Simulator based Navigation and Shiphandling training

Petter Lunde

Abstract:	Safe navigation has been, is and will always be a challenge as long as we have ships sailing the seas. This counts in particular for waters like the Norwegian inner leads, which are well known to be treacherous with all its underwater hazards. The challenge of high-speed navigation in such waters in all weather conditions can only be mastered through thorough theoretical education, correct attitude and very much practical training. Our simulator is a major asset in this matter. Now our cadets can go straight from class into the simulator and practice what they just learned in theory. Furthermore, they participate in evening/night navigation training in the simulator as well as onboard ships. Navigators of commissioned ships book time at the simulator, to maintain and improve their skills during maintenance and/or work up periods for their ships. They also use it to prepare themselves prior to deployments to the dark northern part of Norway. With the simulator we are capable of training the cadets in basic maneuvers, maneuver tests, shiphandling in good and bad weather, anchoring and anchor assisted maneuvering, etc, etc. In a subject at the Academy called “Operation of Ships”, we also conduct a Search and Rescue Exercise. This is just a modest start of what we look upon as a great opportunity to train cadets in the combination of navigation, shiphandling and minor/major operations. All of this is done at a minimum cost level with no risk of running ships aground. We have had several crews from navy ships sailing at the simulator, both for navigation and maneuvering training. Feedback from these crews has been very good. They claim to have increased the navigation safety considerably due to their work-up/training in the simulator. The evaluation process is still going on, as the simulator still is pretty new, and our concept is under continuos development. We do expect an even higher benefit from our “new” educational concept in the future.
Published in:	Proceedings of the IAIN World Congress and the 56th Annual Meeting of The Institute of Navigation (2000) June 26 - 28, 2000 The Catamaran Resort Hotel San Diego, CA
Pages:	300 - 309
Cite this article:	Lunde, Petter, "Simulator based Navigation and Shiphandling training," Proceedings of the IAIN World Congress and the 56th Annual Meeting of The Institute of Navigation (2000), San Diego, CA, June 2000, pp. 300-309.
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