Training Systems News

DNV has released a revision of its Maritime Simulator Systems Standard (DNV-ST-0033), reflecting the growing diversity of simulation technologies used in maritime training and certification.The updated standard introduces terminology for virtual reality (VR), synthetic environments and mixed reality, reflecting the growing diversity of simulation formats.The foundational competence requirements have been extended to include alternative fuels such as ammonia, hydrogen, ethanol…

HII's Mission Technologies division won a $147m contract to support shipboard and shore-based combat training services for the U.S. Navy.Under the five-year task order, HII will provide engineering support for every aspect of training systems under the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division, Dam Neck Activity (NSWCDD DNA), including associated hardware, software, subsystems and elements. Tasks will range from integrated training system hardware and software installation…

The seafarer home nations of the Philippines and Indonesia are working to equip their maritime workers with the skill sets needed to deliver a low and zero-carbon maritime sector.Speaking at the ‘Seizing opportunities for green shipping in Asia and the Pacific’ conference organized by the Philippines' Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), on May 15, Philippine Transmarine Carriers CEO Gerardo A. Borromeo said: “There is no doubt that the skill set for a career at sea is evolving.

A new suite of navigation simulators for the Royal Navy will be rolled out this year as part of Project Selborne’s modernization of Royal Navy training.The Kongsberg Digital simulation technology is designed to ensure that Royal Navy personnel can maximize operational effectiveness in all types of situations, from single unit pilotage through to Replenishment at Sea and Task Group maneuvers, day and night and in all weather conditions. The simulators will enable teams to train together with multiple vessels in the same scenarios…

The Navy is known for its big ships. It has a lot of smaller boats and craft, too—3,200 of them.The three primary stakeholders for these craft are the Surface Fleet, Commander Navy Installations Command and Navy Expeditionary Combat Command. Other stakeholders include Submarine Forces; Air Forces (which own the aircraft carriers); Naval Special Warfare; the Coast Guard; Naval Facilities Command and the Naval Warfare Centers.Boats and craft are procured and managed by Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Program Executive Office for Ships (PEO Ships)…

Very few people live day-to-day expecting a disaster. However, disasters do happen and a critical component of business continuity is ensuring that when disaster strikes, our critical systems are returned to normal operations as quickly and efficiently as possible. Last month’s training tips for ships discussed a catastrophic fire that occurred in France last month at one of the world’s largest data centres. This fire took millions of websites offline including the Learning Management System (LMS) for one of the world’s largest cruise lines.

Mike Corrigan, the ubiquitous leader of Interferry, has a broad base of energy and maritime industry experience, including his stint as CEO of BC Ferries. Corrigan shares with Maritime Reporter & Engineering News his thoughts on a broad range of issues facing the ferry industry: COVID-19, emerging international regulations, and yes, maritime training and education initiatives throughout the world ferry industry.Looking back to your tenure atop BC Ferries, can you discuss this through a training and education lens?At BC Ferries, safety and training was an integral part of my role and passion.

Elbit Systems Ltd. subsidiary, Elbit Systems UK Ltd. won a $166m contract from the UK Ministry of Defence for the Royal Navy Future Naval Training Programas part of the Fisher consortium led by Capita plc. The contract will be performed over a 12-year period.The program calls for the transformation and modernization of the shore-based training of the Royal Navy including the establishment of the Future Submarine School. As the provider and integrator of training solutions for the Consortium…

Technology group Wärtsilä has launched of its global Smart Support Center service. This service is aimed at improving asset uptime via remote access for customers of Wärtsilä’s Voyage business, thereby substantially reducing the need for physical service attendance. Operational support is delivered via virtual service engineers. Smart Support is designed to maintain all Wärtsilä Voyage equipment, including ship handling solutions, such as ECDIS and charts, simulation and training systems, and ship traffic control solutions.

Nova Scotia-based Bluedrop Performance Learning  through its subsidiary Bluedrop Training & Simulation Inc has been awarded a contract to provide advanced training systems for the Offshore Fisheries Science Vessels.Seaspan Shipyards has awarded Bluedrop contract for work on the Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) new Offshore Fisheries Science Vessels (OFSV), said a press release.Bluedrop represents one of several Atlantic Canadian suppliers to date that Seaspan is working with to meet its commitments under the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS).Bluedrop designs and develops highly specialized, high performance, tactical training for frontline operators of equipment working in complex environments and high-risk situations.

Seaspan Shipyards (Seaspan) has awarded Ottawa-based Lockheed Martin Canada (Lockheed Martin), a contract for work on Canada’s new Joint Support Ships (JSS).At $118M, this is the largest contract package that Seaspan will award for work on the JSS, said a press release.Lockheed Martin is one of several major systems integrators that Seaspan is working with in order to meet its commitments under the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS).Seaspan and Lockheed Martin have an established relationship as partners on several programs for the Royal Canadian Navy and, more recently, the Royal New Zealand Navy, in maintaining and upgrading vital military assets.Lockheed Martin will provide a state of the art Command Management System based around the CMS 330 for the JSS.

Marine simulators are commonplace in the training and development of crew for large vessels. Not so much for small, fast patrol and attack craft.From the mid to late 1970s, marine simulators developed into a viable training tool for trainee mariners. Their initial popularity developed as opportunities for practical training became scarcer and a lot costlier, too. Since then, however, the advancement of the technology has brought a new dimension to professional crew training for small, fast craft.

