Using Deck and Engine Room Simulators in the practical training of the Maritime

University of Constanta graduate students and officers

FANEL-VIOREL PANAITESCU1, MARIANA PANAITESCU2
1
Maritime University of Constanta
2
Maritime University of Constanta
email:[email protected]
Abstract
The practical training of the future deck or engine room officer supposes two
possibilities:
1. The existence of a real school-vessel, capable to ensure the real training of a number
of 20 to 40 students-cadets, professors and qualified complete ship crew in a open sea
voyage
2. The use of a Navigational (deck) Simulator for deck cadets and a Engine Room
Simulator for electromechanicall cadets.
The present paper shows how the Maritime University of Constanta solved the
practical training of our cadets imposed by The Romanian Naval Authority and STCW
international rules.
We present the advantages using Simulators:
- possibility to introduce critical/dangerous situations and malfunctions for
graduates;
- a real and objective student evaluation, based on repeatable scenarios
Also we present situations that can appear using Simulators, due to the absence
of a real phenomena perception.
Keywords: Training Simulator, practical graduates capabilities, high maritime
education
INTRODUCTION
The Romanian maritime education and training organizations started to
develop and implement quality management systems as a strategic policy, in order to
meet to market requirements.
Constanta Maritime Univesity had to comply with the regulations imposed both by
Ministry of Education and Research and by Maritime Authority. The Romanian
maritime education, training and certification regulations have been continuously
improved. The last changes introduced by the Maritime Authority requires:
- quality management system certification for the institutions delivering IMO
model courses
- training and certification of the assessors angaged in maritime examinations for
certification
- training and certification of the trainers delivering IMO model courses.
An overview of Maritime Universioty of Constanta shows that:

Higher - education institution since 1972, in 1973 it merged with the Military
School of Navy Officers, forming the Navy Institute "Mircea cel Batrn" in
Constanta, governed by the Ministry of National Defence. In 1990, the
Faculties of Navigation and Naval Electromechanics split from the Naval
Institute and under the name of Merchant Maritime Institute Constanta they

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registered under the Ministry of Education. In 2000, it became Constanta Maritime

University. Shipping and crewing companies offer our graduates employment in
international crews i.e. about 95 percent professional job placement. Since December
2000 the University is to be found on the "White List" of Maritime Institutions
acknowledged by the International Maritime Organization.

5 professional licenses and 85 experienced academics :

Navigation and Maritime Transport Faculty (engineers, 5 years, full time),

Electromechanical
Faculty (engineers, 5 years, full time), with 3 departments: Naval Electro
mechanics,
Electrotechnics
and
Environmental
engineering
in
industry(engineers, 4 years, full time) and a college of Maritime and River
Navigation College ( 3 years, full time) and Bachelor's degree.

9 postuniversity courses in maritime related fields: Port Management,

Maritime Law, Maritime and Multi-modal Transport Management (delivered in
English), Advanced Concepts of Marine Engineering, Naval Radio
Communications, Maritime Safety (delivered in English), Hydrography and
the Exploration of Coast Potential, Technical Management of Port AreasMaster's degree. Ph.D degree - doctoral studies in the field of Mechanical
Engineering; so far we have awarded Doctor Honoris Causa titles to several
distinguished personalities in the maritime field, such as Osman Kamil Sag,
Gunter Zade, Eftimios Mitropoulos. The teaching staff of C M U consists of 85
experienced academics.

Campus: the main building (4,455 sqm) 104, Mircea cel Batrn Street; two
hostels to accommodate all students enrolled in the university; a nautical
training centre (9,710sqm) on the banks of Mamaia Lake.

Updates:
Constanta Maritime University is the first Romanian university certified for the
Management of Quality by Bureau Veritas Quality International, an internationally
regognised body.

State of the art Naval Simulation Centre comprising Full Mission Navigation
Simulator, Engine Room Simulator, GMDSS Simulator that train students and
seagoing personnel for operational and management level.
The university also offers adult and continuous education courses.

