New Engineering Course Offering at the Global Maritime and Transportation School (GMATS)

GMATS adds to their schedule a new course in Marine High Voltage Safety.

In the maritime community, change is a constant. Too often change is motivated by catastrophe. Changes in equipment, changing crews and limited time all contribute to the conditions for accidents to occur. The Global Maritime and Transportation School (GMATS) provides the training necessary to improve safety and reduce accidents. GMATS has earned a distinguished reputation as a global institutional leader in providing world-class, professional mariner education and training in accordance with the provisions of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) and other national and international standards, laws, and regulations relating to the training and certification of seafarers. GMATS is co-located with the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy on 82 acres overlooking Long Island Sound in Kings Point, New York.

The design of electrical systems using high voltage in the marine environment is becoming more common due to advances in design philosophy calling for smaller electrical conductors and motors, without giving up power or capability. In marine use and ashore the term “high voltage” refers to voltages over six hundred volts. The use of high voltage power is becoming much more common in the marine propulsion field and is commonly found in offshore oil rigs, cruise ships, and new builds. High voltage offers more challenges to mariners, and requires a new set of skills to reduce the occurrence of fatal accidents.

GMATS has recently added to their schedule a new course in Marine High Voltage Safety. This course meets the unique demands in the maritime field for training concerning high voltage electrical situations. It has been written in cooperation with current industry leaders who are using high voltage equipment daily. The special needs in the marine environment for high voltage training are addressed in this class as they pertain to propulsion, maintenance and repair.

GMATS has focused the course of instruction to provide the student with working knowledge of: the tools, test gear, and protective equipment necessary to work with or near high voltage power; the most current equipment including Personnel Protective Devices such as protective gloves and safety clothing; the hazards and assessment of arc flash; and insulation measurement of high voltage propulsion motors and generators, grounding of conductors for repair, and A.C to D.C rectification. This course can provide skills directly useable by professional mariners, shore side supervisors and port engineers.

Contact GMATS for dates and more information at (516) 726-6100 or on the web at http://gmats.usmma.edu/

For additional information on custom training and offsite locations, please contact Hilary Flanagan, Marketing and Business Development Manager, at (516) 726-6151 or via e-mail at [email protected].