ABS & Royal Caribbean industry leader joins Maritime Professional Training

Maritime Professional Training (MPT) announces the addition of Dr. Crystal Allen Craft as Vice Principal of Academic Affairs. An experienced leader, Dr. Craft brings extensive maritime, engineering, and leadership history to this role, contributing to MPT’s position as the U.S.’s largest private maritime training school.

Dr. Craft began her professional career at New York Maritime College (SUNY), earning a dual degree in engineering and humanities in 2001.

Her early years at sea saw her managing complex engineering operations as a licensed unlimited engineer with the American Maritime Officers (AMO). She handled maintenance and repair of propulsion engines, steam systems, and an array of vital machinery while mentoring junior engineers and ensuring the safety of her crew.

After a decade at sea, she transitioned into a class surveyor with the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). Here, Dr. Craft conducted thousands of vessel inspections, ensuring structural integrity and compliance with global maritime safety regulations. From overseeing the construction of Fast Response Cutters with the U.S. Coast Guard to ensuring operational efficiency in shipyards across the United States and the Caribbean, she continuously proved herself as a leader who could solve any challenge she came across.

Pivoting toward the cruise industry, she joined Royal Caribbean, where her roles as Project Manager for the New Build and Revitalization department and later as Propulsion Manager for the entire fleet shows her capacity to excel in high-stakes environments.

Throughout her career, Dr. Craft always devoted attention to the human side of the maritime field. While pursuing her master’s degree in education, she contributed to flag state inspections, became a sought-after guest speaker, and trained the next generation of seafarers. Her passion for teaching led her to earn her doctoral degree in Leadership and Management in an Organizational Setting in 2022.

Her new role as Vice Principal of Academic Affairs at Maritime Professional Training (MPT) seamlessly integrates her expertise in engineering, education, and leadership. She’ll supervise the daily operations of the institution’s instructors but also guides and supports ongoing professional development, ensuring training programs evolve to meet the industry’s ever-changing demands both culturally and regulatory.

“Dr. Craft’s appointment reflects MPT’s unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation in seafarer training and assessment,” says John F. Flanagan, Academic Principal. “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.”