Solent University

Case study

Location

Southampton, UK

Time frame

2018-2019

Business need

Ship and port simulation centre to ensure top-notch maritime education and training

Specifics

The largest and most sophisticated simulation centre in the UK opened in 2019 by Solent University's Warsash School of Maritime Science and Engineering, using Wärtsilä’s technologies.
The highlight took place in May 2019, when a new home for the cutting-edge maritime simulation technology was opened by Sir Michael Bibby Bt., DL, President of the UK Chamber of Shipping.
The maritime simulation centre situated on Solent University’s Southampton campus, is the largest in the UK, featuring the latest equipment and software from Wärtsilä, including eight full-mission bridge simulators, a crane operations simulator, engine-room and high-voltage simulator, and specialist ECDIS, LICOS, GMDSS, DP and VTS training spaces.

Why Wärtsilä?

The main factors in securing Wärtsilä’s position were going the extra mile, keeping the focus on the University’s best interests and ensuring Wärtsilä applies the "consultant/expert" rather than the "sales" approach.

The tender document was prepared by in-house experts and simulator professionals based on their vast portfolio and the specific needs of Warsash who does not only deliver cadetship programmers but has an extensive network of partners and users operating the system whenever it is not used for cadet education.

Product quality, reliability, and very importantly, the supplier's capability to quickly and effectively support the system become key here.

Solution

The world-class simulation training center, powered by more than 300 servers and computers signaling to nearly 500 screens, enables seafarers to train on state-of-the-art facilities. All simulators are linked by 35,000m of data cable and are networked for joint exercises between bridge and engine departments, or ship and shore:

8 full-mission navigational bridges
Full-mission engine room simulator with 3 Virtual Machinery Spaces
Over 50 part-task simulators
Full-mission Dynamic Positioning (DP) simulator and 6 DP stations
2 Electronic Chart Display Information System (ECDIS) suites
On-shore and offshore crane simulators
Liquid cargo operations simulators (LICOS)
High Voltage (HV) simulators
GMDSS radio and satellite communications suites
Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) suites
4 multi-purpose desktop simulation classrooms
4 debriefing classrooms, with replay capability for effective debriefs
Virtual Shipyard to build digital twins of existing ships or ships under design/construction

The centre includes new capabilities for several new specialist training courses.

Dynamic positioning

Vessel traffic management

Offshore and onshore crane handling

Ice navigation

Dual fuel and tri-fuel models

Integrated navigation/engine/liquid cargo training

Results

After a thorough investigation, Solent University chose to replace all the simulators from various suppliers to Wärtsilä x Transas, who has equipped the brand-new center of excellence and ensured consistent and timely switch from one location to another. Wärtsilä has also gone into a long-term maintenance partnership and will promote the mutual achievement further through the means of the Simulation User Conference taking place at Solent University Summer 2020.

The project went extraordinary well and benefitted from excellent collaboration and support from Transas/Wärtsilä team and got the School back to the forefront of maritime simulation again

Lars Lippuner
Head of Commercial Operations Warsash School of Maritime Science and Engineering, Solent University

Contact us

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