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In today’s demanding environment, deck officers are expected to be well prepared to address the more complex regulatory regime while steering their vessel safely, securely and in an efficient and environmentally friendly way.


They need to manage operational risks, deal successfully with adversities and maintain proper attitudes within the bridge team.


Consequently, companies should ensure that new Masters, watch officers, chief officers and cadets are well-versed in the new technologies on the bridge and are able to interact in the best possible way with the other officers and pilots as well as with the equipment, on routine and emergency situations.

Realistic scenarios

So, we urge our Member companies to take advantage of the new Simulation Training HELMEPA is now offering and advance the competence of their deck officers providing them with the opportunity to acquire useful skills in a realistic bridge setting.

 

The association in its capacity as "Maritime Training Center for Pollution Prevention, Safety at Sea and Environmental Awareness" according to ISO 9001:2008 Quality Standard, is offering to its Members refresher training on a "NAUTIS Full Mission Bridge Simulator" kindly donated by Associate Corporate Member DNV GL, in appreciation of the voluntary training HELMEPA has been offering to its Members for 33 years.

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The Simulator

It is a NAUTIS Standard Class "A" Full Mission Bridge Simulator compliant with DNV GL Class "A" FMBS specification based on STCW 1978 including the 2010 Manila Amendments.

 The high quality 240° horizontal field of view ship bridge replica simulator is certified as per the Standards for Certification No. 2.14 for Maritime Simulator Systems and IMO model courses 1.22 and 1.32. It provides true to life simulation training as it includes GPS, AIS, Echo-sounder, Speed Log, VDR, RADAR, GMDSS, VHF Communications, Ship Control and Conning Display and ECDIS.

 Its vessel data base has a variety of types and sizes of vessels up to 238,000 grt with lengths up to 318 meters, breadth 47 meters and draught 18 meters.

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Instructors

Instructors of HELMEPA’s simulation courses are experienced former Hellenic Navy deck officers, specially trained and certified in accordance with the STCW Requirements and IMO Model Courses 1.22 and 1.27 for BRM and ECDIS respectively.

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COURSES

HS1 - "Bridge Resource Management" (5-day)

The Cyprus Maritime Administration approved HELMEPA’s BRM Course. Deck officers who will attend it may obtain the official BRM Certificate by applying to the Cyprus Maritime Administration.

 The certified course is a 5-day one and consists of 19 topics presented in 40 hours in total, as the following table shows:

HELMEPA BRM Course (HS1)
Approved by Cyprus Maritime Administration

​HS2 - "Advanced Ship-Ηandling and Navigational Safety" (3-day)

A 3-day seminar with 7 hours classroom presentations, where trainees refresh and enrich their knowledge on BRM principles and how turning cycle characteristics, hull dimensions and shape, draft, current, tides, engines, rudders, thrusters, anchors, shallow waters, squat, banks, channels etc, affect the handling of the vessel. In 14 hours simulator practice (exercises) in a realistic but consequence-free environment, trainees learn to handle the vessel under the effects of combined forces like engines, propellers, anchor's strain, thrusters, currents, wind and tides.

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They get the "feeling" of handling the vessel before they do it in real terms and they maneuver it experimentally in mooring, un-mooring, getting alongside, anchoring, SBM and other scenarios. The seminar is for deck officers of all ranks, useful also to BRM Certificate holders, covering also BRM refresh requirements.

The seminar covers topics of the Model Course 1.22 of IMO (BRM) as well as of ship-handling as follows:

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  • Teambuilding and teamwork

  • Building positive attitude of cooperation

  • Leadership and decision-making

  • Resource management

  • Management of operational tasks

  • Danger of stress

  • Attitude and risk management

  • Safe watch keeping

  • Bridge organization and management

  • Handling of various types of ships

  • Role of Pivot Point

  • Wind, current, squat and banks effects

  • Under Keel Clearance

  • Passage Plan and contingency plans

  • Maneuvering Systems

  • Emergencies on a ship-man overboard

  • Approaching the Pilot Station

  • Navigation with Pilot on board

  • Ship-Ship Interaction

  • Ship-Tug Interaction

  • Berthing and Unberthing

  • Anchoring

 

HS3 - "Navigating in Dense Traffic - Fishing Areas - COLREGs and Loss Prevention" (2-day)

A 2-day seminar with 6 hours classroom analyzing to trainees rules of the road PARTS Band C, with the use of suitable overheads and animations in interactive and highly comprehensive ways.

