Excellent Tools News

Transas Marine Pacific has successfully completed the upgrade of a simulator complex for Western Shipping Pte. Ltd. training center. The simulator class was upgraded to the latest version of the Transas navigational simulator NTPRO 5000 to fully support ECDIS training as per STCW 2010. In addition, a new full mission shiphandling simulator Class A was installed for advanced training capabilities. The Transas Full Mission Bridge Simulator is equipped with standard 8.4” panel touchscreen…

Transas has installed a new Z-Drive Console for the full mission ships bridge simulator in the California Maritime Academy (CMA), in mid June. The Z-Drive simulator models a “reverse” tractor tug with Z-Drive propulsion modules located at the vessel's stern. The Z-Drive tractor tug simulator was provided by Transas USA, and installed by Transas and Buffalo Computer Graphics using a control console manufactured for the Academy by Seaman’s International Union of Piney Point, Maryland. A pilot course at the Academy taught by Captain Greg Brooks, one of the leading experts on tractor tugs and tug operations in the country, was conducted with students from Millenium Maritime, Inc. of San Pedro, California.

The abandonment of the concept of controlled simulation environment, as per the National Research Council's endorsed simulation classification scheme, would constitute a significant step backwards for the quality and effectiveness of maritime training . Now is the time to re-evaluate the proper role of CBT in training, and, in the process, re-visit training competency and learning proficiency support provided by all simulationtechnologies. Realism, Why Bother? Here is a perspective regarding realism in simulation. A simulation student was complaining to his company office that the simulator he was working on that day was not very realistic. He went on to say that the ship drove too easily, the visual picture was phony, and that the some of the bridge gear was not real equipment.