Page 34: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (March 2020)

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FERRIES “We’re big fans of Voith (cycloidal propulsion) ... it’s a great system. The

Voith units have a very high level of reliability, and the maneuverability is unsurpassed, both of which is really important here in New York

Harbor.”

Jim DeSimone

Photos: Staten Island Ferries/ESG the past technologically,” said DeSimone. “They didn’t have and then signed off on by the captains.

speed logs, ECDIS systems and the like on the ferries, and In addition, Staten Island Ferries has worked with Marine they certainly didn’t have a Safety Management System.” Learning Systems on a blended learning and training plat- form for new deckhands and mates.

A Time for Change Staten Island Ferries owns and operates its own simulator,

The October 15, 2003 incident provided a wake-up call with another due to enter service soon, that is geared toward for the ferry service, and DeSimone and his crew set about Bridge Resource Management (BRM) and ECDIS training. It making changes, from the foundation of a new Safety Man- seeks to maximize its training return by, for example, outfit- agement System that took nearly 18 months to devise and ting the new simulator with the actual equipment that will implement, to a top to bottom review of maritime training be featured on the new-builds. It also sends crew to SUNY and education. Maritime for training as needed, with MITAGS carrying the “When I started here (training) was based on mentoring and heavier workload for Staten Island captain and assistant cap- shadowing,” said DeSimone. “Since then, all of the training, tain training courses in and out of the simulator.

mentoring and shadowing has been standardized. Today we “MITAGS has the Navigation Skills Assessment Program have three mates that do all of the training for new marine (NSAP), with all of our operating officers participating,” said employees to ensure that training is as consistent as we can DeSimone. In today’s world, before anyone gets moved up to possibly make it.” an assistant captain or captain, they must complete the NSAP

Standardized training for Captains and Assistant Captains program in addition to evaluations from other captains and is docking in every slip – from Manhattan to Staten Island to administration. the organization’s maintenance piers – on every class of ferry “When it comes to promoting a captain and assessing their 34 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • March 2020

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First published in 1881 Maritime Reporter is the world's largest audited circulation publication serving the global maritime industry.