Furetank builds advanced ship simulator training centre
Published by Jessica Casey,
Editor
LNG Industry,
Furetank has turned a former office building into a maritime educational centre on Donsö, outside Gothenburg, Sweden: a state-of-the-art ship simulator complex for training, assessment, and certification. From Summer 2023, it will be available for the entire shipping cluster on Donsö, as well as external actors.
The rapid development in the shipping industry demands constant updates of on-board routines and seafarer skills. Greener shipping and the adoption of newer and smarter technologies pose a huge skilling challenge to shipping companies. In tanker shipping, the upcoming launch of an updated ship inspection report programme, SIRE 2.0, will increase demand even further for company-specific courses and skills development.
When moving into new and larger offices, Furetank saw the opportunity to turn the old building into a training centre on the island of Donsö, outside Gothenburg. A simulator complex equipped with the most sophisticated technology available will service all the shipping companies operating from the island, as well as other external parties.
“Furetank has ordered a large range of newbuilt vessels to be delivered in the coming years, and manning these ships is a great challenge. The situation is the same for many of our fellow shipping companies on Donsö. The lack of access to simula-tor environments has been a bottleneck for us. This easily accessible training centre will be a positive contribution to Swedish shipping,” said Jonas Gunnarsson, Personnel Manager at Furetank.
The simulator complex has been designed by Wärtsilä, one of the world's leading maritime simulator manufacturers. It holds 14 students at a time. Physical simulation bridges are combined with virtual, augmented, and mixed reality applications. Together, they create highly realistic learning environments for navigation, manoeuvring, eco driving, docking, cargo handling, and safety procedures, as well as proper use of new ship technology such as shore-power connection or LNG/PBG bunkering.
The equipment includes a full size class A navigational bridge simulator using eleven portrait-mounted 75 in. displays, giving a 240° horizontal field of view and good vertical height. In addition, there will be a virtual reality bridge/bridge wing and TUG simulator, as well as an engine room simulator including a virtual machinery space.
A multi-player feature allows interaction between captain/pilot, bridge/engine room etc, for training in communications skills required in real-life scenarios. An award-winning cloud simulation solution allows connecting to other training centres and performing remote joint exercises.
“We can simulate 50 ship models ranging from pilot boats and cruise ships to tankers and towboats. You can navigate several fairways, going into the ports of Gothenburg, Rotterdam, the Oslo Fjord etc. We can also simulate moving through ice or rough sea. Only our imagination sets the limits for what shipping companies can do in this simulator,” concluded Gunnarsson.
Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/lng-shipping/07022023/furetank-builds-advanced-ship-simulator-training-centre/
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