The initiative to form an Asia Pacific regional association grew out of a series of informal gatherings, initiated by the meeting of Heads of Maritime Education and Training Institutions in Asia Pacific, convened and hosted by the Australian Maritime College in 1989. Four meetings followed, at Dalian Maritime University in China, Fiji Institute of Technology in Suva, Far Eastern State Maritime Academy in Vladivostok and at the New Zealand Maritime School in Auckland. The Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization expressed strong support and senior IMO officials attended the meetings.

At the Auckland meeting in December 1995, it was unanimously resolved to establish an Asia Pacific regional association. Consequently, representatives of some 18 maritime education and training institutions in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, the Philippines, Russia and Singapore met in The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in September 1996 and inaugurated Association of Maritime Education and Training in Asia Pacific..

In addition to the support from IMO, support for the initiative also came from the Hong Kong Shipowners' Association and the Hong Kong maritime unions.

In December 2002, GlobalMET was incorporated in Australia as AMETIAP (Global) Ltd.

"The name Global Maritime Education and Training Association", with the working name "GlobalMET" and a new logo, were adopted in 2006, to reflect the growing global role with more members based outside the Asia Pacific region."

In February 2007, the registered name in Australia was changed to 'GlobalMET Limited'.

"In June 2008,at its 100th Session,the IMO Council approved GLOBALMET'S application for NGO Consultancy Status,subject to the endrosement by the IMO assembly at its meeting in November 2009".