Dutch trainers first began work with the Estonian Maritime Academy in 1995, later establishing links with maritime academies in Latvia and Lithuania.
The aim has been to align the qualifications offered by these institutions with international standards. That this has been achieved is about to be recognized when the Dutch government signs bilateral agreements with the three countries.
After another three months the academies' qualifications are expected to be accepted by all members of the European Union.
It may be tempting to see this as the end of the work, but Ton van Essen on behalf of the Dutch institutions pointed out when chairing the seminar that the investments already made in the projects were all based on a carefully thought out long-term strategy.
Globally, there is now a shortage of 16,000 marine officers, a figure expected to increase to around 40,000 by 2010. Developed seafaring nations such as the Netherlands find it increasingly hard to attract young people to serve in their merchant navies.
The Netherlands believes that within a few years it will need to recruit over 50 percent of its naval officers from abroad.
Currently, the main sources of recruitment are the Philippines, China and India. But standards of training in those countries are falling, and countries like the Netherlands now see an excellent opportunity to recruit among countries that are closer to hand, both geographically and culturally.
The arrangement seems to benefit both sides. The Baltics gain improved educational training, good employment opportunities with the Dutch and other EU fleets, and the Netherlands gains a source of quality officers.
But training and education are continually evolving. Further investment in the three maritime institutions will be required.
Some interesting and potentially far-reaching ideas were proposed at the seminar.
First, the need for cooperation between the three Baltic countries was stressed. Van Essen drew a parallel with the Benelux countries of Europe.
Alone, none of the three Baltic countries could afford, nor would the numbers of graduates justify, some of the complex equipment or specialist courses involved in maritime engineering.
But by sharing resources, following common purchasing strategies and exchanging students and trainers, the three colleges can together achieve international recognition.
Second, government funding alone is insufficient for the running of the colleges. The Lithuanian Maritime College has already succeeded in attracting funds from ship owners, crewing agencies, maritime businesses and even private sponsors.
So although the amount of government funding has decreased in recent years, the college has succeeded in boosting its total income.
Finally, the seminar heard an interesting solution to one of the thorniest problems facing many developing countries. As real costs rise, the state cannot afford to pay salaries sufficient to keep or attract quality teaching staff to its schools and colleges.
Despite the long weeks at sea, there are few people who would give up a captain's salary of a few thousand dollars per month for a college lecturer's few hundred. There is a real danger that the plans will founder on the rocks of poor or insufficient staff.
In an entertaining talk that referred to the differences between sex education and sex training, van Essen put forward a proposal for commercial companies to take an interest in the situation - after all, no teachers means no graduates, means no staff, means no ships, means no business.
Ship officers could be employed for a six-months-on-ship, six-months-on-shore basis, with the six months on shore involving teaching at the maritime colleges. The colleges would be ensured trainers with up-to-date, first-hand experience, and the average salaries of the officers would still be high.
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