A $2-million investment has paid for upgrades at a B.C. Ferries terminal building on Vancouver Island, converting it into a state-of-the-art training facility.
Screens, displays, computers and modern control panels are now set up at Departure Bay ferry terminal in Nanaimo and members of the media were given a tour Wednesday, May 10.
Malcolm Rodger, B.C. Ferries含羞草研究社� manager of simulation training and an instructor, said the set-up makes for a better educational experience. The equipment simulates real-world marine situations as much as possible, even providing a sensation of a rocking vessel. However, there are no vibrating floors or mist spraying and it含羞草研究社檚 all visual.
含羞草研究社淭he maps were built with pictures, digitalization and specific requests from B.C. Ferries. Things are in the right place and things are to scale含羞草研究社卟菅芯可鐫 Rodger said. 含羞草研究社淚s it perfect? It含羞草研究社檚 not meant to be perfect, it含羞草研究社檚 meant to be in the likeness, but it含羞草研究社檚 very good.含羞草研究社�
Robin Grypma, B.C. Ferries含羞草研究社� senior manager of bridge simulation, worked in the fleet for 10 years and has been training people for the last six. The new simulator is impressive, she said, and 含羞草研究社渘ight and day含羞草研究社� compared to the equipment used when she was coming up. The previous simulator, while excellent, was outdated after 12 years, she said.
含羞草研究社淭he models themselves, they含羞草研究社檙e all hydro-dynamically developed, so they respond much more efficiently and with more response in this new simulator,含羞草研究社� said Grypma. 含羞草研究社淭he visuals are a thousand times better. The equipment we含羞草研究社檝e installed 含羞草研究社� is actually what含羞草研究社檚 on board. We replicate [what含羞草研究社檚] onboard so there含羞草研究社檚 less training about how to use equipment and more training with how to respond to emergencies.含羞草研究社�
Training facilities at Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay are no longer being used, making the Nanaimo facility 含羞草研究社渢he focus,含羞草研究社� said Rodger.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 central to the fleet, central to travel, central to the bulk of the crew,含羞草研究社� he said.
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