National Maritime Institute, Chittagong (Former STC) was initially established in 1952 in a rented house.
Training started in 1959 at Hazi Camp Premises, Pahartali, Chittagong.
The Institute was relocated in Seamen’s Hostel Premises after Independence in 1971.
The Institute is relocated at Hazi Camp, Pahartali in 1973.

9476 trainees given pre-sea training from 1959 to December 1993.

Seamen and emigration welfare directorate was absorbed from Labour & Man power Ministry to Ministry of Shipping in 1989 to make the administration more efficient and workable.

NMI again & finally relocated at Seamen’s Hostel in 1989 to meet the international Standard in accordance with STCW-78/95/2010 Convention of IMO.

The permanent Training Building of the NMI with new infrastructure was built including modern training facilities during 1993-94 with the financial and technical assistance from the Govt. of Bangladesh and Japan.

The name of NMI has been white listed in the IMO compendium in 2000.

The Seamen’s Training Centre was renamed as “National Maritime Institute” with effect from July 07, 2004.

The Institute has completed a project namely “Development of Seamen’s Training Centre” and renovation of Seamen’s Hostel at a cost of about Tk. 5.00 Crores in 2003-06.
The NMI has so far trained 1862 Pre-Sea-Ratings and 8379 Post-Sea-Ratings/Officer since 1994 to June 2012.

The Administration of NMI is under directly Ministry of Shipping w.e.f. 29-08-2010.