Page 17: of Marine News Magazine (March 2005)

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By Jennifer Rabulan

With the glow from the skyline clearly visible from the bridge, the LNG ship carefully maneuvered through the Balti- more harbor as an unfamiliar vessel approached. Unsure of the speedy ves- sel's intent, the captain referred to the

ECDIS to confirm its identity. Upon iden- tifying the oversized passenger vessel as an NCL cruise ship, the captain continued to navigate through the harbor.

This navigation scenario, one of over 56 different types of vessels in over 20 ports, can now provide a growing number of deck officers the latest simulator training at the Calhoon Marine Engineers' Benefi- cial Association (MEBA) Engineering

School. The Calhoon MEBA Engineering

School, touted as the first maritime train- ing plan designed by Union and industry, has had a long history of achievements, adding the completion of its state-of-the- art simulator suite to the list. On February 4, after a year of construction, the Easton,

Md.-based school unveiled a new bridge simulator suite.

Union representatives, community members, students, faculty and honorable dignitaries were on hand to honor of the school's latest technological achievement.

Among the notable speakers, the com- mander of the Coast Guard's Fifth Dis- trict, Rear Admiral Sally Brice O'Hara said it was a great time for the MEBA school by recognizing how key the human element is to the maritime industry: "This technology bridges the regulatory organi- zation and the commercial industry."

As the industry's regulations and securi- ty measures continue to evolve, education and training remains the foundation and mainstay. With the MEBA school recog- nizing the changing industry, it empha- sized the need for the technological upgrade. Up until last year, the school relied on outside training organizations to meet certain simulator-related licensing credentials. The multi-faceted simulation suite allows MEBA officers to obtain cre- dentials in addition to the school's diverse curriculum.

The simulator suite, outfitted by

Transas USA, introduced several firsts into the education arena. Transas' presi- dent, George Toma, reaffirmed that "this simulator suite is among the most sophis- ticated and educational suites installed."

After analyzing with the school's needs, the Transas team was tapped to install the simulator systems and associated integra- tion for the new CMES navigational train- ing suite, which is all based upon the lat- est Navi-Trainer Professional 4000 navi- gational simulator software from Transas.

The program entailed the installation of two full mission and two part task, but fully interactive bridge simulators. A nav- igational training classroom, instructor and debriefing facilities are also included to complement the suite's overall integra- tion.

According to Transas, the aims of the system are to meet present training needs and be flexible to meet future deep sea or inland requirements, and to be capable of being utilized for port engineering research and development projects.

Bridges 1 and 2 of the simulators fea- ture full mission simulation with 300 and 240 degree visibility, respectively. While geared for more expansive deep sea mis- sions, bridges 1 and 2 touted an array of components including, a conning station,

ECDIS display, NavAids and Instrumen- tation display, Bearing/CCTV/2nd Con- ning station, visual channels, mathemati- cal model and real ship controls. In addi- tion to the diverse components, the system also featured Transas' Model Wizard intended to ensure automatic construction of 3D surface, submerged terrain and nav- igation aids.

All the bridges were designed for flexi- bility and applicable to all types of ves- sels. Touting several crystal clear Plasma screens, bridges 3 and 4, though smaller, is also flexible enough to maintain various scenarios. These simulators are meant for

March, 2005 • MarineNews 17

Training & Education

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As the LNG carefully navigated through the Baltimore harbor, alongside of the nearby vessels, the glow from the skyline was clearly visible from the bridge. (Continued on page 19)

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