Huntington Ingalls Industries announced that Australia’s Department of Defence has awarded a contract to Naval Shipbuilding Institute (NSI), a joint venture between HII’s Technical Solutions division and Kellogg Brown and Root’s (KBR) Government Services division, to establish and manage Australia’s new Naval Shipbuilding College. This effort is in support of Australia’s mission to recapitalize its shipbuilding and maritime sustainment industry over the next several decades. In announcing the request for proposals in 2017, Minster of Defence Industry Christopher Pyne emphasized that the Naval Shipbuilding College is a unique organization…

As industry increasingly evolves on the digital transformation path, inevitably the focus turns to the move toward cloud computing. Last month Maritime Reporter & Engineering News spoke with Howard Fireman, SVP and Chief Technology Officer of the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for take on how industry innovators – large and small – in the shipbuilding and marine equipment sectors are leveraging inherent advantages of cloud computing to better position themselves for the competitive long-haul.

In a collaborative project with Australian industry, the Royal Australian Navy is extending its use of simulation to electronic warfare training. A common electronic warfare sensor suite is planned across the future fleet and future electronic warfare sailors need to have the advanced skills to meet upcoming demand. Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Christopher Pyne said a contract signed with the Australian company Cirrus Real Time Processing Systems would result in advanced new maritime training systems designed and developed in Australia. “The contract valued at around $4.4 million will see the development of a tactical electronic warfare training system to provide tuition…

While much of the maritime world slumps, the cruise sector is enjoying its most vibrant growth in a generation. Carnival Corporation, in particular, is doing very well as its financial performance is stronger than ever, with 2016 delivering the best year of earnings in company history. The company’s adjusted earnings for 2016 of $2.6 billion is the best annual financial performance in its 44-year history. With that, Hans Hederstrom, Managing Director give overview of CSMART, one of the newest and richly appointed simulation centers on the planet.

Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE:HII) announced today that it has completed its previously announced acquisition of Camber Corporation and formed a new operating division, HII Technical Solutions. The new division will be led by Andy Green, who will serve as an executive vice president of HII and president of HII Technical Solutions, reporting directly to HII President and CEO Mike Petters. “The acquisition of Camber and the consolidation of our existing service businesses into a dedicated division provides the breadth and scale necessary to successfully pursue numerous growth opportunities,” Petters said. “Camber brings a broad array of capabilities to the HII team, and we are excited about the possibilities of growing the combined businesses.

Veritas Petroleum Services (VPS) and Seagull Maritime AS announced today that they have signed a collaborative agreement that will capitalise on their complementary strengths to bring state-of-the-art fuel management training to the maritime industry. First conceived to plug a gap in the knowledge and experience of ship managers and vessel crews in fuel management, this novel but comprehensive computer-based training tool is now being developed to provide e-learning onboard and ashore. “As the pioneer of fuel quality testing and analysis with more than three decades of global experience, we have noticed a pressing need for seafarers to fully understand fuel quality issues and learn how to handle such challenges.

A state-of-the-art simulation facility has been opened in Sydney that will enhance training for Royal Australian Navy technical sailors. Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Tim Barrett, AO, CSC, RAN, officially opened the $90 million Navy Training Systems Center at Randwick Barracks, and said the purpose-built facility would revolutionise how Navy prepares Marine and Electronic Technicians for their roles in the Fleet. “This next generation training facility will ensure Navy can fully utilize the extraordinary capabilities of both the Canberra class amphibious ships and the Hobart class destroyers…

Safebridge, a worldwide leading provider of web-based E-Learning products for the maritime industry, providing online, onboard and classroom training for nautical officers and captains, has launched a joint initiative with Seagull Maritime AS. Drawing on the strengths of each organisation, the partners will make E-learning expertise from Safebridge and the wide-ranging onboard training platform from Seagull available through a combined offer, benefiting seafarers worldwide. Today, a wide variety of ECDIS solutions can be found onboard ships. Already, over 30 ECDIS models are in use in the commercial shipping, with a unique selling point claimed for each by way of competetive offering.

Capt Pradeep Chawla, Managing Director QHSE & Training, Anglo-Eastern Ship Management Ltd., delivered a theme address at the World Maritime Day symposium on "Shipping's future needs people: Is global maritime education and training on course?". Following is the Edited Abstract of his paper which discusses the strategies and efforts of a Ship Management company, to enhance competence of the seafarers through a comprehensive company training program. Competence is generally defined as ‘the ability to do something successfully or efficiently’. It is generally accepted that both knowledge and skill are required to be competent. IMO is the guardian of the maritime industry and has tirelessly worked since 1978 to bring about one common standard of training of the seafarers worldwide.

With U.S. Navy ships staying in service for extended periods, ensuring they are ready to meet national security goals requires continual efforts. In response to this need, Alion Science and Technology, a global engineering, technology and operational solutions company, has been awarded a contract valued at up to $192 million by the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Deputy Commander for Surface Warfare (SEA 21). Alion’s technical, program, business and financial management experts will help ensure that all non-nuclear surface ships (with the exception of the Littoral Combat Ships) are maintained and modernized during their service life. Additionally, Alion will support training systems that will familiarize crews with systems throughout each ship.

With U.S. Navy ships staying in service for extended periods, ensuring they are ready to meet national security goals requires continual efforts. In response to this need, Alion Science and Technology, a global engineering, technology and operational solutions company, has been awarded a contract valued at up to $192 million by the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Deputy Commander for Surface Warfare (SEA 21). Alion’s technical, program, business and financial management experts will help ensure that all non-nuclear surface ships (with the exception of the Littoral Combat Ships) are maintained and modernized during their service life. Additionally, Alion will support training systems that will familiarize crews with systems throughout each ship.