The Australian Maritime College (AMC) in Tasmania is aiding the country's budding seafarers with extensive preparatory training.

In a report from Malaysian daily paper the Star, captain John Lloyd, director of the AMC's National Centre for Ports and Shipping, said that the new A$7 million training facility has been designed to replicate actual seafaring conditions in the country's territorial waters.

"Australia is very much a maritime nation and we believe in providing the best training before students actually set sail," he said.

The paper explains that, as the second driest continent after Antarctica, Australia is heavily focused on maritime and oceanographic research and training, with the offshore oil and gas industry relying on tidal data and weather systems analysis for continual operations.

The AMC also offers ocean engineering and marine and offshore systems training, preparing students for a career in the country's oil and gas industry. The centre also has vocational links to major energy employers in the US, UK and Asia.

Oil and Gas Directory: Training and Development