The Royal Caribbean group has opened a maritime training center in Rotterdam as a result of its contract with Simwave. The technical and operational staff of the group's cruise lines receive their most advanced and specialized training at this state-of-the-art training and simulation center.
Article from CruisesNews magazine, issue 49 – June 2019
International safety and environmental legislation, combined with the increasingly demanding requirements of the cruise industry, has driven a greater focus on training and constant evaluation of the human factor.
Despite advances in onboard technology, thorough training is essential to ensure, develop and maintain safe operations.
At Royal Caribbean's training center, maritime personnel can be assessed and trained in bridge, engine room, and cargo handling, as well as in emergency response. This center prepares them for situations that cannot be effectively trained for in real-life scenarios due to danger, cost, or time constraints.
In the engine room training, where the noise of the engines is reproduced ad hoc, as well as the sensation of floating on the water, it is even possible to practice the case of a fire on board, with the consequent evacuation of the control room.
Companies are increasingly investing in technology, but the human element remains fundamental, which is why they also need to be trained to manage high-stress situations.
Royal Caribbean owns a fleet that includes the world's largest cruise ships equipped with cutting-edge technology and whose operation requires highly trained personnel.
Simwave boasts over 50 simulators with virtual reality solutions, along with other educational methods for recreating specific environments and areas. These simulators can replicate the bridges of cruise ships, riverboats, large cargo vessels, and offshore environments. Furthermore, the center is equipped to simulate entry and exit from nearly every port where navigation is permitted, simulating various weather conditions—sun, rain, fog, snow—and even extreme emergency situations. Simwave also provides training for port personnel.
These simulators are available 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.
Officers and crew members from cruise lines move to these 5,000 square meter facilities, where they can reside for the duration of the program for which they have been called up.
The center was inaugurated by Marcel Kind, CEO of SIMwave, Tracy Murrell, Vice President of Maritime Safety and Environment at Royal Caribbean Cruises, as well as Gregory Purdy, Vice President of Maritime Operations and Patrik Dahlgren, Vice President of Global Maritime Operations for the group.
During its first year of operation, Simwave has trained a thousand employees from a dozen shipping companies, including Shell. The center has more than 10 in-house instructors and another 20-30 external instructors.
Royal Caribbean is not the only cruise company that uses the services of the Dutch firm, although "safety is never a matter of competition, but of cooperation," in the words of Gregory Purdy.
During 2019, RCCL will send around 400 employees to the Dutch center, including officers, commanders and technicians, who will work on board ships of all the group's brands: Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises and soon also officers and crew from the newly acquired Silversea Cruises.
