A company that has supported Massachusetts Maritime’s training of students to work on or around the world’s waterways now is supporting the academy’s athletics program by obtaining naming rights for its stadium and gymnastics complex.

Clean Harbors Environmental Services Inc., described as North America’s leading provider of environmental and hazardous waste management services, pledged $1.5 million to the academy for use in renovating stadium seating, additional construction, renovation and expansion of existing men’s and women’s locker-room and training facilities, and construction of a new athletics media center.

The existing Commander Edward A. Ellis Field and all athletics and recreation facilities currently housed in Alumni Gymnasium will be part of the Clean Harbors Athletic Center.

“Clean Harbors has been a consistent supporter of the academy’s training mission and has maintained a long-term educational and career-development relationship with the academy by providing in-service training and equipment to the academy’s students and graduates for the past 20 years,” said Alan S. McKim, chairman and chief executive officer of the company.

“Many of those students later joined the company after graduating and became Clean Harbors employees, rising to senior positions in the company.”

The stadium in the newly named complex is home to the academy’s football, men’s and women’s soccer and men’s and women’s lacrosse teams, while the gymnasium is home to the volleyball team. The first phase of construction will begin this November, with completion set for late summer 2010.

“To partner with a worldwide leader in the environmental services industry and a company that truly understands the mission of the academy and the leadership that our graduates provide makes this even more special,” said Admiral Richard G. Gurnon, Massachusetts Maritime president.