The paper presents the implementation, the role and functions of the new
simulators as part of the teaching process. Quality can not be obtained without new

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teaching methods and training procedures, where IT and simulators occupy an
outstanding place. These new methods and techniques have been introduced in the
Maritime University of Constanta ( MUC ) step by step, from the multimedia tools to
computers with dedicated complex softwares, used in the simulators for the Navigation,
Engine Room, GMDSS and SAR. E-learning is used both in the theoretical and
practical process for different purposes: testing, evaluation, self-evaluation, virtual
laboratories and simulators.
This paper outlines the specifications of MUC simulator and provides a
progress report on the recent improvements in the navigation and marine engineering
education curricula and includes the use of MUC Navigation, GMDSS and ER
simulators for the research studies at MUC in safety management (ISM Code).
Current MUC Navigation, GMDSS and ER simulators courses aim at
improving knowledge and skills of MUC students on the regular operation,
watchkeeping, and malfunction detection of navigation and engine room systems. In
order to achieve an integrated education and training process; classroom briefings,
workstation guided exercises with checklists concept, and full-mission simulators are
used. An important element of simulator use in the curricula has been focused on the
compliance with STCW-95 competency evaluation requirements. This highly integrated
simulator-based education and training system have been ramping-up to full operation
to provide integrated individual and team training in the navigation and marine
engineering professional courses.
The simulators,used for the practical training part,proved to be the perfect
solution to create appropriate conditions similar to the real situation on board ship,
regarding operating ships, maritime equipments practicing procedures established by
the International Safety and Rescue Rules.The training tests and the results evaluation
tests are compiled be professor -instructors from the University.
This paper is also an analysis of the results obtained through the introduction
of the Navigation, GMDSS and the Engine Room (ER) simulators in the Maritime
University of Constanta (MUC), as well as the update of equipment and training
methodology.The results attest the growing importance of E-leaming and E- training as
well as of the quality and efficiency of the educational process in Maritime University,
ensuring maritime safety and security. The investments made in this respect proved to
be economically efficient.
Over the last decade the world vessel fleets have become highly sophisticated
and technically advanced. However due to human error, disasters still occur.
Operational failures a miss-communication can easily cause major accidents or
expensive breakdowns with severe economical consequences for a company.
The new challenge for shipping companies, maritime colleges and training
centers will be to find tools for such training and evaluation.
Once the educational system registered a reform, due to the major impact of
the technical revolution during the last twenty years, the teaching methods and
techniques had to undergo major changes.
The facilities provided by the latest achievements of the information
technology, not only as regards computing speed and storing capacity, but also, and
especially through the unprecedented development of software packages, which offer
the possibility of commissioning such resources, imposed themselves in the last years as
an essential and outstanding support in the educational process. The new approaches of
the training methods include the following: improved links between on-the-job and off-

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the-job activities; self-learning and distance learning training packages (computer, video
and audio teaching aids); trainer training; modular training; simulator training.
The main objectives of the new approach for educational methods and
techniques are as follows: to make a knowledge transfer from the traditional support; to
organize the inter-active data bases for storing, updating and transfer of knowledge to
the trainees; to develop some protection, supervising and administration systems for the
access to such data bases; to implement the intranet and internet access information
systems.
One of principal goal of our maritime educational process is to allow, key
problems of fleet such as safe navigation and safety of life at sea. MUC developed a
number of educational and training programs for maritime specialists and other personal engaged in use and maintenance of the equipment for safety of navigation.
The simulators-the succesfull of the educational efficiency for safe navigation
safety on the sea
Simulator training has over the last years proved to be an effective training
method when training engineers, especially where an error of judgement can endanger
life, environment and property. A dynamic real-time computerized simulator can, when
it comes to certain situations, compress years of experience, into a few weeks and give
competence to handle these situations and know ledge of the dynamic and interactive
processes typical for a real engine room.
Proper simulator training will reduce accidents, will prevent the maritime
disaster and marine pollution too, besides its educational training seamanship in
navigation and maneuvering. The simulators improve efficiency, and give the engineers
the necessary experience and confidence in their job-situation.
Starting with 2002 year MUC had installed and put in operation three
Kongsberg Norcontrol simulators: GMDSS and SAR simulator, Engine room simulator
and Navigation simulator. The MUC installed these simulators to organize practical
training for its students and graduates, for ship and shore users as well as for system
service engineering training. Simulators , used for he practical training proved to be the
perfect solution to create appropriate conditions similar to the real situation on board
ship- regarding operating ships, maritime equipments, practicing procedures established
by the International Safety and Rescue Rules. The use on ship the gmdss equipment
widened its possibilities for safety purposes. the gmdss simulator includes one gmdss
console equipped with different gmdss replica instruments.
The equipment of a console consists of the following components:
Radiotelephone VHF simplex/duplex/semi duplex channel
-Radiotelephone SSB MF and HF
DSC Controller and receiver MF and HF
Navtex

