Maritime Throwdown Partners With Texas A&M

At the recent International WorkBoat Show in New Orleans, Maritime Throwdown (MTD) announced a groundbreaking partnership with Texas A&M University at Galveston and the Texas A&M Maritime Academy. This first-of-its-kind collaboration between MTD and Texas A&M’s dedicated marine and maritime campus and its state maritime academy is “a significant step forward in the evolution of collegiate maritime training,” according to an announcement from MTD.

“This partnership marks the first step in transforming maritime training into a dynamic, competitive and highly visible experience,” MTD said in a statement. “As the industry continues to evolve, Maritime Throwdown, Texas A&M University at Galveston and the Texas A&M Maritime Academy are leading the way toward a more engaged and inspired future workforce.”

Central to the partnership is Maritime Throwdown’s Incentivized Training Rig and scoring matrix, a patent-pending training platform developed over the past six years. Designed to simulate real-world maritime tasks, the rig enhances traditional training by introducing competition, measurable performance metrics and heightened visibility for developing mariners. The goal is not only to recruit new talent into the industry but also to retain skilled professionals by making training more engaging, relevant and rewarding. Much like MTD’s existing course, the Incentivized Training Rig is trailerable.

Maritime Throwdown’s competition operates across four distinct divisions: the junior division for maritime high schools, the cadet division for students enrolled in two- and four-year maritime programs, the professional division for active deckhands and working mariners, and the legacy division for those now serving in office, supervisory or captain roles.

Together, these divisions create a pathway of training, competition and professional development across all stages of a maritime career.

Col. Michael E. Fossum (U.S. Air Force, retired), chief operating officer of Texas A&M’s Galveston Campus and superintendent of the Texas A&M Maritime Academy, spoke at the partnership announcement in New Orleans, emphasizing that Maritime Throwdown represents more than a training program. He called it a movement dedicated to uniting the maritime industry, elevating training standards and shining a spotlight on the skill, athleticism and professionalism of maritime workers.

Brown said the partnership may be new, but the mission of Maritime Throwdown remains the same.

“The goal is simple—motivate the next generation of mariners, build safer, stronger and more trainable crews for our vessels, and have some fun doing it,” Brown said. “From high schools and maritime academies to operators and the companies that support our industry with products and services, this is a place where everyone can come together around a shared mission. This isn’t just an incentivized training program. As Col. Fossum has said, this is a movement—the Maritime Throwdown movement.”

Brown added that part of the competition and motivation are the prizes involved with the training program. And it’s putting a spotlight on the maritime industry.

“Texas A&M stepped up to lead the charge, and now we’re inviting the rest of the industry to get involved,” Brown said.

MTD’s long-term goal is to expand its competition and training regimens into new national and international markets and to raise awareness of the need to train mariners to drive the economy and support the maritime industry.

Featured image caption: Maritime Throwdown and Texas A&M leaders smile for a photo after announcing a partnership for training new and upcoming mariners. (Photo courtesy of Maritime Throwdown)