SMIT Amandla Marine

About SMIT Amandla Marine and AMSOL

SMIT Amandla Marine was once a leading provider of specialist marine services in Southern Africa. In 2016, African Marine Solutions (AMSOL) took over its business. AMSOL now runs those operations from a head office in Cape Town, and it administers the bursary linked to this listing. Applicants should therefore think of AMSOL as the funder.

AMSOL provides towage, salvage, bunkering and offshore support. Its clients include ports, energy companies, mining firms and government departments. Around 2018, it reported a fleet of 17 vessels and about 550 South African employees. Management and employees held 32% of the company at that time, and Black South Africans held 60%.

How AMSOL supports students

These services need qualified sea-going officers, and there is a lasting shortage of them worldwide. AMSOL funds students in Marine Engineering, Nautical Science and the Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch course. The company also has an interest in developing Black and women maritime professionals, who remain under-represented at sea.

The bursary guarantees tuition fees. Depending on available funds and your circumstances, it may also help with textbooks and residence accommodation. Students pay their own registration costs. Applicants must be South African citizens with matric results of at least 60% in English, Mathematics and Physical Science. They must also be accepted at an accredited university or a SAMSA-approved training facility.

Training sits at the centre of AMSOL's approach. Its programmes include a SAMSA-accredited cadet scheme, a seafarer rating programme and a diver training programme. It also offers internships and learnerships. AMSOL reported investing R2.6 million in cadetships, internships and trainee programmes in 2025.

The shipping industry is global, and sea time is the key to promotion. Officers must log sea service and pass SAMSA examinations before they can move up. For that reason, a cadetship matters as much as the degree itself. Students who win AMSOL support often gain a head start on both.

What to know before applying

You apply by email with your academic transcripts, matric certificate, CV and a motivational letter. No application form is needed. The most recent call closed on 30 September 2026 for study in 2027. Applicants are told within about two months of the closing date, and silence after that means the application was unsuccessful.

Applicants may not hold another bursary at the same time. After graduating, recipients may be asked to work for AMSOL, but this is at the company's discretion. Public sources do not set out a fixed work-back period. Ask AMSOL for the exact terms before you accept an award.