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-Inmarsat C complete

Radio telex (NBDP)

EPIRB and SART

All the ships GMDSS/SAR radio equipment, SART (Search and Rescue
Transponder), EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon), Radar display,
Navtex, Communication systems (VHF, DSC, NBDP) are graphically simulated on the
student PC station.
The GMDSS and SAR simulator is used both, by the students of Navigation
Faculty and those of Naval Electromechanically, but with different targets in accordance
with their competences on the ship board.
The GMDSS and SAR simulator is also used to train and examine deck cadets
with a view to getting a GMDSS operator certificate, a necessary requirement for the
deck officers as future masters.
The GMDSS and SAR simulator consists now of a main instructor station and
four student stations and it is to be fitted with two more student stations this year. The
simulator includes all radio communication equipment for sea area A1 to A4 in
accordance with international regulations IMO/ SOLASD/ GMDSS. The instructor
station is connected to the student stations by a computer network. The simulator
provides a training interactive package combining computer-based training with PC
simulation. The instructor has the possibility of creating a lot of exercises and
modifying different parameters, such as: sea area, types of equipment, ships
geographical position, heading and speed, identification number and name, etc.By
means of computer the instructor can configure all the instruments which are available
to the student for each SAR-mission exercise.
All the ships GMDSS/ SAR radio equipment, SART (Search and Rescue
Transponder), EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon), Radar display,
NAVTEX, communication systems (VHF, DSC, NBDP) are graphically simulated on
the student PC station.
In Maritime University of Constantza exists a KONGSBERG NORCONTROL
ERS-MC 90-III engine room simulator which has:
1. instructor station;
2. control room equipment;
3. engine room equipment;
4. internal telephone;
5. synthesized sound system;
6. documentation;
7. installation&start-up;
8. training.
The concept of training and evaluation control (TEC) is an instructor system
which gives the instructor/student a tool for an efficient handling of the training and
evaluation of the predefined task and the student an easy operated system. This system
is built up of scenarios and all scenarios can be edited and changed on-line, while the
simulator is running, or created off-line. The on-line facility is normally used during a
session, when the training progress has to be justified. The students run their training
from TEC in the operator mode.

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In following picture is presented the solution of our engine room simulator:

KONGSBERG NORCONTROL ERS-MC 90-III engine room simulator

For the training of students of Navigation Faculty was installed an TRANSAS

simulator:

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The TRANSAS full mission bridge configuration consists of the entire

spectrum of navigational controls to be expected on a bridge, including radar displays,
ECDIS, vessel controls and navigational sensors, all of which are built into consoles.
All related visual and sound effects are also incorporated into the simulator to create a
realistic, professional simulated environment. Main components of the Full Mission
bridge simulator include Conning station, ECDIS display, NavAids and Instrumentation
display, Bearing/CCTV/2nd Conning station, Visual channel(s), Real ship controls,
Mathematical model, Databases . It will be exemplified the exercises created by the
instructors and the mood of evaluation for each type of simulator.
SAR simulator for the research studies at MUC :

