Our History

CTSI started operations in 1983 with only one course, the Basic Safety Course. Two years later, Tanker and Radio Telephony Courses were added. In 1990, the Advanced Firefighting Course was introduced with Denholm Shipping, TEXACO and Stolt-Nielsen with a few others among the early users. In the same year, CTSI has started gaining prominence as one of the few quality maritime training centers in the country, with most of the oil majors as well as leading tanker companies joining the ranks of its prestigious clientele.

In 1991, through the initiative of the oil majors, among them Mobil and Esso, the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association (NSA) and a number of major players in international shipping organized a forum to identify the better training centers in the country.

The purpose was for the group to choose one training entity and forge a tie up with the chosen training firm, provide support in terms of equipment and technology, and improve the quality of its courses for the benefit of the group members in particular and the international shipping in general.

The following year 1992, through the initiative of the NSA, CTSI was chosen and a tie-up forged between the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association and CTSI. It was a four-year agreement where NSA provided a substantial grant in terms of training equipment and training technology while CTSI invested substantial capital in training infrastructure, dormitories, canteen, a modern equipment maintenance facility as well as other amenities. This single event put CTSI in the league of world- class training centers in the maritime field.

Being the first ever collaboration between a major international shipping association and a training company, the next four years would see CTSI training the crewmembers of virtually the whole Norwegian fleet. At the end of the agreement’s term in 1996, Capt. John Hough, then the Norwegian Training Center’s Director opted to extend the agreement by another two years. “Such excellent service to the international shipping should be rewarded with an extension of our training agreement” said Capt. John Hough before forging the contract extension.

The tie-up gave birth to the Extended Firefighting Course, the Basic Safety & Emergency Course (a live-in course) or the equivalent of the IMO STCW Basic Safety Course and the Advanced Safety Course. In the same year, the Norwegian Maritime Directorate (NMD) started its accreditation system for Philippine training centers. CTSI was the very first training entity in the country to be approved and accredited by the authority. Although another training entity in Manila and one in Cebu later joined the exclusive list of NMD accredited firms subsequently, NSA members continued to give the virtual exclusive privilege to train their crew members to CTSI. This was an honor no other Philippine training company would get in the history of seafarers training in the country.

In 1993, when GMDSS came into being, the Norwegian Telecom would come into the Philippine training system and accredited CTSI together with two other Philippine based firms. The Norwegian Telecom limited the exclusive number of accredited firms to three in the whole Philippines and for the next decade, CTSI would play a major role in training seafarers in GMDSS. Other courses like the Advanced Training in Oil Tanker, Advanced Training in Chemical Tanker, Advanced Training in LPG/LNG Tanker were likewise introduced by CTSI in the shipping market shortly and the same were also accredited by the NMD. The Danish Maritime Authority would later accredit CTSI’s courses that were accredited by the NMD.

In the early part of 1996, the President of then Barber International, Mr. Svein Sorlie would ask CTSI President Epifanio Joaquin to support Barber’s initial move to man offshore vessels and offshore rigs by offering HUET. Barber had been a key supporter of CTSI for many years and though the market demand for HUET at the time was very little, the warm friendship between the two presidents would play a key role in Mr. Joaquin’s decision to develop HUET, albeit in an accelerated manner. By the third quarter of the year, CTSI started to offer HUET to Barber and the rest of the oil and gas industry. CTSI was the first in the country to offer the course and break into the offshore industry. This friendly accommodation would lead CTSI to develop other various offshore courses in succession making CTSI a major international player in the oil and gas training industry.

Today, CTSI is one of the few offshore training centers in the Asia and the Pacific region to have ten OPITO accredited courses for the Oil and Gas industry.

Also, by mid-year of 1996, CTSI would start its quest for a formal quality management system then starting to gain prominence in the shipping industry. By December of 1996, CTSI would achieve another first in the industry, the first training center to be granted a twin accreditation by DET NORSKE VERITAS or DNV, the ISO 9001 and the DNV Rules for Maritime Training Institutions.

After the Norwegians and the Danes accredited CTSI, the Netherlands Shipping Inspectorate would follow, the inspectorate realizing that the number of Filipinos joining Dutch vessels was growing. A few years later, the Maritime Coastguard Agency or MCA of the Department of Transportation of the U.K. would also accredit CTSI’s Proficiency in Survival Craft & Rescue Boats, the only requirement of the agency at the time.

In 2005, CTSI management saw opportunity to expand into technical training. The company would receive a request to develop a new course, Forklift Driving and Maintenance Course again from Barber International but this time with another major shipping player, the Hoegh Fleet Services or HFS. As the FDMC was offered, a number of other users came into the picture and grew the demand for the course. The FDMC would give birth to CTSI’s technical course portfolio, and was followed by Crane Operator’s Course, a complete array of Welding Courses, Introduction to Rigging and Lifting, Scaffolding Course and a few others. Today, CTSI’s technical courses continue to grow and serve the critical needs of the maritime, oil and gas, a well as industrial firms.

CTSI was founded by its current President & CEO, Epifanio S. Joaquin. His work philosophy is deeply emphasized in the company’s vision and mission statements as well as its quality policy. He values dedication, integrity, honesty, impeccable work ethics and sincere service to others. Mr. Joaquin believes that “only a genuine desire to serve, can make one truly give his best” to an endeavor.

CTSI now offers more than thirty various courses and employs over 100 personnel. The company continues to thrive and grow amidst tight competition knowing its strength as an organization depends on how well it satisfies the increasing sophistication of the demand of its markets.