With this message from Captain Panagiotis Tsakos, the TEENS Merchant Marine Academy on Chios is preparing to welcome new students. TEENS, of the “Maria Tsakos” Foundation and the Tsakos Group, is about to enter its second academic year of operation. This coming September, in fact, it will welcome not only future captains and engineers—essential yet scarce—but also electrical-electronic Merchant Marine officers.
As it characteristically states: “The TEENS Merchant Marine Academy offers a unique opportunity for studies with prospects. If you seek a life path with stability, perspective, and international experiences, the sea is the answer.”
The decision about a professional future after high school or vocational school is crucial, TEENS emphasizes in an announcement, adding: “Many young people today choose studies that lead directly to the job market, with guaranteed stability and good salaries.
The maritime education offered by the TEENS Merchant Marine Academy (gr/) is a realistic and highly valuable option.” The TEENS Merchant Marine Academy’s curriculum is tailored to the needs of the modern shipping industry. For Merchant Marine captains and engineers, the program lasts 3 years and includes two academic years of theoretical training and 12 months of sea training aboard Tsakos Group vessels.
For electrical-electronic Merchant Marine officers, the program is two years, alternating between theory and practice every semester:
The educational process combines theory and practice, aiming for the comprehensive training of students.
TEENS Merchant Marine Academy students complete their training voyages on Tsakos Group ships, gaining experience in real operational conditions. Exposure to maritime daily life begins early and significantly contributes to their professional development. As TEENS characteristically notes, a maritime career is one of the few that offers high salaries from the very first years.
Additionally, the Academy implements an organized scholarship program to financially support students without compromising the quality of education.
On June 20, 2025, Fang Qiu, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Hellenic Republic, visited Chios and the “Maria Tsakos” Foundation – International Center for Maritime Research and Tradition. During his visit, the Chinese ambassador, accompanied by his staff, toured the historic building of the “Maria Tsakos” Foundation and was briefed on the vision and work of the Foundation by Captain Panagiotis Tsakos. Later, he visited the facilities of the TEENS Model Naval High School and the TEENS Academy and received detailed information about the pioneering educational program being implemented.
Through discussions with the administration, educators, and students, the holistic strategy in maritime education was highlighted—delivering a comprehensive program (theory and practical training) with modern techniques and tools, now covering all ship officer specialties—captains, engineers, and electrical-electronic Merchant Marine officers—ensuring graduates are distinguished by their thorough training. Within this framework, an agreement was reached to initiate collaboration with counterpart academies in China.
TEENS undertakes in various ways the funding of students’ studies. The financial obligations arising from the three-year duration (including the time of sea service) of the students of the Academy, until the acquisition of their first career diploma, amount to 10,000 euros.
A percentage of 20% of the above amount will be granted as a scholarship by the “Maria Tsakos” Foundation:
(a) To students with a high school diploma grade above 18 during their first year of attendance at the Academy and for the second year of attendance, provided that at the end of the first academic year they have achieved a grade above 80% of the average,
(b) To children of sailors or coming from maritime families,
(c) To children of large families, and
(d) To students meeting socioeconomic criteria.
Beyond these, the “Maria Tsakos” Foundation undertakes to secure funding for students of the Academy who choose to pay part or the entire amount of tuition fees after their graduation.
