MPT Appoints Dr. Crystal Allen Craft as New Head of Academic Affairs

Florida-based maritime school Maritime Professional Training has appointed Dr. Crystal Allen Craft as Vice Principal of Academic Affairs, the academy announced on Monday.

Dr. Craft arrives with a background spanning maritime engineering, operations, and academic research. She worked as a licensed unlimited engineer with the American Maritime Officers, a class surveyor for the American Bureau of Shipping, and worked in a fleet-wide management role as propulsion manager for Royal Caribbean.

A graduate of New York Maritime College with a dual degree in engineering and humanities, Dr. Craft holds a doctoral degree in Leadership and Management, completed in 2022. 

Dr. Craft's academic work has explored performance and safety protocols in maritime environments, with previous research focusing on reducing human error in maritime operations. Her professional experience includes maritime engineering, vessel inspections, and project management in the maritime sector.

In her new role at MPT, Dr. Craft will supervise operations and oversee professional development programs. Her responsibilities include ensuring training curricula continue to align with changing industry standards and regulatory requirements.

"Dr. Craft’s appointment reflects MPT’s unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation in seafarer training and assessment. Her remarkable blend of hands-on industry experience, academic achievement, and leadership acumen will not only elevate our training curriculum but also inspire the next generation of maritime professionals. We are thrilled to have her join our team as we continue to set the standard for maritime training worldwide," says John F. Flanagan, Academic Principal.

Founded in 1983, Maritime Professional Training has a 45,000-square-foot facility near Port Everglades. It offers a comprehensive set of maritime courses, from STCW Basic Training through licensing programs for mariners, yacht crewmembers and masters. The academy prides itself on its "unbeatable" pass rates and time-efficient course structures, and has trained tens of thousands of mariners over the past four decades.