Navigation Simulators
The functions of the navigation simulators include:
- Navigation in open waters and restricted waters
- Ship navigation for entering and leaving ports
- Berthing and unberthing operations (tug assistance and mooring line handling)
- Mooring to and unmooring from buoys
- Anchoring operations
- Multi-ship encounter and collision avoidance
- Ship handling under various weather conditions, visibility levels, and wind, current, and sea states
- Training in the use of navigation lights and shapes
- Multi-data recording and playback functions
- Practice evaluation, analysis, and printing functions
- ARPA operation, radar plotting, and ECDIS operation training
- Emergency operations in case of equipment failures, severe weather, or hazardous situations
- Bridge resource management training
Navigation Simulator Overview
A maritime navigation simulator is a system based on a ship’s bridge as the prototype. It is equipped with an integrated simulation control system, Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS), Global Positioning System (GPS), ARPA radar, automatic tracking and navigation system, as well as a voice communication system and other hardware and software platforms. The simulator adopts single or multi-channel large-screen wide-angle visual projection, utilizing real-time visual simulation, multi-data fusion, and network communication technologies. It reproduces highly realistic surrounding water areas, traffic conditions, and ship handling characteristics, so that trainees can achieve training results close to or equivalent to actual ship operations.
The system has passed ISO 9001 quality system certification by DNV and the China Maritime Safety Administration. It meets the requirements of a Class A full-mission ship handling simulator as defined by DNV classification standards and complies with the mandatory provisions of the STCW 78/95 Convention on the “Use of Simulators for Training and/or as an Instrument for Competence Assessment.” It also satisfies the requirements of the “Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Competency Examination, Assessment, and Certification of Seafarers” issued by the Ministry of Transport.
Application Areas of Navigation Simulators
Applications include ship handling training, fairway (channel) design, port design, maneuvering performance research, human behavior studies, evaluation of navigation system effectiveness, bridge resource management, tug effectiveness assessment, and maritime accident investigation.
