World Marine University was founded by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 1983 to train senior management personnel for the national maritime authorities, shipping companies and shipping enterprises. The University sites in Malmo city in Sweden focusing on graduate education for 2 academic years. It also has professional (project) training but no undergraduate education.

World Marine University Shanghai center was founded in 2011 in Hongkou District, Shanghai. The representative office is located in the north the Bund shipping service gathering area, providing shipping research, consulting and education services to China and Asia.