Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) has invested in facilities for training seafarers in dynamic positioning (DP) in Japan, as the nation prepares to grow its fledgling offshore renewables industry
MOL Marine & Engineering Co has opened the DP training centre (DPTC) in Tokyo with a new full-mission K-Sim DP simulator from Kongsberg Digital. This will be the first DP training centre in Japan to be accredited by the Nautical Institute (NI) to provide NI-approved training courses.
Kongsberg Digital also delivered to MOL’s DPTC a K-Sim DP anchor-handling, class A simulator to support advanced offshore training and four Kongsberg K-Pos DP class C desktop simulators for basic DP training, including instructor stations to manage the exercises.
These deliveries come as MOL becomes more involved in constructing offshore windfarms offshore Japan.
“We installed Kongsberg DP simulators and were able to open a quality DP training centre in Tokyo, Japan” confirmed MOL Marine and Engineering Co president Nakashima Takashi. “We believe MOL Group can contribute more to the offshore wind power business, which is in high demand in Japan.”
As part of the contract, Kongsberg Digital will also deliver a newly developed hydrodynamic ship model; a digital version of the DP2 cable-laying vessel KDDI Cable Infinity, owned by Kokusai Cable Ship Co.
The full-mission DP simulator will be used to provide NI-approved DP training courses for MOL crew and the company’s customers and to develop and provide customised training for cable-laying operations, offshore wind power-related projects, or other offshore projects that utilise DP systems.
MOL’s DPTC will be available for research and consulting services to serve the wider maritime industry.
Kongsberg Digital has a five-year, long-term system support contract with MOL Marine and Engineering Co to keep the simulators maintained and updated.
“This contract signifies recognition of Kongsberg Digital’s maritime simulation and DP technologies by one of the largest shipping companies in the world,” said Kongsberg Digital executive vice president for digital ocean Andreas Jagtøyen.
“The K-Sim DP class A simulator has the necessary fidelity and realism required for engineering, training and mission planning, as well as assessment of existing and new crews, where various challenging operations can be studied, evaluated and optimised safely in the simulator.”
