Education & Training

Education, Professionalism, Quality

FONASBA is committed to upholding the highest standards of quality, with education and professionalism at the heart of our mission. We work closely with our member associations to strengthen knowledge and expertise across the global ship broking and ship agency sectors.

This commitment is embedded in FONASBA’s Code of Conduct and FONASBA Quality Standard (FQS), which require members to employ qualified staff and actively support continuous professional development. In today’s complex maritime environment, well-trained ship agents and brokers are essential to deliver high-quality service while complying with international conventions, legal frameworks, and port regulations.

To support professional excellence, FONASBA provides access to a wide range of education and training initiatives:

  • International diplomas and certification programmes

  • Specialist courses developed with industry partners

  • Awards recognising the next generation of professionals

  • A searchable database of courses offered by member associations worldwide

These resources help the community share best practice, build professional capacity, and prepare future leaders in the sector.

Direct links to FONASBA education resources:

  • For direct access to the FONASBA Young Ship Agent or Ship Broker Award page, click here.
  • For direct access to the FONASBA Agent Diploma page, click here.
  • For direct access to the FONASBA/ACB Liner Shipping Transportation course page, click here.
  • For direct access to the FONASBA/ACB Shipping Agency  in Tramp Business course page, click here.
  • For direct access to the FONASBA ACB Ro-Ro Cargo Shipping Course page, click here.
  • For direct access to the FONASBA Certificate in the Fundamentals of Shipbroking course page, click here.
  • For direct access to the FONASBA education course database, click here.

Code of Conduct & FQS requirements:

  • Employ experienced, professionally qualified staff for all aspects of ship agency and ship broking.

  • Encourage staff to enhance their professional qualifications through recognised international syllabi and examinations.

Operating in a highly regulated sector, ship brokers and agents must be well-trained to provide quality service, comply with complex instructions, understand legal conventions, and navigate port regulations. Failure to do so can result in delays, financial penalties, or damage to vessels, cargo, or the environment.

Given the diversity of our membership, FONASBA offers education and training in multiple subjects, languages, delivery methods, and durations. We collaborate with stakeholders to provide access to quality courses—please refer to our searchable database for details.

Note: Course information is provided by the respective associations. For questions, please contact the course provider directly.