Maritime Simulation News

(chennaionline.com)

Kochi, May 16: A new state-of-the-art ship handling simulator, designed and manufactured indigenously, was commissioned at the navigation school here today.

The simulator which incorporates a ship’s bridge, radar displays, electronic chart display system, various shipboard navigation and propulsion systems and an interactive instructor console was formally commissioned by Vice-Admiral J S Bedi, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, here. It has been designed and manufactured M/s Applied Research International, New Delhi.

The simulator will enable trainees to practice the art of ship handling in different scenarios and environmental conditions in open sea, within harbours and in restricted sea areas.

The heart of the ship handling simulator is the computer generated visual images which changes dynamically in response to instructor generated inputs, a naval press release said today.

The computer could be programmed with the characteristics of the different types of naval ships which would ensure that the movements of ships correspond closely to those of actual naval warships, the release said.

The facility would be used to train specialist navigators, foreign student officers, junior officers undergoing basic training and ship’s teams in the art of ship handling and navigation.

It would further enhance the stature of the Indian navy and the navigational school as a provider of high quality professional training not only to Indian navy personnel but also to personnel from the Indian Coast Guard, friendly foreign navies and maritime security agencies, it said.

Link: ARI

(marinelog.com)

Besides ordering 110 vessels for its offshore services fleet, Paris-based Bourbon is in the process of doubling its workforce. It will recruit over 4,000 seamen by 2010, half of them officers.

That creates a training challenge.

Two simulators, one in France and the other in the Philippines, will be used by Bourbon to train captains, chief engineers and bridge officers in all maneuvers and exercises.

The simulators have been developed by Bourbon in collaboration with the Offshore Simulator Center in Aalesund, Norway,

Featuring a recreation of a real bridge and realistic visual supports, this simulator can reproduce an almost real situation on both visual and sensory levels.

The simulator systems allow “full mission” training, where crew members on deck and operators may engage in the simulation in addition to the navigators and other bridge crew such as winch operators.

Bourbon is using this technology and developing special training programs in anchor handling operations on tug supply vessels (AHTS).

The two simulators will facilitate standardized training programs worldwide for all Bourbon crews in a context in which the fleet is increasingly standardized thanks to a newbuilding expansion featuring long series of identical vessels.

(skycontrol.net)

For those who are interested in cutting-edge night training, Barco will demonstrate the realistic stimulated night vision capabilities of the BarcoReality SIM 5plus. Also with the SIM 5plus, Barco will exhibit a multi-channel, high-fidelity maritime application on the curved-wall Reality Center to immerse users in the simulated environment; Barco’s portable xRACU multi-system control tool will operate, calibrate, and configure the system. Finally, Barco will give live demonstrations of SimCAD, Barco’s proprietary design tool which efficiently models visual display parameters and customer requirements. Demonstrations will run throughout the week.

Link: Barco

(pia.gov.ph)

San Narciso, Zambales (12 September) — The Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) campus will soon raise the country’s first maritime research center intended for Filipino midshipmen, students, researchers, even professional in seafaring industry, Rear Admiral Fidel Dinoso announced.

This project will be in close cooperation with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), which will be tapped as one of the conduits to gather books and other reference materials for the library, and later converted into maritime rearch center.

Feliciano Salonga, SBMA Chairman, escorted shipping industrialist Bienvenido Lim who brought along with him volumes of maritime books which will be stored at the PMMA library.

At present PMMA is undertaking modernization program like setting world-class simulator building to house the Full Mission Bridge, Engine and Cargo Handling Simulators. All of these simulators passed the highest quality of international seafaring standards. (PIA Zambales)

(bymnews.com)

Thursday, 24 August 2006
Association news:

Although simulators are used for a variety of purposes, a survey of members of the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) reveals that their primary use is for training.

Simulation covers a wide range of activities, including emergency scenarios, but IMCA members’ primary use of simulators is for bridge/vessel simulation, DP and ROV purposes. One of the diving contractor questionnaire responses showed that in their case simulation was of a hyperbaric chamber for the benefit of medic training.

“The results of our interesting survey are published in ‘The Use and Requirements for Simulators in Training and Operations’ (IMCA C 009),” says Hugh Williams, Chief Executive of IMCA, which represents the interests of well over 300 marine contractors in 35 countries. “During 2003, IMCA’s Training, Certification & Personnel Competence (TCPC) Committee decided that a study on simulator usage would be beneficial and included it in its work programme for 2004. The resulting questionnaire comprised 30 questions covering both simulators themselves and related personnel issues.

“The questions covered: the use and functionality of simulator systems; realism of simulation; possible future use of simulators; the complex relationship between trained personnel, simulator training itself and actual operations; training methodologies, including class sizes; and respondents’ considerations of the future of simulator training.”

Twenty-three different members responded to the questionnaire during 2004 and 2005. A breakdown of responses by type of organisation showed that there were eight training providers, four subsea engineering contractors, including ROV operators; two diving contractors; two drilling contractors; three vessel operators, a geophysical survey contractor and a crane vessel operator. Two organisations provided two responses each to the questionnaire, from different business units operating in different geographical areas.

