A member of the Royal Family could be opening the Maritime Skills Academy survival pool in Whitfield next year.

The academy in Beechwood Business Park, Menzies Road, is six months into construction of its first phase, which includes a 12 metre long pool.

It will be three metres deep and can create various weather effects so trainees can experience realistic scenarios in the water.

It is part of Viking Recruitment Ltd’s plans to provide state of the art training and refresher courses to maritime workers in Dover and further afield.

The pool area, with classrooms and a plant room, should be finished by April next year, when it will have a grand opening.

Head of finance at Viking Recruitment Stuart Jaenicke said: “We are working on a member of the Royal Family to attend the opening ceremony in March or April next year.

“Dover is the gateway to Europe yet it is seen as a transit town.

But it is our intention, in conjunction with the major developments within the Dover Town Investment Zone, to make Dover a destination.”

Mr Jaenicke anticipates the £6.5m development, when fully completed in 2018, will bring spending power to the town.

He said: “We will be training qualified officers and ratings from all over the world and the candidates will need accommodation as well as leisure activities throughout their stay in Dover.

“We anticipate achieving around 20,000 bed nights per year.

“We are building a world-leading centre of excellence where we hope Dover will receive global recognition from within the maritime industry for their officers and crew to be trained.”

The company already has a fire training centre next door, where DFDS Seaways, the NHS and EDF Energy have signed up.

The second phase will start in 2017, adding a bar, conference room and a catering area.

Chairman and founder of Viking Recruitment Dieter Jaenicke previously told the Mercury: “Dover has a rich seafaring heritage with many people employed in the maritime industries.

“Up until now, they have had to travel further afield and even abroad for such training.

“The new centre will also provide an important showcase for maritime careers to young people.”