The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has approved proposed changes to the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW ‘95) Convention at a Diplomatic Conference in Manila, Philippines. Acceptance of the amended STCW Convention and its associated Codes means simulators have been formally recognized as a suitable tool for survival craft training.
Virtual Marine Technology, manufacturer of SurvivalQuestTM, is the world’s only Det Norske Veritas (DNV) approved survival craft operations simulator.
“This is a major step for survival craft training,” said Capt. Philip McCarter, VMT’s VP of Accreditation and Marine Affairs. “Simulation has long been recognized as a valuable training tool in the maritime domain. The changes to Table A-VI/2-1 of the STCW convention recognize the benefits that simulation can offer to survival craft training programs.”