Les cadets d’Odessa – 2024
In the city of Odessa, once a hub of maritime trade, the port is now deserted. War looms over the city, its inhabitants and students of the prestigious Odessa Maritime Academy. But the school continues to train cadets in the sailing professions despite the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The academy of Odessa, funded in 1944, is one of Ukraine’s leading maritime training institutions. It is internationally recognized and works with various maritime organizations around the world, such as the International Maritime Organization. The school is ideally located, at the heart of a major Black Sea port, so cadets can immerse themselves in their future professional field.
Despite the conflict et the departure of part of the population, the remains standing and continues to train the future sailors of Ukraine. Many are looking forward to life at sea and want to help their country. But in this wartime scenario, the port is empty and the students can only work on navigation simulators. Practice has given way to theory in this unstable context and students will only be able to train in other schools, outside of the country.
The university does everything it can for its students, the teachers ensure their safety while the students proudly wear the school uniform. Some families have come to Odessa together to enable their child to follow this course at the renowned school. Other students are boarding school while their relatives are fighting in Ukrainian army. The young people are aware of the war, they have experienced ot at close quarters, and although their studies have been severely affected, their ambitions have not been hampered.