(June 4 2010)
Transas has been awarded a contract to supply simulation systems to be installed onboard two ships operated and owned by Intership Navigation (ISN).The ‘K Class’ capesize bulk carriers MV Lancelot and MV Percival, with a capacity of 178,000 dwt each, are currently being built at New Times Shipyard in Jing Jiang, China, and will be equipped with software for an Engine Room Simulator (ERS 4000) and the dedicated hardware for a Navi-Trainer Professional 5000 ship handling simulator.
ISN believes that having the training systems on board real ships will be beneficial in allowing for the training to be connected with work the crews are doing in their own professional environment.
MV Lancelot will be used as a platform for nautical training onboard the vessel, with a dedicated room one deck below the bridge equipped with the ship handling simulator. This ‘secondary’ bridge comprises the instructor station and one own ship bridge in a dedicated manoeuvring console.
The same hardware controls (such as telegraph, tiller, steering wheel and autopilot) and ECDIS/Radar operator workstations that are used on the real bridge are also represented in the simulator.
The simulated bridge comprises Transas’ new NTPro 5000 radar/ARPA software module, the central conning display, a NavAids station and three visualisation modules which form a visualisation system of approximately 120° width on three large LCD displays.
One unusual feature of the simulator with regard to the LCD displays, mounted in lateral guiding rails which can be raised or lowered behind the trainee console, is that, when lowered, the actual view from outside the ship’s windows in the ‘real environment’ outside is enabled.
The simulator bridge can then be used in ‘live mode’, connected to the ship’s real navigation systems and receiving real data. Changing from the simulation to the live mode is done with a hardware switch.
For communication training a GMDSS simulator with instructor station and one trainee workplace are also integrated in the simulator configuration.
The MV Percival will be used as a platform for marine engineering training, equipped with an ERS 4000 with one instructor station and six interconnected trainee workplaces. Two different vessels from the ERS 4000 ship model library are licensed for the training facility.
The classroom will also be integrated into the ship’s deck house, with standard PC hardware to be supplied by the contractor.
Capt Eugen Adami, managing director of ISN, commented on the deal, saying that his company is determined to maintain its investment in crew training going forward.
“In today’s difficult financial times many companies have to stop or reduce training activities,” he said.
“But here in ISN we have decided not to do that and continue with our programme as planned.”