The student operates the simulator's terminal systems with four monitors.

Unique simulator for liquid bulk handling

An advanced terminal simulator for the handling of floating bulk products is a new training tool at Kymenlaakso Polytechnic/Maritime Studies in Kotka. The incentive for this unique simulator came from Kymenlaakso Polytechnic and the equipment has been developed by Transas Ltd.
When Kymenlaakso Polytechnic/Maritime Studies initiated the acquisition of a tanker cargo handling simulator for deck officers some years ago, solutions by several manufacturers were compared. A team of experts found that Transas’ solution had the overall best performance for their needs.
– Transas offered the most realistic and in every way the best solution, explains Mr Timo Alava, who is in charge of training at Kymenlaakso Polytechnic/Maritime Studies.
Another advantage was the price.
– Transas offered the best value for money so we went for Transas’ system, says Mr Alava.

Now the tanker simulator has been in use with Kymenlaakso Polytechnic/Mari-time Studies for about three years and everyone has been very satisfied with the considerably more realistic dimension in training. Previously it was only possible to practise tanker cargo handling operations in theory. Today the basic theory lessons are succeeded by practical simulator training.

Simulating terminal operations
Based upon the positive experiences from the tanker simulator Mr Tapani Salmenhaara, director of Maritime Studies at Kymenlaakso Polytechnic, came up with the idea to develop a corresponding simulator for the land-based terminal. Mr Alava and Mr Jarkko Kukkonen, project manager at Kymenlaakso Polytechnic/Maritime Studies, also participated in the project. The need for such a system had been brought to attention several times during training in the tanker simulator. The idea was presented to Transas and soon a contract was signed between Transas Scandinavia AB and Kymenlaakso Polytechnic.
Neste Oil’s port in Sköldvik and Vopak in Kotka have also participated in the development of this totally new product. The testing of the new terminal simulator began earlier this year. Terminal operators from Neste Oil have already participated in an in-house training programme handled by the Kymenlaakso Polytechnic.

Interactive simulations
At the end of this year the project will be in a phase where the existing tanker simulator will be integrated into the new terminal simulator.
– After that we will be able to arrange very realistic interactive simulations with deck officers and terminal operators simultaneously, explains Mr Alava.
The project will be completed at the end of March 2006, when the new terminal simulator will be totally integrated with the tanker cargo handling simulator.
– Then we will be able to start the regular training schedule, says Mr Alava.
For students at Kymenlaakso Polytechnic the basic training of tanker operations for the Captain studies will include several days in the simulator.
Terminal operators and deck officers also trade places during the training sessions. Neste Oil originally initiated this procedure during tanker simulations. It enabled the terminal operators to see the operations from the deck officer’s point of view and the results were encouraging.
– The terminal operators say that they now understand much better why problems may occur on board the vessels during cargo handling. Now both parties get a chance to learn what happens on board the vessel and in the terminal respectively and which actions are taken by the other side, explains Mr Alava.

Timo Alava is delighted with the performance of the new terminal simulator.
– Experienced operators have found some minor details in the software, which are not quite logical. We try to find these faults throughout the project and they will then be corrected by Transas. This continuous interaction with the manufacturer results in a very realistic simulator, where several decades of user experience is incorporated, explains Mr Alava.
According to Mr Alava, the co-operation with Transas and the Russian partners in general has been very good.
– We hope to continue with co-operation within Research & Development also in the future, he says.

Changing scenarios
The terminal simulator aims at training the skills of supervisory cargo masters in several fields regarding terminal operations such as terminal capacity distribution, the ability to monitor and memorize all the operations occurring in the complicated pipe net of terminal systems, as well as to react adequately to technological and weather changes with the technical capabilities of the system in mind. The trainees are also required to evaluate the possible consequences of personnel operations, changes in the technological operation chain and new possibilities and limitations.

Realistic tanker loading and unloading exercises may be integrated into one technological cycle or applied as separate exercises. The simulator allows the downloading of an exercise, which describes the initial conditions and approximate training scenario. Instructors can then change the course of the exercises and bring in different scenarios and limitations.
Preventing oil spills
During the development of the terminal simulator several innovative solutions were implemented. These include simulated monitoring of the area using video cameras and an improved graphic interface (GUI), as well as a universal mathematical model.

In addition to the simulation of terminal operations in normal conditions it is also possible to carry out emergency routines, basically aimed at preventing oil spills.
During the second phase of the project an integrated education tool for the elimination of oil spill consequences by advanced interaction with navigational and spill response simulators will be created. This will allow the possibility to cover the whole range of accident and post-accident tasks.

Well-known supplier
Transas is one of the leading developers and suppliers of software, integrated solutions and hardware technologies for the marine transportation industry. The company’s range of products includes both onboard and shore-based applications.

The company was founded in Russia in 1990 and the business idea was to provide the very best in marine navigational systems, which still could be run on standard PCs. Since then Transas has grown substantially.
Today Transas’ products are distributed and supported by a network of representative offices in some 100 countries. The company employs more than 1,000 people virtually all over the world. The international activities are co-ordinated through offices located in Russia, USA, UK, Germany, Sweden, China, Singapore and UAE.

As a logical consequence of the company’s ongoing expansion into international markets the International Transas Headquarters were established in Cork, Ireland in July 2003. The Central Office is situated in St Petersburg, Russia.
– We aim to satisfy our customers’ needs throughout the whole life cycle of purchased products, explains Mr Anders Rydlinger, managing director of Transas Scandinavia AB in Gothenburg.
He explains that the Transas Service Centres, which are located in ports along all major shipping routes, are manned by certified engineers in order to offer the best technical support to clients worldwide.

Wide range of products
Transas’ range of marine products is wide and includes marine onboard equipment; complex integrated onboard systems; electronic cartography; training simulators; coastal surveillance, waterside security and VTS systems; and fleet management and crisis management systems.
To many seafarers Transas is perhaps best known for their electronic charts. More than 3 million vector electronic charts in Transas proprietary TX-97 format have been distributed to users throughout the world. Almost every second SOLAS vessel in the international fleet equipped with onboard electronic chart systems has an ECS or ECDIS system from Transas.
The shore-based Vessel Traffic Management Systems of Transas are used in more than 40 ports in different parts of the world.

The products are designed in full compliance with international requirements set out for manufactured types of equipment, including those by IMO, STCW, SOLAS, MARPOL, DNV (Norway), Germanisher Lloyd and BSH (Germany), Maritime and Coastguard Agency (UK), France Telecom and Bureau Veritas (France), Russian Register of Shipping and The Maritime Administration of the Ministry of Transport (Russia). This compliance is confirmed by classification societies in many countries. All the development and quality control procedures are carried out in accordance with the ISO-1994:9001 standard.
During the 2004/2005 fiscal year the Transas Group had an annual turnover of USD 79 million.

Transas also develop products for the airborne industry. For example, airplane and helicopter simulators are used in training of aircraft personnel for the civil aviation of Russia.

//Pär-Henrik Sjöström