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TESTS on simulators:
OPERATIONAL TEST 1
Title: Scenario 1-Dead Ship Start
The ship has been at the dock or anchorage for a week and no equipment is
running nor is shore power available. Prior to shutting down, the engineers had purified
adequate HFO to fill HFO service tank. They had also filled the DO service tank. The
Fresh Water Expansion Tank(s) was left filled 50%. Lube oil sumps were left 50% full
with freshly purified oil. Both starting air tanks were pressed up to 30 bar (485 psig).
Service Air Receiver was pressed up to 7 bar (102 psig).
The ship is in a tropical Gulf port. Air temp. is 30 deg.C (86 deg.F), and sea
water is 30 deg.C (86 deg.F). Vessel is in ballast. All other parameters are set at normal
condition. The control will be in the ME Local Control Mode. The Test Director (TD)
will follow the steps necessary to bring the engine room to the point where the engine is
ready to respond to the remote control. At this point the TD will create INIT
CONDITION 2 READY FOR DEPARTURE. Initial Condition 2 will be used to set
the initial conditions for future scenarios. No faults will be inserted in this scenario.
2 Data Sheet 1
Step No. Test Director Action Observation Observer Notes
2.1 At the start of Init. Condition 1,Dead Ship Start,all ambients, hull condition, ship
load etc., are set at default values. No power is available.

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2.2 Power up the simulator by supplying 24V to Random selection of all Control
Consoles, operating panels, pumps and valves are Main Switchboard sections
and ME Local illuminated. Operating Console.
2.3 Load Initial Condition 1 DEAD SHIP START:
Press all lamp test pushbuttons and take Verify that all lamps printout of selected model
drawings. representing valves, pumps and controllers are lit. Select various subsystem displays for -No steam pressure. Ref. sub-systems verifying the Dead
Ship Condition. -No machinery MD19; MD20; MD56; MD70; running. MD71;
MD72, or Boiler Console, -No el power. Main Switchboard and Control -All
generators Room Console disconnected and stopped.
2.4 Check Control Room Console and Engine All Controllers are in Room equipment to
be certain that Local Control. All controls are in the correct position for the
initial conditions of OP Test 1. Start simulation by pressing Running
RUNNING at TEC2000 is lit, i.e., Simulation is on.
2.5 Start Emergency Generator in MANUAL from the Main Ref.sub-system
Switchboard in local Connect Emergency Generator Voltage, on emergency
Electric Power Plant' (MD 70) from the same location. bus bar (440V) Note:
Emergency Gen. is battery started .
2.6 Line up Compressed Air System, by: Ref. sub-system Draining all Air Coolers and
Receivers. Water Content 'Compressed Air System' .Close when Water Content
is zero decreases to zero (MD 60). Open valves for LTFW Cooling to Air
V04440, V0442 and V04444 Coolers. Open inlet valves to Air Receivers. (The
corresponding V04460, V04461 valves is lit.) V04462, V04463.Open outlet
valves from Air Receivers. (The corresponding valves is lit.). Open Service Air
Receiver Inlet and Outlet Valve, and Control Air Drier/press Reduction V04464,
V04465 and V04466 Valve.
2.7 Open for LTFW cooling of Compressor Air Ref. sub-system: Coolers: 'Main SW
System' (MD 01). Line up the LTFW system by opening valves Ref. sub-system
(MD10) allowing flow through the Air Compressor V1135, V1123.
Cooler.Check ME FW Expansion Tank level Min 1.0 meter Ref. sub-system
(MD10). Start Aux. LTFW pump Aux LTFW pump starts LTFW Discharge Ref.
sub-system (MD10)Pressure. P1001, G1075 LTFW starts flowing .Set LTFW
controller in AUTO, and setpoint Controller changes to to 34 deg C. new output
value.
2.8 Line up SW system:

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Open Sea Chest 1 inlet valve, and FW Cooler/ 1 SW Shut Off Valve. V700 and V0670/
Open SW overboard .Shut Off Valve and SW/ Recirc Line Shut Off Valve/ Start
Aux SW Pump SW. Discharge Ref. sub-system (MD1)/ Pressure. G063, P0632/
SW starts flowing/ Set SW Controller in Auto, and Setpoint to Controller
changes to Ref. sub-system (MD 01) 20 deg C. new output value. Observe the
flow in overboard and recirc lines
2.9 Prepare DG1 for start-up: DG1 Oil Sump 50% Ref. sub-system full 'Diesel
Generator 1' (MD 71) and - Line up DG1 LO system or Hardware delivered.
- Set DG1 El. LO Pump in Auto LO pump starts and runs till normal LO press is
obtained and then stops.

