Sydney is now home to state-of-the-art maritime training simulators following the establishment of a new facility in Darling Harbour by AMC Search, the training and consultancy division of the Australian Maritime College (AMC).
Training simulators are as vital for Australia’s mariners as they are for its aviators, providing familiarisation and emergency training that helps keep tens of thousands of maritime workers - and the billions of dollars of goods they transport- safe at sea.
The new facility is linked to the National Centre for Maritime Simulation in Tasmania and combines replica ship and vessel communications equipment with realistic ocean, coast and port backdrops for immersive maritime training.
AMC Principal Michael van Balen said the new Sydney facility would boost safety in the maritime industry by making simulated training accessible to more people.
“Familiarisation with equipment and processes as well as the ability to practise emergency situations in a safe but realistic environment are key to keeping people safe at sea,” van Balen said.
“Our new Maritime Simulations Unit aims to enhance maritime safety across NSW and the rest of Australia by extending the reach of the pedagogical expertise and simulation software developed over decades at the AMC in Tasmania to organisations in the important maritime hub of Sydney.”
The Maritime Simulations Unit includes the latest Kongsberg and Transas simulation solutions for training in vessel navigation, vessel traffic services (like air traffic control) and emergency and distress calls.
It also provides access to an extensive library of vessel and port models developed in-house at AMC and previously only available in Tasmania.