Welcome to CEMAS

Ocean is the cradle of life on earth. Humans depend heavily on the oceans for survival. Our involvement with oceans is on a wide spectrum of activities, ranging from traditional fishing to high-tech off-shore industries. Marine environment is rich in resources, including food, minerals, renewable and nonrenewable energy etc. Ships will ever remain as one of the cheapest and most efficient modes of transport of goods. Considering the importance of ever-growing role of our maritime environment in our economic well-being, Government of India has come up with a policy document on ‘Blue Economy’, which envisage sustainable exploitation of marine resources and maritime sectors for boosting our economic growth. At the same time, securing our coastlines, ensuring the safety of those who venture into oceans for their livelihood as well as protecting our precious marine ecosystem are of paramount importance for us. While Oceans play important role in regulating the weather and climate and make earth habitable, several natural hazards, such as tropical cyclones and associated storm surges, tsunami etc. has their birthplace in the oceans. Hence, understanding our marine environment, marine resources and oceanographic processes, protecting marine ecosystem, predicting changes in oceanic features in short and long timescales as well as exploiting the marine resources in a sustainable way are extremely important for the well-being and survival of human kind on earth.

In order to build the human capital required to support the emerging ‘Blue Economy’, University of Mumbai established the ‘Centre for Excellence in Maritime Studies (CEMAS)’ in its Kalina Campus. It is envisaged that CEMAS will evolve as a premier interdisciplinary academic place for marine and maritime studies engaged in research and development. Accordingly, CEMAS has introduced Master’s degree programs (M. A., M. Sc. and M. Com.) in maritime studies. The Sindhu Swadhyay Sanstha program, which is part of CEMAS is offering a M. Sc. In Zoology with specialization in Oceanography. CEMAS is currently in the process of starting Ph. D. program in Marine Studies.