Master’s degree1,500 h · Online · 11 modules

Master's in Technical Superintendency and Fleet Maintenance Management

This master's teaches you to manage the technical condition of a fleet from ashore, combining planned maintenance, reliability analysis and cost control. You will learn to prepare dry-dockings, coordinate classification society and Port State Control inspections and make technical decisions based on data.

Duration1,500 h
ModeOnline
Start1 December
Modules11
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About the program

What is the Master's in Technical Superintendency and Fleet Maintenance Management?

This master's teaches you to manage the technical condition of a fleet from ashore, combining planned maintenance, reliability analysis and cost control. You will structure a PMS for each ship with an equipment and task hierarchy, apply RCM and FMECA to reduce breakdowns and unplanned stoppages, specify, tender and supervise dry-dock work on time and within budget, prepare the fleet OPEX budget and analyze variances, and anticipate Port State Control, class and vetting inspections.

What sets this master's apart: a fleet view, with technical management of several ships under common criteria and clear priorities; applied reliability, with RCM, FMECA, root cause analysis and condition-based maintenance; dry-dockings under control, from specification and yard tendering to follow-up and financial close-out; the regulatory framework, with SOLAS, MARPOL, the ISM Code, MLC and the classification regime studied as content; and a Final Project in which you build a five-year technical plan for a fleet of five ships.

Program typeMaster’s degree
ModeOnline
Duration1,500 hours
Modules11
Start1 December

Program highlights

  • Fleet view: technical management of several ships with common criteria and clear priorities.
  • Applied reliability: RCM, FMECA, root cause analysis and condition-based maintenance.
  • Dry-dockings under control: specification, yard tendering, follow-up and financial close-out.
  • Regulatory framework: SOLAS, MARPOL, the ISM Code, MLC and the classification regime.
  • Cost control: annual technical budgets, variance analysis and life-cycle costing.
  • Final Project: a five-year technical plan for a fleet of five ships.
Syllabus

Syllabus of the Master's in Technical Superintendency and Fleet Maintenance Management

11 modules. Select a module to see its content.

Module 1

Technical superintendency and the maritime regulatory framework

  • 1.1. Role of the technical superintendent: responsibilities, counterparts and relationship with the master and chief engineer
  • 1.2. Structure of a ship management company: technical, operations, purchasing, crewing and safety departments
  • 1.3. The International Maritime Organization and key conventions: SOLAS, MARPOL, Load Lines and STCW
  • 1.4. The International Safety Management (ISM) Code: management system, designated person and non-conformities
  • 1.5. The Maritime Labor Convention (MLC 2006) and its implications for accommodation and onboard equipment
  • 1.6. Flag state, recognized organizations and the regime of statutory ship certificates
  • 1.7. Ship types and their technical features: bulk carriers, tankers, container ships, ferries and service vessels
  • 1.8. Ship management contracts: scope, obligations and reference to BIMCO SHIPMAN forms
  • 1.9. Technical communication with the ship: periodic reports, damage reports and follow-up meetings
  • 1.10. Technical management performance indicators: availability, breakdowns, delays, cost per day and audits
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 2

Maintenance strategies and reliability

  • 2.1. Evolution of strategies: corrective, time-based preventive, condition-based, predictive and proactive
  • 2.2. Reliability concepts: MTBF, MTTR, availability, failure rate and the bathtub curve
  • 2.3. Reliability-centered maintenance (RCM): functions, functional failures, failure modes and consequences
  • 2.4. FMECA of critical systems: criticality matrix, risk priority number and actions
  • 2.5. Root cause analysis with the 5 whys, the Ishikawa diagram and fault trees
  • 2.6. Condition-based maintenance: vibration analysis, thermography, ultrasound and oil analysis
  • 2.7. Critical equipment under the ISM Code: identification, periodic testing and minimum spares on board
  • 2.8. Weibull distribution applied to component service life and renewal decisions
  • 2.9. Optimizing maintenance intervals with historical data and manufacturer recommendations
  • 2.10. Reference standards in asset management and maintenance terminology: ISO 55000 and EN 13306
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 3

Planned maintenance systems and CMMS

  • 3.1. The planned maintenance system (PMS) concept and classification society requirements
  • 3.2. Equipment hierarchy and coding: systems, subsystems, components and SFI references
  • 3.3. Defining routines: tasks, hour or calendar frequencies, resources, spares and procedures
  • 3.4. Implementing a CMMS across a fleet: data migration, configuration and crew training
  • 3.5. Work orders: planning, execution, close-out, time recording and spare parts traceability
  • 3.6. Managing counter readings and maintenance by equipment running hours
  • 3.7. Class-approved maintenance plans for the continuous survey of machinery
  • 3.8. Controlling overdue jobs, justified postponements and managing the associated risk
  • 3.9. CMMS reports for management: plan compliance, workload and breakdown trends
  • 3.10. Integrating the CMMS with purchasing, inventory, crewing and the company's document systems
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 4

