Transas Europe has passed the Site Acceptance Test for a new Full Mission Engine Room Simulator located at the VDAB (Vlaamse Dienst voor Arbeidsbemiddeling en Beroepsopleiding, i.e. Flemish Public Employment Service) in Zeebrugge, Belgium.
The maritime branch of the VDAB assists employees and jobseekers contacting potential employers, and offers dedicated training for them to meet the various demands of the maritime industry. This training is also conducted using simulation systems.
In August 2007, Radio Holland Belgium N.V. (as the prime contractor) and Transas Europe GmbH (as the simulator system integrator) were awarded the contract for a new full mission Engine Room Simulator. The system is based on the latest Transas software, ERS 4000 version 7.3.
The simulator consists of a central instructor room, a full mission ERS configuration spread over three rooms (Engine Control Room (ECR), Engine Room (ER) and Emergency Generator room (EGR)). There is also a separate classroom with a second instructor workplace and 6 trainee workplaces.
The Full Mission Set and classroom work independently and are equipped with the same ship models (new revised version of Tanker LCC and trawler ship model).
For various reasons, the simulator is a unique installation: the central instructor room comprises huge windows that enable the instructor personnel to observe trainee activity in all surrounding rooms (ER, ECR, EGR and class); the ER is equipped with a huge video wall consisting of four reverse projection screens in line, each with a diameter of 70”. The video wall is visible from the instructor room, ER and ECR and can be used to provide system overviews or to assist in monitoring trainee activity. All simulator system screens and mimics can be selected and displayed on the four cubicles, selected from either the instructor workplace or a local station in the ER via Ethernet control; additional features add to the realism of the simulator, for example an alarm light column and smoke generator in the ER, the ability to automatically turn off all lights (black ship) during exercises, and CCTV observation of the different rooms.
he delivery of the simulator is split into two major parts. The first delivery was made in December 2007, with SAT completed in week 2 in 2008. This part comprises all above components and features.
The second part will be done in 2008: as the simulator is not only intended to train jobseekers but will also be used intensively by customers from the maritime dredging industry to train their staff. One of the client’s main criteria was to have a dredging ship model developed and implemented into the simulator. Particularly for the full mission part of the simulator, this model will comprise both: the additional mechanical, electrical and auxiliary components that are typically required for dredging purposes (e.g. dredge pumps and gland system) and the implementation of an IMC (Integrated Control and Monitoring System) that enables the instructor to act as the dredge master on the bridge, operating the virtual dredging gear (e.g. starting/stopping dredging, discharging etc.) with the help of appropriate process and diagnostic pages on the screen. These actions and the ability to introduce faults will influence the Engine Room equipment and thus influence the work/training of the engineers.
To gather the necessary expertise for the dredging environment, Radio Holland and Transas co-operated with a specialist company. This decision was one of the reasons why Transas was awarded the contract. After the delivery and SAT of the ‘standard’ simulator components, the development element of the ship model and the corresponding IMC system is now the project focus and will also be delivered in 2008.