Tug Master training expands in Antwerp
SMIT and URS have been training their tug masters in the Netherlands and Belgium with MARIN Mermaid simulators since 2008.
As part of its Tug Master programme, SMIT used a Compact Manoeuvring Simulator called ‘De Brug’ for purposes of training and assessment at its office in Rotterdam. In parallel, URS carried out part of its training and assessment needs on the BRABO pilot simulator in Antwerp. After establishing SMIT Towage Northwest Europe, in which the towage activities of SMIT and URS in the Dutch and Belgian ports have been combined, it was decided to upgrade the Rotterdam simulator and to relocate it to Antwerp.
The upgrade involved the fulfillment of a strong wish to extend the training for Tug Masters with ocean towing and anchor handling activities, together with an extension of the projection system to a 300° of horizontal field of view (HFOV). The remaining 60° of HFOV are displayed on a high resolution TFT monitor.
At the beginning of April the site acceptance tests were successfully passed for the simulator relocation with the standard tug master training functionality. Before the end of this month, the additional ocean towing and anchor handling functionality will be delivered.
The new simulator is situated in the BRABO Technical Department building, one level below the BRABO pilots’ simulator. An option currently being considered is to connect the two simulators to conduct a combined Pilot & Tug Master simulator training.