“We have analysed the responses received in full, and the key findings are summarised in our new publication,” explains Hugh Williams. “This includes how members currently use simulators, requirements in terms of equipment, realism and the experience of those conducting simulator training, how simulator training fits in to general requirements for training and experience and members’ views on future needs and simulator development.

“Simulator users expect that future equipment will be even more realistic through more sophisticated systems e.g. 3D, virtual reality and interactive devices. There is clearly scope for dialogue between users, training providers and simulator designers to optimise these developments which IMCA wants to take forward.

“Our TCPC committee believes simulators to be a key and growing part of many areas of our industry. IMCA is eager to promote dialogue across the industry on the topic for everyone’s benefit.”

Copies of IMCA C 009 are available for downloading from the IMCA members-only website with additional printed copies available to members priced at £5 each; and to non-members at £10.

(bymnews.com)

Transas Scandinavia AB has recently emerged as the final winner in the tender process for the public procurement of a new Full Mission Ship Bridge Simulator. Issued by the Department of Shipping and Marine Technology at Gothenburg’s Chalmers University, the procurement was based on an invitation to tender which began in autumn 2005.

The simulator is intended for use by external customers (such as training of the ship’s bridge team, pilots and tug masters), as well as for investigation, research, design and master classes. The project was won under a heavily regulated tender process, which saw Transas compete with other top flight companies in the industry.

The simulator itself is able to simulate any type of vessel, including high speed vessels and tugs. The scope of supply includes both primary and secondary bridges including a built-in decision support system, a desktop bridge station and an interface to SSPA hydrodynamic ship models database.

As a Full Mission Ship Bridge Simulator, the system also meets the requirements of the standards of training and certification for Watch keeping (STCW’95) convention.

(fishupdate.com)

ABERDEEN Harbour Board is to upgrade its ship’s bridge simulator to reflect industry trends and to meet its own and third party requirements for future training.

Since the original simulator was installed at the Board’s Blaikies Quay facility in 2002 at a cost of £150,000, it has been used extensively in the training of Board pilots and other marine staff in port operations and emergency scenarios.

It is also being used increasingly on a commercial basis for training and assessing pilots from other ports and crews of offshore oil industry safety standby vessels.

The simulator is to be relocated to the Board’s new Marine Operations Centre at North Pier when operating software and some of the hardware will be upgraded.

The Board’s Operations Director & Harbour Master, Captain Ray Shaw, said: “The simulator is a valuable tool, and we expect to undertake more in-house training in the future. The enhanced equipment will make an increased contribution to operations and safety at the port, and also to marine activities undertaken by others.”

The improved graphics will give a far more realistic appearance to the display on a curved screen, while the addition of new, reversible vessel controls will allow ship models to be operated from both ends of the wheelhouse and will reflect the equipment installed on modern oil support vessels and tugs.

An additional smaller ship’s bridge is also to be added, allowing training to include the interaction between a large vessel and a tug or a standby vessel and her daughter craft.
The upgrade is costing around £150,000, with the contract for the work awarded to Transas Marine.

(bymnews.com)

The Kongsberg Maritime European User Conference 2006 (UC 2006) took place on the island of Vlieland, Holland, June 22nd ““ 24th. Over 70 delegates from training institutes around Europe attended the conference, which is one of three held every year as a forum for discussion of maritime training and simulation.

UC 2006 was co-hosted by the Maritime Institute Willem Barents at Terschelling. The theme of the conference was Simulation and the Return On Investment, which reflects Kongsberg Maritime’s efforts to create simulation systems that maximise its customers return on investment.

The two day conference started with an introduction by Mark Treen, Sales & Marketing Manager, Kongsberg Maritime Simulation, and Captain Stephen Cross, Schools Director, Maritime Institute Willem Barents. This was followed by live demonstrations on the impressive suite of Kongsberg Maritime simulators at the Institute.

The day also featured specific customer user experiences, a discussion on the new ‘floating’ licence for desktop simulators and a presentation by former Kongsberg Maritime simulation expert, Per Branstad on the evolution of maritime training. It was rounded off with a technology briefing by senior personnel on the mathematical aspects of advanced modelling and high-end simulation.

Day two started with in-depth presentations by Kongsberg Maritime simulator users on specific simulation areas including fast ferry and ownship to ownship tugging. This was followed by a close look at the new support concept for Kongsberg Maritime simulation, the Long Term System Support Program (LTSSP), which has been designed to ensure continuous simulator availability.

The day also featured a presentation on distance learning and separate product workshops, which gave simulator users the chance to discuss at length the direction of the next generation of simulator product enhancements. This consultative process has proven extremely successful as it enables Kongsberg Maritime to ensure a minimal functionality gap between customer expectation and future products.

“The User Conference provides the platform for open dialogue, an opportunity to guide our future innovation and to share industry related issues amongst the key players,” comments Mark Treen, Sales and Marketing Manager, Kongsberg Maritime. “The success of this year’s conference is testimony to the efforts of the many hands and heads that made it possible, and of course, the quality and enthusiasm of the delegates that keep returning, time and again.”

Konsgberg Maritime will hold two more simulator Users Conferences in 2006, in Asia and the USA.