EXCLUSIVE: BMT opens tug pilotage training hub

The new facility means that tug pilots for commercial or naval boats can be trained in the UK rather than in the Netherlands, which has to now been the traditional seat of learning.

The training centre – at BMT’s offices in Fareham, on the UK south coast – has four dedicated tug simulators networked to full mission bridge simulator hardware, two offering 360-degree visibility, two offering 270-degree visibility.

Trainees can practise manoeuvring and berthing techniques in all kinds of sea states in the two DnV Class A tug simulators, each in fully enclosed, 360-degree tug bridge environments, and can interact with each other in dealing with container ships or other vessels as they would in a port or harbour.

The fully networked ship and tug bridge simulator suite uses the highest fidelity S-100 Standard hydraulic and hydrodynamic modelling to provide an experience that feels so genuine that seasickness is a real risk.

As director of Maritime Products at BMT Dr Phil Thompson says, within half a minute, your brain thinks you’re in a real-life situation. 

“The new muti-bridge hardware and software platform allows users to train within a totally immersive synthetic port environment that is underpinned by dynamic and granular tidal and water level data, supported by precision ship hydrodynamic modelling,” he says.

Controls exactly replicate those you would find in a wheelhouse, and it’s all done with BMT’s ‘REMBRANDT’ flagship navigation software technology, which is sold as licences according to requirements.

The facility can be hired out to tug pilots – at a much lower cost than going out on the real thing.

REMBRANDT software 

REMBRANDT stands for Real-time Manoeuvring, Berthing and Training, and provides the 3D ship hydrodynamic software platform, linked to radar, ECDIS and GMDSS modules, which leads to enabling the software elements for the 360-degree synthetic modelling environment.

The software actually scooped the UKHO’s Admiralty Innovation Prize in 2020 for its upgrade, which means it can process and display the next generation of dynamic hydrographic data, IHO S-100.

The platform is also IHO S-57 enabled and uses a 3D port hydraulics engine model, which feeds navigation simulations with granular, dynamic water levels and 3D current data, allowing for precision navigation and pilotage simulation and state-of-art training and performance feedback.

Commercial operators would be likely to use the full bridge and two or three of the tug simulators at the moment – but as Thompson says, as ships increase in size, more tugs are going to be needed.

Another two Class B simulators provide 270-degree visualisation, and all are fully networked with a DnV Class Full Mission Bridge. 

Looking out of the virtual windows, pilots can also see dockside activities being carried out, such as cranes loading and unloading containers.

“Enhancing safe and reliable navigation operations at sea, in restricted waterways and in ports, is our primary concern,” says Phil Thompson. “Alongside our long-term, contracted admiralty pilot and tug training project for the UK MoD, we look forward to supporting and growing a diverse range of current and future commercial customers in our new facility.”

“Significant investment has been made in developing this new facility and full-mission multi-bridge training centre, and it is an exceptional tool. Comprising a suite of four dedicated tug simulators networked to full mission bridge simulator hardware, the facility will provide a state-of-art precision synthetic training platform to support the commercial and naval pilotage markets,” says BMT.