Page 9: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (April 2023)

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7LS 7ech Evolution &reates Endless 3ossibilities for 0aritime 7raining eserved or not, the maritime industry is notorious terials at any time and from anywhere - whether on shore or for being resistant to change. This was the warn- on board, making it easy for them to learn at their own pace ing I received over and over when I started our and at a time that ? ts their other commitments, whether work ' company which develops new learning technolo- or personal. This technology was particularly useful during gies for our industry. But while we have seen evidence of the the COVID-19 pandemic, where traditional in-person training refrain “if it was good enough for my training 20 years ago, it was limited by necessity.

is good enough for training now”, our experience has largely Looking to the future, the potential bene? ts of technology in been the opposite. The maritime industry is indeed willing maritime training are endless. For example, there is a possibility to embrace new technologies for training where they have that arti? cial intelligence (AI) could be used to analyze data from shown to have clear bene? ts. So it is time to cast off the old sensors and other sources such as a simulator or LMS to pro- reputation, pat our collective selves on the back, and take a vide trainees with personalized training recommendations. This look back at how the industry has advanced in terms of train- could help trainees to focus on areas where they need the most ing technologies and sophistication. improvement, leading to more ef? cient and effective training.

The ? eld of training has come a long way since the days of Another potential bene? t of technology in maritime is the chalkboards and paper manuals. With the advent of technology, use of blockchain to track training and certi? cation. Block- there has been an exponential advancement in the way people chain is a secure and decentralized ledger that can be used are trained, and the maritime industry is no exception. One of to store and verify information. By using blockchain to track the most signi? cant developments in maritime training is the use training and certi? cation, it would be much easier to globally of simulators. They have gone from non-existent not long ago verify the quali? cations of maritime professionals, making the to commonplace now. Simulators replicate real-world scenarios, industry safer and more ef? cient.

allowing trainees to practice their skills in a controlled environ- Technology has made amazing advancements in how people ment. This technology has been around for quite some time, but are trained, and the maritime industry has certainly felt the im- it continues to become more realistic with each iteration, provid- pact. From simulators to e-learning platforms, technology has ing trainees with an ever more accurate training experience. made it easier for trainees to learn in a more targeted, supported,

Another more recent but signi? cant advancement in maritime ef? cient and effective way. The newest technologies such as AR training is the use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality and VR are just now beginning to hint at their potential for an in- (AR). These technologies allow trainees to experience simula- credible impact. But even more exciting than what we have seen tions of vessel interiors and machinery spaces in a highly im- already, it is the future that holds the most exciting possibilities. mersive way. With VR, trainees can wear a headset that places AI, blockchain, and so many other technologies will transform them in a virtual environment, allowing them to practice their the industry in the years to come. It’s an exciting time to be in- skills in a highly realistic, but completely safe setting. AR, on volved in maritime training, and the possibilities are endless.

the other hand, overlays digital information onto the real world, providing trainees with information about their surroundings

The Author and the equipment they are interacting with. We are just at the beginning of the potential with VR and AR in maritime.

Goldberg

Aside from simulation, there has also been a marked in-

Murray Goldberg is CEO of Marine crease in the use of e-learning platforms. In a short 20 years

Learning Systems. these platforms have become ubiquitous in maritime training

Email: [email protected] (resistant to change, indeed)! These learning management systems (LMS) provide trainees with access to training ma- www.marinelink.com 9

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