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During 8 hours of simulator training, participants practice in right COLREGs implementation, safe navigation and collision avoidance in dense traffic and / or fishing areas under various weather conditions. Aiming at enhancing loss prevention mindedness, real case studies of marine incidents/accidents are also presented, analyzed and simulated. The seminar is for deck officers of all ranks, and also for deck cadets.

The following topics are covered:

 

  • Bridge Team - Bridge resources optimum performance. Realizing capabilities and limitations.

  • Master - Officer of the watch - Bridge team roles and most effective cooperation. Calling the Master on the Bridge.

  • Lookouts active role in assisting O.O.W.

  • Pilot on board and his integration in Bridge team

  • Transfer of the watch principles and best practices.

  • COLREGs Parts B and C. Best practices in implementing COLREGs.

  • Using all means to get best - most favorable to each situation, vessel's maneuvering.

  • Rudder response - Speed change over time

  • Wind, current, squat and banks effects on ship handling.

  • Maneuvering the vessel in extreme circumstances.

  • Navigation in dense traffic and fishing areas.

  • Ship-Ship Interaction - Close quarters situations.

  • Bridge equipment and officer's response to malfunctions

HS4 - "Real Incidents’ Simulation and Root Cause Analysis" (2-day)

A 2-day seminar presenting, simulating and analyzing real marine incidents taken initially from existing relevant official sources (MAIB, CHIRP,MARS etc.), and then also from the Voluntary Near Miss Reporting Scheme as it progresses.

  

Cases will be presented and discussed and then simulated as per developed scenarios that are reconstructing the incidents based on reports as above. Further discussion on the incident will follow and lessons learned will be concluded.

HS5 - "Encountering Heavy Seas: coping with Head, Beam and Following and Quartering Seas" (2-day)

A 2-day course presenting and explaining the Surface Analysis and Upper Layer 500 mb Charts and providing information on Tropical Revolving Storms as well as Mid-Latitude Cyclones. Emphasis will be given on avoidance tactics to be followed. Ship’s behavior on Head, Beam and Following/Quartering Seas will be explained in theory and in practice, highlighting the tactics to be used to avoid the included dangerous phenomena, whilst particular analysis will be provided on Synchronous and Parametric Rolling. More specifically, the course includes the following:

Day 1: Heavy Seas Avoidance

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  • Use of Surface Analysis Charts

  • Use of Upper Layer 500MB Charts

  • Tropical Revolving Storms (Hurricane, Typhoons, Cyclones etc in the Tropics) and avoidance  

  • Mid- Latitude Cyclones and avoidance

  • Simulator: Sailing in Heavy Seas under low visibility

Day 2: Encountering Heavy Seas

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  • Ship behavior in waves (Ship’s Natural Rolling Period – Encounter Wave Period)

  • Head Seas: Propellers’ Racing, Speed reduction and torque rich effect on the engine, Shipping Seas, Pitching and Slamming Phenomenon

  • Beam Seas and Synchronous Rolling

  • Following and Quartering Seas: Encountering Wave Grouping Phenomena, Surf Riding and Broaching-to, Reduction of ship’s Stability, Pooping

  • Synchronous Rolling

  • Parametric Rolling

  • Simulator: Sailing in Heavy Seas under low visibility

Participation | Donations

Deck officers, of all ranks, are eligible to attend the seminars. The maximum number of participants in each course is 8 officers.

In order for HELMEPA to cover part of the necessary cost for the simulator's operation and continuous update, Members are kindly requested to pay per participant, in the form of donation:

 

  • HS1 - BRM €250

  • HS2 - Advanced Ship-Ηandling and Navigational Safety €150

  • HS3 - Navigating in Dense Traffic - Fishing Areas - COLREGs and Loss Prevention €100

  • HS4 - Real Incidents’ Simulation and Root Cause Analysis €100

  • HS5 - Encountering Heavy Seas: coping with Head, Beam and Following and Quartering Seas €100

Non HELMEPA Members may participate in the Bridge Simulator Seminars, provided there is availability, against a donation per person of:

 

  • HS1 - BRM €500

  • HS2 - Advanced Ship-Ηandling and Navigational Safety €300

  • HS3 - Navigating in Dense Traffic - Fishing Areas - COLREGs and Loss Prevention €200

  • HS4 - Real Incidents’ Simulation and Root Cause Analysis €200

  • HS5 - Encountering Heavy Seas: coping with Head, Beam and Following and Quartering Seas €200

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