MarineSafety international Celebrates 30th Anniversary

Published Apr 27, 2004 12:01 AM by The Maritime Executive

MarineSafety International (MSI) is celebrating its 30th year of business. MSI, a wholly owned subsidiary of FlightSafety International (FSI), was incorporated by FSI in 1974 with the concept of using simulators and aircrew training techniques to train ship captains, pilots, and mates.

Coordinated from its corporate headquarters at LaGuardia Airport's Marine Air Terminal in New York, MSI owns and operates ship handling simulator learning centers in Newport, RI and Norfolk, VA on the U.S. East Coast; and in San Diego, CA on the West Coast. These centers utilize the latest state-of-the-art simulation techniques to provide a realistic ship maneuvering, navigation, and decision-making environment without real-world risks.

In 1974, Texaco, one of FlightSafety's corporate aircraft training accounts, was introducing VLCCs (Very Large Crude Carriers) into its fleet of ships and bringing some of those large ships into the harbor of Milford Haven, Wales. Texaco wanted someone who could train the masters and pilots to handle the VLCCs. Since their corporate aircraft pilots were receiving simulator training at FlightSafety, the Texaco company officers came to FSI headquarters at LaGuardia Airport in New York City to ask if a similar kind of learning experience could be produced for ship pilots. In the fall of 1976 the first commercial ship simulator was available for training at LaGuardia's Marine Air Terminal.

MSI's LaGuardia learning center generated significant interest among ship operators, port authorities, pilot associations and, not too much later, the U.S. Navy. In August 1980 the first Navy officers used MSI's ship simulator to practice ship handling techniques. These were aviators who had been selected for deep draft commands with the possibility of receiving the command of an aircraft carrier.

The surface Navy also became interested in MSI's simulation training techniques. In 1986 MSI received a contract to establish a learning center in Newport, Rhode Island to provide ship simulator service to the Surface Warfare Officers School (SWOS). That center opened in January 1987. MSI-Newport conducts ship handling training for Department Heads, Prospective Executive Officers, and Prospective Commanding Officers who are attending courses at SWOS.

In 1987, in addition to opening Newport, MSI received a contract from the Maritime Administration to operate the Computer Aided Operations Research Facility (CAORF) at Kings Point, New York. This facility was part of the National Maritime Research Center. It was built around a government-owned ship's bridge simulator that employed the same technology used to simulate the Lunar Excursion Module, the spacecraft used for the moon landings. Its function was to do research into the human factors of piloting ships and to examine the safety and efficiency of port, harbor, and waterway designs. MSI took over CAORF in May 1987, refurbished and upgraded the simulator, and successfully conducted maritime research and training there for nine years.

In 1993, MSI competed for and won a contract with the Navy to establish a ship handling complex in San Diego. The COMNAVSURFPAC Ship handling Complex became operational and was dedicated in December of that year. It has been providing ship handling training to ships of the Pacific Fleet since then. MSI San Diego also provides Bridge Resource Management, Radar Observer, ARPA and ECDIS training to Naval personnel and commercial mariners.

Although much of MSI's business is with the U.S. Navy, it is not exclusively so. MSI developed a good reputation among commercial ship operators and port authorities during its years at LaGuardia and especially at CAORF. After completing an intensive interactive port development/expansion project at MSI Newport, the Port of Rotterdam, Netherlands, decided establish a research and training center in Rotterdam, and came to MSI. A partnership was formed between Rotterdam's Municipal Port Management and MarineSafety International to build and operate a state-of-the-art ship simulator center. MarineSafety Rotterdam (MSR) was commissioned in May 1994 and was managed by MSI until December 2000.

MSI's most recent history resides in the building and operating of a ship handling complex for COMNAVSURFLANT. In July 1998 MSI and the U.S. Navy dedicated this new complex located on the Norfolk Naval Base in Norfolk, Virginia. MSI-Norfolk provides ship handling training, and ARPA, ECDIS, and OOD skills training to the officers of ships in the Atlantic Fleet.

MSI's courses are approved by the U. S. Coast Guard and meet the requirements of the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Code (STCW Code). Each training program is designed, developed, and conducted to increase safety margins and decrease the probability of accidents. Focusing on the decision-making process rather than stressing rote-reaction or mere procedure training, the professional instructors at MSI work to build mariners' knowledge, skill, and judgment.

MSI is differentiated from other training organizations by its Custom Training Package (CTP) approach to customer support. Under the CTP concept, MSI works with client companies to identify operational risks, define objectives, build curriculum, and schedule training. MSI will even help a company gain U.S. Coast Guard approval for its own training program. Of course, training can be "off the shelf" as well, but many times a ship or tug operator or a pilot association requires a course or courses tailored to its individual, unique needs. MSI accommodates the special requirements of its client companies.

MSI also has a long history in conducting simulator-based studies, assisting engineers, port authorities, and regulatory agencies in planning or improving major ports around the world by conducting man-in-the-loop simulator-based studies with pilots and ship operators.

Present customers include the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, Port Authorities, commercial shipping companies, energy companies, ship managers, tug-barge operators, harbor pilots and Government agencies.