Professional diploma800 h · Online · 8 modules

Professional Diploma in Marine Waste and Pollution Management

This professional diploma gives you the knowledge and tools to tackle the main threats to the marine environment, from plastics and ghost nets to oil spills, ballast water and chemical discharges. You will learn the international and European legal framework, how pollutants behave and affect ecosystems and health, how ports and ships manage their waste, how pollution is monitored and controlled, and how damaged habitats are restored, so you can design a complete waste management and pollution prevention plan.

Duration800 h
ModeOnline
Start1 December
Modules8
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About the program

What is the Professional Diploma in Marine Waste and Pollution Management?

This professional diploma prepares you to prevent, control and remedy pollution of the sea and coasts. You will study land-based and marine sources of pollution and their ecological, health and economic effects, MARPOL, the London Convention, the Ballast Water Management and Anti-Fouling Systems conventions and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, marine litter, microplastics and ghost nets, accidental and operational oil spills and the techniques used to contain and recover them, ballast water, sewage, noxious liquid substances and nutrients, waste management in ports and on ships, monitoring with sampling, remote sensing and bioindicators, and bioremediation and habitat recovery after a spill.

What sets this professional diploma apart: a complete view that covers plastics, hydrocarbons, chemicals, ballast water and nutrients in a single program; an up-to-date legal framework built on MARPOL and the main IMO conventions; operational content on contingency plans, containment, recovery and dispersants; a practical approach to port reception facilities, segregation, traceability and waste record books; monitoring and control tools such as remote sensing of spills and bioindicators; and a final project in which you design a waste management and pollution prevention plan.

Program typeProfessional diploma
ModeOnline
Duration800 hours
Modules8
Start1 December

Program highlights

  • Complete view: plastics, hydrocarbons, chemicals, ballast water and nutrients.
  • Legal framework: MARPOL, the London Convention, BWM, AFS and the marine strategy.
  • Oil spill response: contingency plans, containment, recovery and damage assessment.
  • Port and ship waste: reception facilities, segregation, traceability and fees.
  • Monitoring and control: sampling, remote sensing of spills, alerts and bioindicators.
  • Final project: a waste management and pollution prevention plan.
Syllabus

Syllabus of the Professional Diploma in Marine Waste and Pollution Management

8 modules. Select a module to see its content.

Module 1

Marine pollution

  • 1.1. Land-based and marine sources
  • 1.2. Types of pollutants
  • 1.3. Effects on ecosystems
  • 1.4. Pollution and human health
  • 1.5. The global situation
  • 1.6. Global marine pollution indicators
  • 1.7. Particularly sensitive areas
  • 1.8. Economic impact of pollution
At this stage
100 hestimated workload
8 wkweeks at your pace
Module 2

Regulatory framework

  • 2.1. MARPOL
  • 2.2. The London Convention on dumping
  • 2.3. The Marine Strategy Framework Directive
  • 2.4. Waste regulations
  • 2.5. Environmental liability
  • 2.6. The BWM Convention on ballast water
  • 2.7. The Convention on anti-fouling systems
  • 2.8. Penalty regime
At this stage
100 hestimated workload
8 wkweeks at your pace
Module 3

Marine litter and plastics

  • 3.1. Origin of marine litter
  • 3.2. Microplastics
  • 3.3. Ghost nets
  • 3.4. Cleaning of coasts and seabeds
  • 3.5. Prevention at source
  • 3.6. Mapping of litter accumulation
  • 3.7. Plastic capture technologies
  • 3.8. Awareness campaigns
At this stage
100 hestimated workload
8 wkweeks at your pace
Module 4

Oil pollution

  • 4.1. Accidental and operational spills
  • 4.2. Behavior of crude oil at sea
  • 4.3. Contingency plans
  • 4.4. Containment and recovery techniques
  • 4.5. Major historical spills
  • 4.6. Response teams and equipment
  • 4.7. Dispersants and their use
  • 4.8. Damage assessment after a spill
At this stage
100 hestimated workload
8 wkweeks at your pace
Module 5

