Located at Solent University’s main campus in the centre of Southampton, the centre received its first cadets last week.
“This new centre is an important part of a £43 mill investment that the University is putting into maritime education and training at Solent. As pioneers in the use of simulation for professional development of ship’s personnel since the 1970s, we are proud to remain at the forefront in delivering specialist higher-level training,” said Professor Syamantak Bhattacharya, Dean of the Warsash School of Maritime Science and Engineering.
This new £7 mill ship and port simulation centre will include the latest equipment and software supplied by Wärtsilä (Transas) including: eight full mission bridge simulators; over 50 part task simulators; a full mission engineering room simulator; high voltage simulators; liquid cargo simulators; on-and off-shore crane simulators; GMDSS radio communications and VTS suites; DP simulators; and four multi-purpose desktop simulation classrooms.
The new centre will also offer the opportunity for several new specialist training courses, such as dynamic positioning, vessel traffic management and ice navigation.
All the simulators will be interactive to allow joint exercises between bridge and engine compartments, or ship and shore. The simulation centre will also feature over 300 ship models, which will be used by cadets and maritime professionals alike.
Designed with the future in mind, the new centre also features a ‘Virtual Shipyard’, to test ships which are in the process of being designed, or to create digital twins of existing ships. This allows officers to train in a virtual environment that mirrors their own workplace, further enhancing the experience. Students will not only benefit from testing their designs in Solent’s 60 m towing tank but also in a virtually unlimited set of environmental parameters.
The new simulation centre will also play a pivotal role in the University’s maritime research - from Sea Traffic Management to the machine execution of COLREGS, and further studies looking at navigational safety and the human-machine interface and operations.
“Digital systems are key to the successful future of the maritime industry and there is a demand for digital skills across the maritime workforce,” Syamantak continued. “The maritime industry is fast evolving and it’s crucial that students receive the best educational foundation in their initial studies, and are able to expand on it through continuous learning through their professional careers – this new simulation centre will do exactly that.
“We look forward to building on the Warsash heritage, working with maritime sectors across the globe to ensure our training methods are relevant for current and future mariners,” he said.