ends with a final project. You can progress at your own pace within the schedule set when you enroll.
More programs in Cargo and logistics
Admission process
No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enroll in the same session.
- Profile: aimed at fleet and operations managers seeking to improve profitability and efficiency, maintenance supervisors and marine technicians, logistics and supply chain professionals integrating maritime transport into their processes, maritime financial analysts and accountants, and naval engineers and architects interested in the life cycle of ships. A higher technical or bachelor's degree in administration, logistics, engineering or a related field, or demonstrable experience in commercial fleet management, is recommended, together with spreadsheet skills.
- Language: sufficient command of English to follow the classes and the technical documentation.
- Technical resources: a computer with a stable internet connection, an up-to-date browser and a camera for live sessions and project presentations.
- Admission: online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
- 01ApplicationYour details, background and documents.
- 02Instant reviewWe check that everything is complete and in order.
- 03EnrollmentChoose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.
Ask us before you enroll
Leave your details and admissions will write to you to answer any questions. If you are already sure, you can apply and pay in the same session.