Mercmarine Unveils Engine Room Simulator in Sri Lanka

 

Hailed the most advanced simulator of its type in the country, the Transas 5000 TechSim marine engine room simulator was officially opened by Ministry of Ports and Shipping secretary L P Jayampathy in Colombo.

 

Mercmarine’s purpose-built training facilities in Colombo and Galle have delivered deck and engine related courses in all qualifications for more than two decades, and currently cater for more than 160 students.

 

It is part of the broader Mercmarine Group of companies which make up Sri Lanka’s leading maritime organization providing ship owning, ship management, crew management, maritime training and agency services.

 

Mercmarine Training general manger Capt. Keith Jayasuriya said the group, backed by German shipping expertise in Bremen-based REF, possesses the largest Sri Lankan modern fleet, which operates all over the globe and creates new routes of opportunity for Sri Lankan seafarers. 

 

He said the latest training facility investment will provide a safe and environmentally-friendly place for students to learn and crucially give them an edge when it comes to securing future jobs.

 

“Sea training is an essential part of the Mercmarine program so it is vital to ensure that students who enrol with us can get proper on the job training,” Jayasuriya said. “The new engine room simulator will enable trainees to learn everything they need to know about the inner workings of a ship’s engine room without any fear of damaging equipment or harming the environment.

 

“At Mercmarine we elect and train students based on the number of ships we have available. We strive to ensure that each student obtains a ship to train on within six months, at the latest, with priority given based on merit. This is also a training institute that focuses on preparing students to face exams certified, administered and issued by the ministry. The better the students perform in the exams, the better their prospects are for a career in the maritime industry,” Jayasuriya continued.

 

The ERS 5000 TechSim is an advanced model which provides an exact copy of vessel systems and simulates machinery and engine room compartments. It is designed to help train and assess the competence of engine department personnel, including officers in charge of an engineering watch, second and chief engineers and others forming part of the engineering watch. The facility also enables students to learn key skills related to engine room equipment, machinery control, automation and alarms, fuel economy management, emission control, emergency operations and vessel resource management.

 

Mercmarine Training’s Mercantile Seamen Training Institute (MSTI) offers academic and practical training for officer cadets, senior certification for officers and professional skill development for ratings. It is also supporting Sri Lanka’s bid to attract more women into the maritime sector.

 

Lalindra Fernando, Mercmarine Training’s business development manager, said professionalism, skill and knowledge is the key to a successful career as a seafarer.

 

“Mercmarine Training prepares students for a range of career paths, both at sea and on the shore,” Fernando said. “We are proud of our strong tradition for producing well-rounded seafarers equipped with the discipline, skill and confidence to forge successful careers. In the engineering field there are two main pathways into a career in the shipping industry, and Mercmarine cater for both. Trainees can either start off as an engine rating or an engineering cadet, but must have a good grasp of English to ensure that they can communicate effectively with crews aboard international ships.

 

Fernando added, “Students who wish to pursue their career further can work as a rating for 36 months, after which they become eligible to take the officer exam. Engineering cadets complete a 12-month residential program in Galle and a nine-month industrial training course in Colombo before being assigned to a ship for onboard training. After 18 months of sea service, successful students can sit an exam to become a marine engineer.”