Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to highlight the contradictions in the current maritime education and training system (MET), which is based on competency-based education, training and assessment, and to theorize the failure to make the training useful. Design/methodology/approach: A case study of education and training in the international maritime domain was conducted. Data sources include historical documents, rules and regulations concerning MET, syllabi, handouts, sample questions, field notes, an ethnographic study in a maritime college and interviews conducted with experienced mariners and course lecturer. Findings: There are contradictions in the education and training system that do not allow the targeted objectives to be fulfilled. Fundamentally, the assessment system has changed the objectives of the education and training practices from learning skills and knowledge required on-board ships to passing competency examinations. Practical implications: The practical implication of this research is valuable for the International Maritime Organization, marine administration and maritime training institutes to think over the competency-based system in practice today and how to improve the present maritime training and assessment system in order to achieve its authentic objectives. Originality/value: This research identified and bridged the gap in literature and research of competency-based training and assessment in the maritime domain and provides practical solutions for improving this system.