02 Jul Simwave Newsletter June 2021
Find out what happened at Simwave in our Newsletter June 2021. Sign up for the newsletter here for regular Simwave updates!
Message from our CEO Marcel Kind
With the start of the European Football Championship The Netherlands colours orange again. Families and friends are in front of the TV jointly watching the games of the national team and in all the shops you receive orange items to support our players.
At Simwave we use the ‘orange carpet’ which means that for seafarers it’s easy to travel to and from Amsterdam / Rotterdam. Our Customer Service Team is busy again with travel arrangements, on side PCR testing and sending joining instructions. Business as usual with different courses and assessments in a week: BRM, ERM, Ship Handling, Polar Code, IGF Code, DP etc. Our over 5.000 m2 building is suited perfectly for the 1,5-meter economy and keeping distance from each other is not a problem.
The first thing I see when I observe groups of participants how happy they are to train again on a full mission simulator with a group of colleagues. The dynamic of a group of people has always been fascinating but now more than ever. People have been waiting to interact with an expert, learn from each other, analyse, work on their competences, have a small talk, explore the dynamic of a ship etc. It’s like a football team which grows into the tournament; at the end it’s a winning team!
Meanwhile, our team of trainers and developers keep on delivering online training and develop new technologies into our Learning Management System. The Hybrid training approach is there to stay. Now we deliver world-wide-train de trainer programs, online LNG courses, best in class stability courses, medical courses through the Vikand School of Maritime Medicine & Public Health or cargo handling courses. In the last year we developed more courses than ever and certified course, e.g., IGF code & Polar Code.
In the Newsletter our focal point for the cruise, Mr. David Frassetto, writes about the Return to Services challenges for the cruise industry and our training manager, Mr. Aat Hoorn, writes about our Electro Technical Office Training.
If you have any question regarding our training and assessment possibilities let us know and we are more than happy to assist you!
With kind regards,
Marcel Kind
CEO & Founder
High Voltage for Electro technical officers
All marine engineers and electro technical officers working on a ship equipped with a high voltage plant, meaning that a voltage is used higher than 1000 V, need to be certified according to the related tables of the STCW Code.
Still, in the light of lifelong learning, it appears that there is need for continuous updating and practising knowledge, understanding and proficiency in the field of working with high voltage.
Therefore, Simwave developed a course ‘High Voltage for Electro Technical Officers’.
In this five days course, the focus is on safety when working with and on high voltage installations.
The course is based on the high voltage part of the specifications of minimum standards for electro technical officers: operate and maintain power systems in excess of 1000 Volts, as per STCW Code, Part A, Chapter 3, Table A-III/6.
Furthermore, the course comprises a medical part, also only with regard to high voltage, based on the same Table A-III/6.
Based on the above competences more detailed learning objectives are obtained from the IMO model course 7.08: Electro-technical officer.
The course comprises of five days of teaching, discussing, and practicing knowledge, consisting of classroom lessons, assignments, and simulator training. The latter to apply the knowledge and understanding and to demonstrate proficiency.
Cruise ships returning to service
After a long-waited period of uncertainties and hopes, it seems that we are finally getting back to business, indeed every cloud has a silver lining. Finally, cruise liners can show their magnificence and strut about around the globe.
The phase we are entering now though can be regarded as the most critical as all the efforts to return to service have to be secured by taking several actions and precautions to be addressed through a thorough planning, risk assessment and forward thinking.
Beside focusing on infection prevention and control, there are certainly many other challenges that will need to be dealt with, to resume operations safely and in ways that satisfy international statutory requirements and individual flag states.
Some technical challenges that should be considered amongst many others that will probably not listed in here, there are:
- Crew familiarization and competence.
- Time pressure.
- Planned maintenances.
- Repairs on damaged equipment before departure, flag states authorisations etc.
- Flag annual inspections.
- Overdue surveys and rectification of deficiencies.
- Ongoing, overdue or postponed LSA and FF equipment service.
- Compliance with new and existing requirements.
- Compliance with Infection prevention and control requirements.
- Infection prevention risk assessment, plan and relevant documentation.
For what is concerning compliance with relevant international and statutory requirements, It is understood that port State Administrations and classification societies have applied in the period of worldwide pandemic, a pragmatic relaxation approach by delaying surveys, inspections and audits to ships.
PSC concentrated campaigns were no exception, and the CIC planned to be conducted in 2020, was in fact postponed to 2021 scheduled to be held from 1 September to 30 November.
The core items Paris and Tokyo MoU Concentrated inspection Campaign (CIC) have at heart in upcoming inspections will be:
- 2021 Stability (in general)
- 2022 STCW
- 2023 Fire Safety
As the CICs are usually combined with regular inspections there are other important aspects that need to be taken care of, also based on the afore list of operational challenges:
- Crew familiarization and competence.
- Fire and abandon drills.
- All due/ overdue surveys, conditions of class and authority.
- Scrubber installation, sensor calibration, record book.
- Fuel sulphur content verification.
- Ballast water treatment plan and ballast water management.
- LSA/FF equipment maintenance and availability.
- Updated Muster list with reduced crew when relevant.
- Escape routes, obstructions and incorrect storage of combustible items.
- EU-MRV/ IMO-DCS / IHM requirements.
- ISM/ISPS/ MLC 2006 related matters.
- Maritime Cyber risk management.
- Stability related matters.
The above list represents only some of the many items, Flag states and classification societies, will be focusing on when conducting inspections and audits.
Additionally, given the requirements to adopt effective measures with regards to infection prevention and control, there will certainly be a very much interest in looking at infectious disease related risk assessment, measures, protocols and all relevant documentation.
To avoid being caught off guard and above all ensure safety comes first, it is paramount of importance to put additional efforts and resources in dealing with the above-mentioned aspects.
Beside the items that have been mentioned above few additional recommendations that might help you in a safe and smooth return to service:
- Promote crew training on ship`s safety, machineries and equipment that have not been in use during the pause of operations.
- Ensure crew familiarization and competencies at all levels.
- Promote virtual and computer-based trainings using all available technologies.
- Ensure maintenance and testing of all ship`s machineries, equipment, and appliances.
- Planned maintenance systems to be followed and maintained up to date.
- Conduct effective risk assessments in relation to on board infectious disease and produce relevant documentation and plans.
Correct and effective implementation of infection prevention and control measures.
Please do not hesitate to contact us for more information.
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