Transas Usa News

Furuno USA has hired a new commercial business development manager. Based in Houston, Texas, Mr. George Toma will play a key role in establishing and developing business relationships with commercial ship owners, operators, and builders around the country to promote the Furuno product line.Toma comes to Furuno with forty years of experience in the maritime industry. He has served on the Board of Directors for RTCM (Radio Technical Commission for Maritimes), and received the Outstanding Professional Achievement Award in 2013 from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Alumni Association.

The impact of technology on one of the world’s other oldest professions has been nothing short of revolutionary, in some cases forcing the marine industry to finally lay aside centuries of thinking and time-honored, if not always accurate, tools. The digital age has not only transformed almost every aspect of seafaring vessels and the processes undertaken on board, but it has sharpened and strengthened the calculations and equations used to measure, shape, process, speed, track and image the steps involved in creating parts, solving problems and rendering reality-based training.

Crowley Maritime Corporation recently presented U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) Midshipman Kevin Berto with the Maritime Security Enhancement Award during the Academy’s award convocation. Berto received the award, which was established by Crowley in 2003, in recognition of his strong interest in a port, maritime or transportation security career and high grade point average both in class and at sea as a cadet. Berto is a logistics and intermodal transportation major from Lake Forrest, Ill.

Mass. Maritime responds to industry demand, reloads with cutting edge Transas equipment, and moves to the head of the brown water training queue. It was a dark and stormy night with choppy seas. I didn’t hit anything, but I did run aground twice while at the helm of the tug boat simulator at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA) in Buzzards Bay. But then that’s the point – to let students safely make mistakes and get the closest thing to the real-life experience they need – and would have a limited shot at otherwise on the equipment they’ll be handling where the jobs are today…

Transas USA announce the installation of the Vessel Traffic Management System in Bahia Blanca Port. Under this contract, Transas replaced the previous Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) system with the Transas Navi-Harbor system, which the manufacturer said is specifically designed to ensure maritime navigation safety and efficiency, while at the same time protecting the environment from the possible adverse effects of marine traffic. The new Transas VTS installed makes use of the latest sensors like Radar…

From July 15 to July 19, more than 250 maritime professionals from 41 countries gathered in Maryland, USA to discuss the Future trends and New Challenges in Maritime Simulation during the Transas Simulation User Conference. For the first time ever, the event ran across two venues, giving attendees an opportunity to experience two of the most unique and trend setting Training Centers in the World. During the first day at the Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies (MITAGS)…

In the middle of the summer more than 200 maritime professionals from marine simulation training centers from around the world will migrate to the U.S. east coast for four days of hands-on demonstration, topical conferences and a full slate of social events courtesy of Transas’ third user’s conference, Transas SIM UC 2013 – “Future Trends and New Challenges in Maritime Simulation” – to be held July 15-19, 2013 in Maryland. While the user conference is split between two locations…

2012 presented a number of interesting challenges for the Transas ship modeling and hydrodynamics department, not least of which was the high fidelity modeling of more than ten vessels successfully completed for various high-profile members of the global Cruise Industry. The year began with the development of several in-service vessels for the Resolve Maritime Academy, in support of their training programs for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCCL). This included the Celebrity Solstice, Freedom of the Seas, Vision of the Seas and TUI Mein Schiff 1.

Transas reflects upon 2012 as being a successful year of high-fidelity cruise ship modelling for various clients. The year began with the development of several in-service vessels for the Resolve Maritime Academy, in support of their training programs for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCCL). This included the Celebrity Solstice, Freedom of the Seas, Vision of the Seas and TUI Mein Schiff 1. Each was painstakingly developed and validated to ensure the highest level of realism when compared against the equivalent operational vessel.

Transas Marine receives approval for Saint Lawrence Seaway Draft Information System. The St. Lawrence Seaway is one of the most important transportation links in North America. To maximize the efficient use of the seaway, in 2001, the Seaway authorities started to a study which would determine the maximum load ships can carry while maintaining a safe Under-Keel Clearance (UKC). Over the years the maximum draft of vessels transiting the Seaway in the MLO Montreal to Lake Ontario and the Welland Canal has been gradually increased.

The St. Lawrence Seaway is one of the most important transportation links in North America. To maximize the efficient use of the seaway, in 2001, the Seaway authorities started to a study which would determine the maximum load ships can carry while maintaining a safe Under-Keel Clearance (UKC). Over the years the maximum draft of vessels transiting the Seaway in the MLO Montreal to Lake Ontario and the Welland Canal has been gradually increased. At the opening of the Seaway in 1959, the maximum draft for ships was set at 6.85 meters (22 feet 6 inches ).

