Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has announced the grand opening of a new shiphandling and bridge operation training simulator in its Sperry Marine training center in Hamburg, Germany.
The 160-square-meter training center now offers instruction in all aspects of shiphandling and bridge operation. The courses include classroom instruction with multiple computer workstations and a complete integrated bridge system (IBS) and ship simulator.
The new simulator system includes three projectors that provide a full-motion seascape on a 4.2-meter-wide, 120-degree panoramic screen. The bridge controls, which are linked to the ship simulator, provide realistic shiphandling scenarios for various types of ships under a variety of sea conditions.
The Sperry Marine multi-console IBS installation mimics a typical ship’s bridge, including electronic chart display and information system (ECDIS) with Sperry Marine’s proprietary Voyage Management System, radars, adaptive autopilot, manual steering, engine and bow thruster controls, heading and speed indicators, and other related systems.
“This is the first Sperry Marine training center in Europe providing comprehensive programs for shiphandling and bridge operation instruction,” said J. Nolasco DaCunha, director of Northrop Grumman’s Sperry Marine Systems. “Its purpose is to provide watchstanders with training on Sperry Marine products in a controlled environment with certified, expert instructors. This will increase their confidence, provide the necessary skills when they operate the real thing at sea and ultimately enhance safety.”
“The training center at the Hamburg office was chosen for the new shiphandling and bridge operation training simulator because of its importance as a hub for the European shipbuilding and maritime industries and its convenient central location which is easily reachable from anywhere in Europe.”
Sperry Marine’s curriculum meets international requirements for ECDIS training under the 1995 amendments to the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW-95) code. The syllabus follows the International Maritime Organization model course 1.27 for the operational use of ECDIS, and all courses are taught by certified instructors.