Wallem Adds Three Ship Simulators in Ukraine

The Wallem Maritime Training Center in Odessa, Ukraine added three training simulators: bridge simulator (Transas NT-PRO 5000 5.25), engine room simulator (Transas Techsim 5000 8.3) and liquid cargo handling simulator (Transas LCHS 5000). The equipment will be used to simultaneously train deck and engine officers in handling all types of vessels including tankers, container and bulk carriers and car carriers.

At the launch of the simulators, Wallem’s Fleet Personnel Director, Fared Khan, explained the simulators are one of the primary means of delivering courses required by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) which establishes the standards for seafarer knowledge and skills. "Nothing is better than hands on training when evaluating capability for making ships safer for everyone onboard," Captain Khan said.

"The state-of-the-art Transas simulators will assist us to not only refine the officers’ skills leading to operational excellence onboard, but also to train our sea staff in how best to respond to different non-routine, challenging and critical situations at sea and in port. Integrating previous incidents and lessons learnt will ensure the same mistakes are never repeated in the fleet." Wallem Europe Crew Manager Wiebke Schuett said hundreds of Wallem Ship Management’s masters, officers and engineers will benefit from the simulators, receiving training prior to joining their next vessel.

“The Wallem Maritime Training Centers in Odessa trains not only Ukrainian officers, but also officers from other Eastern European countries including Russia, Romania, Serbia and Croatia,” Schuett said. “We currently have about 250 officers from the region on board Wallem-managed vessels, and a pool of 700 officers.”

The training center in Odessa currently offers 18 courses for Wallem seafarers to keep their knowledge and skills up to date with industry developments and to ensure their – and their colleagues – safety on board. Wallem Ship Management has eight training centers in the group’s key seafarer recruitment centers in the Philippines, India, China and Eastern Europe.