Massachusetts Maritime Academy unveils new simulation facilities in newly opened American Bureau of Shipping Information Commons Building. Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA) recently hosted the grand opening ceremony for the start-of-the-art, American Bureau of Shipping Information Commons Building, which houses the Academy’s new cutting-edge Full Mission Ship Simulator, supplied by Transas USA Inc. The 42,000 square foot academic building combines maritime tradition with the latest technology in maritime training…

Maritime Professional Training (MPT) has upgraded its simulator, and the maritime training and education provider is claiming that it will be world’s most visually realistic maritime simulator training experience. The system – which provides a true-to-life preview of a career at sea – is a result of MPT's plans to upgrade the visual projection systems of the Main Bridge located at their S.M.A.R.T. (Simulation For Maritime Assessment, Research and Training) Campus in Fort Lauderdale.

The Naval Academy of the Uruguay Navy has successfully completed the acquisition and installation of a simulator complex by Transas including navigation and maneuvering simulator NTPRO 5000, GMDSS Communications simulator TGS 5000 and Engine Room simulator ERS 5000 SOLO. The project acquired through international bidding, with the participation of five world leading manufacturers culminated in the award of the contract to Transas USA and its local representative Arnaldo C. Castro SA. The new simulators replace the previous Transas simulators installed in 2000.

Transas USA Inc., has been awarded the contract to supply a full mission offshore vessel simulator to the Louisiana Technical College, for installation at the Young Memorial Campus. The simulator is the first of its kind in the region that is specifically designed for the Offshore Industry. To this end, the simulator bridge includes a flexible console and controls configuration to accurately recreate the bridge of a variety of offshore vessel types commonly operated in the Gulf. This includes both forward and aft bridge control positions, each with visualization, dynamic positioning systems (DPS2) and typical offshore/platform supply vessel engine and steering controls.

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 ECDIS era has arrived, with the type-approval of systems from Transas Marine. Transas' Jochen Rudolf and George Toma discuss the systems capabilities, advantages and future. The advent of the type-approved ECDIS has become one of the major highlights of the maritime industry at the end of the 20th century. Transas Marine with its Navi-Sailor 2400 ECDIS, was the winner amongst some 10 very serious competitors in the rigorous race to be the first to receive the type-approval certificate for ECDIS from BSH in Germany. The issue of the world's first type approval certificate for Transas ECDIS in October 1999 was preceded by almost two years of very thorough tests and expert assessments employed at BSH.

Transas USA has been selected to supply full mission Navigational and Dynamic Positioning Simulator systems to the Waterways Training Center, located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and the Brazilian Merchant Marine Officers Union (SINDMAR) are working closely together to provide what will be the most important training center for the maritime community in Latin America. Located in Rio de Janeiro, downtown, at SINDMAR’s head office, this training center boasts a location close to Naval and Oil Industry facilities. A set of simulation systems that allow for a range of maritime training will be implemented in a phased approach…

Transas USA has secured orders from more than 50 of the marine pilots associated in the three Alaska Pilot Regions for Navi-Sailor 4000 Pilot PPU software. The scope of supply included the NS 4000 Pilot software, Alaska TX-97 Electronic Chart coverage and a product software upgrade program. NS 4000 Pilot software was initially developed in cooperation with the Pilot Services of the Swedish Maritime Authorities. Based on the IMO type approved Navi-Sailor 4000 ECDIS software, the NS 4000 Pilot has been adopted to meet the specific requirements of maritime pilots. While certain ECDIS functions not required in pilotage have been removed to streamline the user interface, a wide range of pilot specific features have been added.

Transas USA has completed the commissioning of an upgrade of the shore based monitoring system for the United States Navy at their test facility, located in South Florida. The original system was supplied by Transas in 2001, and has provided continuous radar coverage, target tracking and data gathering support over the last five years. The upgrade included the addition of fully integrated Automatic Identification System (AIS) target tracking. The modular and flexible design of the system also allowed Transas to supply and integrate an off-the-shelf camera unit which meets the Navy’s specific requirements for zoom and night vision capabilities.

Transas USA announced the supply of a Full Mission Ship Handling simulator to the Mid-Atlantic Maritime Academy (formerly Tidewater School of Navigation ) based in Virginia Beach, VA. The simulator, based on the Transas Navi-Trainer Professional 4000 simulation software, will consist of a 225 degree horizontal field of view forward combined with three rear viewing channels. The bridge equipment is convertible to enable ship handling training on large vessels as well as tugs and offshore supply vessels. Transas was also contracted to supply all related PC hardware and the supply included control equipment such as Z-Drive and Voight-Schneider propulsion controls seen on most tugs and offshore vessels.