Wastewater and chemical substances

  • 5.1. Ballast water and invasive species
  • 5.2. Sewage from ships
  • 5.3. Noxious liquid substances
  • 5.4. Anti-fouling systems
  • 5.5. Nutrient pollution
  • 5.6. Ballast water treatment on board
  • 5.7. Industrial and urban discharges
  • 5.8. Monitoring of eutrophication
At this stage
100 hestimated workload
8 wkweeks at your pace
Module 6

Waste management in ports and on ships

  • 6.1. Port reception facilities
  • 6.2. Waste management plans
  • 6.3. Segregation and traceability
  • 6.4. Authorized waste managers
  • 6.5. Circular economy
  • 6.6. Waste record books
  • 6.7. Waste reception fees
  • 6.8. Waste management audits
At this stage
100 hestimated workload
8 wkweeks at your pace
Module 7

Monitoring and control

  • 7.1. Marine environmental quality indicators
  • 7.2. Sampling and analysis
  • 7.3. Remote sensing of spills
  • 7.4. Alert systems
  • 7.5. Inspection and penalties
  • 7.6. Water quality monitoring networks
  • 7.7. Bioindicators
  • 7.8. Follow-up reports
At this stage
100 hestimated workload
8 wkweeks at your pace
Module 8

Restoration and project

  • 8.1. Bioremediation
  • 8.2. Habitat recovery
  • 8.3. Public participation
  • 8.4. Environmental education
  • 8.5. Restoration plans after spills
  • 8.6. Long-term monitoring
  • 8.7. Final review of the management plan
  • 8.8. Final project: waste management and pollution prevention plan
At this stage
100 hestimated workload
8 wkweeks at your pace
Plan your pace

Duration and format of the Professional Diploma in Marine Waste and Pollution Management

It is 800 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
15
months to finish
67 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 Professional Diploma in Marine Waste and Pollution Management

01Implement strategies to minimize and recover marine waste.
02Assess and mitigate the environmental impacts of marine pollution.
03Develop integrated waste management plans for coastal areas.
04Design awareness and environmental education programs.
05Apply the regulations on waste and marine pollution.
06Lead innovation projects in marine clean-up and remediation.
Careers

Career opportunities after the Professional Diploma in Marine Waste and Pollution Management

01Waste management technicianmanagement plans and waste control in ports and coastal areas.
02Environmental consultantpollution mitigation strategies and environmental audits.
03Environmental inspectormonitoring of compliance with waste and pollution regulations.
04Environmental project managerremediation of polluted sites and ecosystem restoration.
05Environmental educatorawareness programs on marine litter and pollution.
06Sustainability manager in the maritime sectorsustainable practices at shipping companies and ports.
Frequently asked questions

Questions about the Professional Diploma in Marine Waste and Pollution Management

The management of waste and the prevention, control and remediation of marine pollution from land-based and maritime sources.

Professionals in environmental sciences, environmental engineering, marine biology, natural resource management and public administration, as well as environmental consultants and port and shipping staff.

Yes. You study how oil behaves at sea, contingency plans, containment and recovery techniques, the use of dispersants and damage assessment.

No. Navalis teaches the subject; authorization as a waste manager is granted by the competent authority in each country.

You design a waste management and pollution prevention plan for a port, a fleet or a stretch of coast.

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.

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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 maritime and port professionals who need effective waste management and pollution prevention strategies, environmental managers at shipping companies and port terminals, environmental consultants and technicians, officials of public administrations and maritime authorities, and graduates in environmental sciences, engineering and related fields. A degree in environmental sciences, environmental engineering, marine biology, chemistry or a related field, or experience in waste management, wastewater treatment or protection of the marine environment, is recommended; prior familiarity with MARPOL is helpful.
  • 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.
  1. 01
    Application
    Your details, background and documents.
  2. 02
    Instant review
    We check that everything is complete and in order.
  3. 03
    Enrollment
    Choose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Start my applicationFrom $476 deposit

Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.

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