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- Line up DG1 Start Air Line Start Air Press to DG1

- Line up DG1 DO System
- Check DO Service Tank Level (MD 03) 4,0 meter
- Check FW Exp. Tank Level 50% full
- Line up DG1 SW System
- Reset DG1 trips if any
- Set DG1 in Local Control Mode DG1 accelerating to
Press start button DG1. approx 1200 RPM
2.10 Raise speed to frequency 60Hz Ref. sub-system:
'Electrical Power Plant' (MD 70) and Main Switchboard./ Adjust voltage to 440/
Connect DG1 to Main Bus Bar Emergency Generator/ Circuit Breaker is
automatically
disconnected./Set DG1 in Remote Control mode. When all Observe that the alarms are
removed, the Ready Lamp will AUTO and Ready light. Select AUTO- mode at
Power, and and Prior 1 are lit at select Priority 1 PowerChief.Set Emergency
Generator in AUTO Em'gy Gen. stops after a while
2.11 Start Air Compressors: Ref. sub-system
'Compressed Air System' (MD 60) and on Hardware if delivered.
Set Start Air Compressor 2 in Auto at Compressor No.2 PowerChief.
Auto lamp at Control Console on
Set Service Air Compressor in AUTO Service Air Compressor,
Auto lamp at Control Console on
2.12 Prepare DG2 for stand-by: DG2 Oil Sump 50% full
- Line up DG2 LO System
- Set DG2 El. LO Pump in Auto LO Pump starts and runs till normal LO press is
obtained and then stops.

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Line up DG2 Start Air Line Start Air Press to DG2

- Line up DG2 DO System

- Check DO Service Tank Level (MD 03) 4,0 meter Ref. subsystem
Diesel Generator no.2 (MD72)
- Check FW Exp. Tank Level 50% full
- Line up DG2 SW System
- Reset DG2 trips if any
- Set DG2 in Remote Control mode READY lamp turns Ref. subsystem Pump &
Compr.on Panel (MD101)
- Set DG2 in AUTO
Conclusions
Various simulators and simulations software together with other hands-on
training including labs training ship have played an important role in providing and
assessing the skills that the students need to acquire. muc developed a number of
educational and training programs for maritime specialists and other personnel engaged
in use and maintenance of the equipment for safety of navigation.
Simulators are powerful means in the maritime educational system as they
develop multipurpose skills. They render students the possibility to know the processes
in their dynamics and interaction, facilitate an easy and fast understanding of the basic
theoretical notions, which can be demonstrated by using programs that initiate different
drills that simulate real on-board situations.
As a result of introducing these modern technologies in maritime education,
the results an positive and stimulative for pursuing this activity. The students are guided
towards independent study and to self evaluation. These methods make learning and
training more effective and attractive, and have increased the students interest in
attending the courses, laboratories and simulators. The use of simulators has proved to
be not only a modern and fast method of learning and developing practical skills for the
future maritime officers, but also very profitable from the economic point of view.

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REFERENCES
IMO Model Course 2.07.2002, Engine Room Simulator, UK. Intype libra Ltd,
London.
Harkon Dyrvyk(s), (2003), Traninig and Evaluation Control( TEC) Instructors Manual
for Neptune, , Konsberg Maritime Ship Systems AS. Norway
Uchida, M., Kusoglu, A.Cicek, I.,Bayulken, A., Nakazawa, T., ( 2002), As a field
reasearch on safety management,, International Maritime Lectures Association
12( IMLA 12), Shanghai..
Jurian, M., ( 2003), New educational tools for teaching and traning in maritime
electrical engineering, Proceedings 2nd UNESCO Conference on Engineering
education, Sibiu, Romania.
Jurian, M., F.V. Panaitescu, M. Panaitescu, D., Samata, The importance of educational
factor to assure the safe and security on the sea, 3rd Balkan Region Conference on
Engineering Education Sibiu, Romania, 12 - 15 September, 2005.

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