Main and auxiliary machinery and onboard systems

  • 4.1. Slow-speed two-stroke main engines: cylinder overhaul, liners, rings and wear measurement
  • 4.2. Four-stroke engines and generator sets: hour-based maintenance and load tests
  • 4.3. Turbochargers, air coolers and starting air systems: inspection and cleaning
  • 4.4. Centrifugal fuel and oil separators: operation, adjustment and periodic maintenance
  • 4.5. Auxiliary boilers and economizers: water treatment, internal inspection and safety valve testing
  • 4.6. Pumping systems, plate and tube heat exchangers and valves: renewal criteria
  • 4.7. Steering gear, thrusters and controllable-pitch propellers: testing and maintenance
  • 4.8. Deck equipment: cranes, winches, windlasses, hatch covers and load tests
  • 4.9. Electrical power systems: main switchboards, protection, insulation tests and thermography
  • 4.10. Environmental equipment: bilge separators, sewage plants, incinerators and ballast systems
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 5

Structural integrity and classification societies

  • 5.1. The role of classification societies and IACS members: rules, notations and class certificates
  • 5.2. The survey cycle: annual, intermediate, renewal, bottom and tailshaft surveys
  • 5.3. Continuous survey of hull and machinery: scheduling items and coordinating with the surveyor
  • 5.4. Class recommendations and conditions of class: management, deadlines and documented close-out
  • 5.5. Ultrasonic thickness measurement, suspect areas and allowable diminution criteria
  • 5.6. Inspection of ballast tanks and void spaces: coating condition, corrosion and safe access
  • 5.7. Enhanced Survey Program (ESP) for bulk carriers and tankers under IMO resolutions
  • 5.8. Common structural damage: fatigue cracks, dents, localized corrosion and their repair
  • 5.9. Performance Standard for Protective Coatings (PSPC) and maintenance of tank coatings
  • 5.10. Change of class, change of flag and technical audits of second-hand ships
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 6

Dry-dockings and repair projects

  • 6.1. Planning the dry-docking: operational window, due class surveys and scope of work
  • 6.2. Dry-dock technical specification: work list by item, quantities, materials and acceptance criteria
  • 6.3. Tendering to shipyards: requests for quotation, technical and commercial comparison and negotiation
  • 6.4. Ship repair contracts: general conditions, guarantees, penalties and additional work
  • 6.5. Preparation on board: spares, owner's supplies, permits and crew planning
  • 6.6. Hull treatment in dock: blasting, paint schemes, antifouling and film thickness control
  • 6.7. Work on shafts, propellers, rudders and sea valves during the dry-dock period
  • 6.8. Daily supervision at the yard: meetings, progress control, quality, safety and unforeseen work
  • 6.9. Dry-dock cost control: budget, variances, invoice reconciliation and financial close-out
  • 6.10. Final dry-dock report and lessons learned for planning the next one
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 7

Spares, purchasing and the technical supply chain

  • 7.1. Classification of spares: critical, consumable and insurance spares, and minimum spares required on board
  • 7.2. ABC and criticality analysis to set stock levels on board and in shore warehouses
  • 7.3. Requisition process: ship request, technical approval, quotations and purchase order
  • 7.4. Original versus alternative spares: technical risks, guarantees and approval of equivalents
  • 7.5. Delivery logistics to ships: agents, ports, customs, urgent shipments and supplies in transit
  • 7.6. Framework agreements with manufacturers and service workshops for overhauls of critical equipment
  • 7.7. Inventory control on board: periodic counts, locations, expiry dates and traceability
  • 7.8. Managing lubricants and chemicals: supply programs, compatibility and safety data sheets
  • 7.9. Evaluating technical suppliers: quality, lead times, response to breakdowns and supplier approval
  • 7.10. Technical purchasing indicators: average lead time, cost of urgent orders and stock turnover
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 8

Budgets, costs and fleet financial control

  • 8.1. Structure of ship operating costs: crew, maintenance, spares, lubricants, insurance and management
  • 8.2. Preparing the annual technical budget per ship and the consolidated fleet budget
  • 8.3. Provisions for dry-dockings and special surveys and their distribution over the class cycle
  • 8.4. Monthly tracking of expenditure against budget and variance analysis with technical justification
  • 8.5. Equipment life-cycle cost and decisions to repair, recondition or replace
  • 8.6. Hull and machinery insurance: deductibles, recoverable damage and preparing technical claims
  • 8.7. Protection and indemnity (P&I): the owner's liabilities and the role of the technical department
  • 8.8. Financial evaluation of improvement projects: return on investment, payback period and NPV
  • 8.9. Cost comparison between sister ships in the fleet and detecting deviations
  • 8.10. Financial dashboards for management with cost per day and per ship indicators
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 9

Inspections, audits and vetting

  • 9.1. Port State Control: the Paris and Tokyo MoUs, risk profile and detentions
  • 9.2. Preparing the ship for Port State Control inspections: checklists and common deficiencies
  • 9.3. Internal and external ISM audits: planning, evidence and corrective actions
  • 9.4. Tanker vetting inspections: the SIRE program, the VIQ questionnaire and crew preparation
  • 9.5. Technical management of tankers and the TMSA program: elements and company self-assessment
  • 9.6. Charterer inspections and on-hire and off-hire condition surveys
  • 9.7. Superintendent inspection visits: scope, observation of equipment and crew interviews
  • 9.8. Managing non-conformities, observations and deficiencies through to verifiable close-out
  • 9.9. Investigating technical breakdowns and incidents: gathering evidence, analysis and lessons learned
  • 9.10. Safety of maintenance operations: permits to work, lockout and tagout, and enclosed spaces
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 10

