Page 39: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (March 2015)

(Continued from page 36) harbor and escort tug markets, ship han- ter creates new opportunities and better Bouchard seamen, the center is a critical be pro? table in this industry unless you dling, pilotage, Boldt explained. prepares future and current professionals resource for SUNY Maritime cadets and are safe. You cannot be safe unless you

While offshore training was a driver for successful careers in the maritime is open for business industry companies train, but that’s not only in the simula- for recent expansion, Boldt believes that industry. While the simulation center and professionals. tor, it’s every day on these vessels. The there is a pervasive movement within was funded by Bouchard, features rep- Putting simulation training in perspec- captains in our company are held to the much of maritime that is going to make lica simulation models of the Bouchard tive, Bouchard said, “Training and edu- highest standards to be safe, and that is simulation training a cornerstone for ? eet and will serve to train and maintain cation is 200% more today. You cannot the only way that you can be pro? table.” many maritime companies. “There is a trend in the entire industry toward un- derstanding the value and importance of simulator training,” said Boldt. “It is not the end all be all, and it is not a replace- ment for hands on training, but it is ab- solutely proven to be a vital piece of the puzzle when training and assessing com- petencies that are dif? cult or impractical to practice at sea.”

To this end, Boldt looks to the top of

Resolve Marine Group as the ultimate driver of the company’s recent simula- tion training expansion. “Joe Farrell is an innovator and a visionary,” said

Boldt. “He has a great sense of the in- dustry and a great belief in his team to put his vision into practice. Certainly we look at traditional (market) indicators and read Maritime Reporter religiously but Joe is the driver.”

Late last year Morton S. Boucha- rd, III helped to of? cially open The

Bouchard Transportation Co., Inc. Tug & Barge Simulation Center on the cam- pus of the State University of New York (SUNY) Maritime College. In explain- ing the decision to invest in the simu- lator, Bouchard said, “The way it came about was really simple: we always had a simulator in New York Harbor, and the company that was operating that simu- lator moved it down to Houston. So we partnered with SUNY Maritime to build a ? rst-class simulator on campus that would not only bene? t cadets, but would bene? t our employees. We’re going to do our training here with our captains and mates.”

The Bouchard Transportation Com- pany, Inc. Tug and Barge Simulation

Center is the latest in Kongsberg Polaris

Bridge simulation technology, utilizing an industry-inspired bridge console ar- rangement, with the latest hydrodynam- ic ship models and exercise areas. The

Center offers full mission bridge simula- tors, instruction stations and a de-brief- ing area where instructors can discuss topics including navigation, seamanship and bridge resource management skills required in the operation of tugs and barges. Training on this state-of-the-art

Center ensures that students enrolled at the College, and professional mariners alike, are well-educated and trained in a controlled environment. Attention will be given to the complexities of operat- ing tugs and barges, ranging in size from 3,000 to 12,000 horsepower, which car- ry all types of commodities. The Cen- www.marinelink.com 39

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