Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to MarineMecTech. We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website marinemectech.org and use our services.

MarineMecTech is a professional maritime engineering training centre located at Studio 53 Christopher Plaza West Alex, PO11 0JY, United Kingdom. Registration Number: 05117977.

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at info@marinemectech.org.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information You Provide

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you:

• Register for our training courses
• Submit enrollment forms
• Contact us via email, phone, or contact forms
• Subscribe to our newsletter or communications
• Participate in surveys or promotions

The personal information we collect may include:

• Full name
• Email address
• Telephone number
• Postal address
• Payment information (processed securely through third-party payment processors)
• Educational and professional background
• Course preferences and enrollment history

2.2 Information Automatically Collected

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain information about your device and browsing behavior, including:

• IP address
• Browser type and version
• Operating system
• Pages visited and time spent on pages
• Referring website addresses
• Date and time of visits

This information is collected through cookies and similar tracking technologies. Please see our Cookie Policy section below for more details.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Course Administration: To process enrollments, manage course registrations, and provide training services
• Communication: To respond to inquiries, send course information, provide customer support, and send administrative notifications
• Payment Processing: To process payments and maintain financial records
• Service Improvement: To analyze usage patterns, improve our website functionality, and enhance user experience
• Marketing: To send promotional materials, course updates, and newsletters (only with your consent)
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes
• Security: To protect against unauthorized or unlawful activity

4. Legal Basis for Processing (UK GDPR)

Under UK data protection law, we process your personal information based on the following legal grounds:

• Contract Performance: Processing necessary to fulfill our contractual obligations when you enroll in courses
• Legitimate Interests: Processing necessary for our legitimate business interests, such as improving services and ensuring security
• Legal Obligation: Processing required to comply with legal and regulatory requirements
• Consent: Where you have provided explicit consent for marketing communications or certain data uses

5. How We Share Your Information

We may share your information with the following parties:

5.1 Service Providers

We engage trusted third-party service providers to perform functions on our behalf, including:

• Payment processors (for secure transaction processing)
• Email service providers (for communication delivery)
• Web hosting services
• Analytics providers (Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel)
• Customer relationship management systems

These service providers have access to your personal information only to perform specific tasks and are obligated to protect your data.

5.2 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law or in response to valid legal processes, such as court orders or subpoenas.

5.3 Business Transfers

If MarineMecTech is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change.

6. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries outside the United Kingdom. When we transfer data internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including:

• Standard contractual clauses approved by the UK Information Commissioner's Office
• Adequacy decisions recognizing equivalent data protection standards
• Other legally recognized transfer mechanisms

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Retention periods vary based on:

• The nature of the information collected
• Legal and regulatory requirements
• Our legitimate business needs

Course enrollment records are typically retained for 7 years for educational and compliance purposes. Marketing consent records are maintained until you withdraw consent.

8. Your Data Protection Rights

Under UK data protection law, you have the following rights:

• Right of Access: Request copies of your personal information
• Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal information in certain circumstances
• Right to Restrict Processing: Request limitation of how we use your information
• Right to Data Portability: Request transfer of your information to another service provider
• Right to Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@marinemectech.org. We will respond to your request within one month.

9. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience and analyze site traffic.

9.1 Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: Necessary for website functionality and security
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our website (Google Analytics)
• Marketing Cookies: Used to track visitors across websites for advertising purposes (Facebook Pixel)
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and preferences

9.2 Managing Cookies

You can control cookie settings through our cookie consent banner or your browser settings. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.

10. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, including social media platforms. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

11. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption of data in transit (SSL/TLS)
• Secure server infrastructure
• Access controls and authentication
• Regular security assessments
• Employee training on data protection

However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, absolute security cannot be assured.

12. Children's Privacy

Our services are intended for adults aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under 18. If we become aware that we have collected information from a child under 18, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.

13. Marketing Communications

With your consent, we may send you marketing communications about our courses, services, and promotional offers. You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by:

• Clicking the "unsubscribe" link in any marketing email
• Contacting us at info@marinemectech.org
• Updating your communication preferences in your account settings

Please note that opting out of marketing communications will not affect administrative or transactional messages related to your course enrollments.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of any material changes by:

• Posting the updated policy on our website with a new "Last Updated" date
• Sending an email notification to registered users
• Displaying a prominent notice on our website

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

15. Contact Information

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

16. Complaints

If you believe we have not handled your personal information properly, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority: