The maritime industry, long steeped in tradition, is undergoing a profound technological metamorphosis that is reshaping how future sailors and maritime leaders are trained.
According to veteran Venezuelan-Colombian maritime educator and entrepreneur Miguel Ángel Gaviria Mora, the integration of advanced technology, digital platforms, and artificial intelligence is not merely an upgrade to old methods—it is a fundamental structural shift that is creating safer, more efficient, and industry-aligned professionals.
“Technology has structurally transformed maritime education by enabling more efficient, safer, and industry-aligned teaching processes,” Gaviria Mora explains. “The use of navigation simulators, digital learning platforms, academic management systems, and multimedia tools has significantly raised students’ levels of preparedness.”
This transformation allows learners to understand complex operational scenarios before ever facing real-world conditions at sea, dramatically reducing risk and improving critical decision-making skills. Modern maritime education, he notes, no longer depends solely on traditional classroom instruction but on the intelligent integration of technology applied to knowledge.
The Rise of AI in Maritime Training
As the shipping industry explores the potential of autonomous vessels and Artificial Intelligence-driven logistics, educational institutions are similarly embracing artificial intelligence. Gaviria Mora identifies AI as a rising force in three key areas: advanced simulation, academic performance analysis, and personalized learning.
“AI enables the evaluation of behavioral patterns, the identification of areas for improvement, and the adaptation of educational content to each student’s individual capabilities,” he says.
However, he cautions that AI must remain a supportive tool. “It should never replace human judgment, professional experience, or the ethical values that define maritime leadership,” Gaviria Mora emphasizes. “The sea demands a human element that can exercise sound judgment under pressure, something technology can support but not substitute.”
A Career Built on “Discipline and Honor”
Gaviria Mora speaks with the authority of over three decades of experience spanning nautical education, institutional management, maritime operations, and business development. His career began in the Merchant Marine, serving as Third, Second, and First Officer aboard international vessels for companies such as Vencemos/TISA, King Ocean, and Sunrise Shipping Agency. This seagoing experience laid the foundation for his lifelong commitment to training the next generation.
In 1996, he founded the Unidad Educativa Náutica Almirante Vasco da Gama (IENAVAG), pioneering Venezuela’s first structured nautical educational institution offering formal primary, secondary, and high school education with a maritime focus. As Founder, Owner, and Director General, he led the establishment of multiple campuses nationwide, graduating more than 3,500 high school students across 53 academic promotions and providing orientation to over 12,000 students.
When asked about his greatest professional accomplishment, Gaviria Mora points to this legacy of mentorship.
“My greatest professional accomplishment has been the creation and consolidation of a nautical education model that has positively impacted thousands of young people under the principle of ‘Comprehensive Education with Discipline and Honor,’” he says. “Demonstrating that early vocational guidance, combined with discipline, ethical values, and solid academic training, can transform lives and produce responsible professionals has been the most meaningful result of my career.”
U.S. Maritime Connect: A World to Discover
Now based in Tennessee since 2019, Gaviria Mora is turning his attention to the United States. “The United States faces the challenge of strengthening maritime education from early stages.
I seek to bridge this gap by incorporating vocational guidance He identifies the crucial need to strengthen maritime education, guiding, informing, and showcasing the opportunities in the maritime sector from the early stages of education, particularly in light of the impending shortage of students, professionals, and individuals interested in entering the North American maritime world.programs, ethical leadership, and technology-based training aligned with real industry needs,” he states. “It is essential to build bridges between the educational system, the maritime industry, and professional opportunities.”
He argues that future naval and maritime leadership must combine technical knowledge, discipline, ethics, and a global strategic vision to ensure sustainability and competitiveness in an increasingly complex global market.
IENAVAG CORP / USA MARITIME CONNECT: A New Chapter
To address these challenges, Gaviria Mora is launching a new venture, IENAVAG CORP / USA MARITIME CONNECT, scheduled to launch progressively in 2026. The initiative aims to connect U.S. high school students with the maritime, technical, and logistics sectors through vocational guidance, structured mentorship, and a dedicated digital platform.
“The initiative seeks to provide clear information about career pathways, academic requirements, and real professional opportunities,” Gaviria Mora explains. “It helps young people make informed decisions before entering higher education or the labor market.”
The platform will serve students and interested individuals between the ages of 13 and 36,who are seeking to explore, evaluate, or pursue future career and educational pathways within the U.S. maritime sector, offering resources aligned with U.S. educational, technological, and labor standards. While the initial phase expects to impact hundreds of students, Gaviria Mora stresses that the focus is on quality over quantity.
“The primary focus is not solely numerical reach, but the quality of information, responsible guidance, professional accompaniment, and ethical formation that enables each student to develop their professional potential in a sustainable manner.”
Fostering Ethical Leadership
Central to Gaviria Mora’s philosophy is the cultivation of ethical standards, discipline, and professional excellence. In an industry where a single decision can have life-or-death consequences, he believes these traits are non-negotiable.
“Ethical standards, discipline, and professional excellence are fostered through a coherent educational culture based on clear rules, responsible leadership, and institutional example,” he says. “In nautical education, discipline is not viewed as imposition, but as character formation.”
He defines ethical leadership as “the ability to lead with integrity, consistency, and social responsibility,” emphasizing that a leader’s example has long-term consequences.
As the maritime industry continues to evolve with cutting-edge technology, experts like Miguel Ángel Gaviria Mora are ensuring that the human element—the values, discipline, and ethical judgment required to command at sea—remains at the heart of maritime education. Through his work with USA MARITIME CONNECT, he hopes to chart a new course for the next generation of American maritime professionals.