Energy efficiency, environment and digitalization

  • 10.1. MARPOL Annex VI: sulfur and nitrogen oxide limits, ECAs and low-sulfur fuels
  • 10.2. EEDI and EEXI efficiency indices, the CII indicator and the SEEMP energy efficiency management plan
  • 10.3. Saving measures: hull and propeller cleaning, trim optimization, heat recovery and variable speed drives
  • 10.4. Exhaust gas cleaning systems (scrubbers) and selective catalytic reduction: maintenance
  • 10.5. The Ballast Water Management Convention: treatment systems, testing and maintenance
  • 10.6. Alternative fuels: LNG, methanol, ammonia and biofuels, and their impact on maintenance
  • 10.7. Emissions monitoring: the EU MRV system, the IMO DCS and emissions trading
  • 10.8. Remote fleet monitoring: sensors, engine telemetry and data platforms
  • 10.9. Digital twins and predictive analytics applied to machinery and hull
  • 10.10. Cyber security of onboard systems under IMO guidelines and management of ship recycling
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 11

Final Project

  • 11.1. Defining the fleet under study, five ships: types, ages, flags, class and trade
  • 11.2. Initial technical diagnosis of each ship with breakdown history, recommendations and hull condition
  • 11.3. Equipment criticality analysis and proposed maintenance strategy by system
  • 11.4. Designing a common planned maintenance system for the fleet and implementing it in the CMMS
  • 11.5. Five-year schedule of class surveys, dry-dockings and major machinery overhauls
  • 11.6. Specification of the next dry-docking for one of the ships with scope and budget
  • 11.7. Five-year technical budget for the fleet with provisions, spares and planned investments
  • 11.8. Environmental compliance and energy efficiency plan with measures and implementation schedule
  • 11.9. Writing the technical report with monitoring indicators and risk analysis
  • 11.10. Presenting the project to an assessment panel, explaining the plan and responding to given scenarios
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Plan your pace

Duration and format of the Master's in Technical Superintendency and Fleet Maintenance Management

It is 1,500 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.

4 h30 h
With 12 h per week
29
months to finish
125 weeks
weeks in total

This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the installment plan.

Faculty

Academic leadership and faculty

The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programs.

Dra. Marina AlcoverDr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Ing. Diego CifuentesEng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Cap. Javier Abaroa (MCA)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 FerrerDr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dra. Nuria LlobregatDr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Ing. Javier BañulsEng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Ing. Sofía MarquinaEng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Ing. Tomás RieraEng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration Coordinator
Objectives

Objectives of the Master's in Technical Superintendency and Fleet Maintenance Management

01Apply the regulatory framework.
02Improve reliability.
03Implement planned maintenance.
04Manage dry-dockings.
05Control fleet costs.
06Prepare for inspections and audits.
Careers

Career opportunities after the Master's in Technical Superintendency and Fleet Maintenance Management

01Technical superintendentshipping companies and ship management firms.
02Fleet maintenance managerplanning and controlling maintenance across several ships.
03Dry-dock coordinatorpreparing and supervising shipyard projects.
04Reliability and CMMS analystmanaging the PMS and maintenance data.
05Technical purchasing and spares officersupplying spares and services to the fleet.
Frequently asked questions

Questions about the Master's in Technical Superintendency and Fleet Maintenance Management

The chief engineer runs the machinery on board one ship, while the superintendent manages the technical condition of several ships from ashore. The master's focuses on that fleet view: planning, budgets, dry-dockings and inspections. It does not qualify you to hold positions on board, which require certificates of competency issued by the maritime authority.

The program studies the principles common to the PMS and CMMS tools used in the sector: equipment hierarchy, routines, work orders and reports, so that you can adapt to whichever tool each company uses.

Yes. A full module covers MARPOL Annex VI, the EEXI and CII indices, the SEEMP, the Ballast Water Management Convention and the MRV and DCS systems, with their impact on maintenance and costs.

You draw up a five-year technical plan for a fleet of five ships: diagnosis, maintenance strategy, class and dry-dock schedule, budget and environmental plan, presented in a technical report to an assessment panel.

Yes. Module 9 covers SIRE vetting inspections, the VIQ questionnaire and the TMSA program, as well as Port State Control and ISM audits.

The master's is taught online and comprises 1500 hours of study across 11 modules of about 136 hours each, ending with a Final Project in which you apply what you have learned to a complete technical case.

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Online admission

Admission process

No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enroll in the same session.

Entry requirements
  • Profile: aimed at marine engineer officers, naval architects and maintenance technicians who want to move into technical management ashore, and professionals at shipping companies, shipyards and maritime service firms.
  • 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: enrollment is open all year round; online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
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  3. 03
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