Azipilot Update April 2011

June 13th, 2011 by JCB
Posted in Articles, Technical and Training | No Comments »

On 24^th February  STC hosted an Azipilot workshop/conference at their premises in Rotterdam.

This was  the latest in a series of meetings held by the 15 partners of the Azipilot project, to improve awareness of Azimuthing Control Devices (ACDs) and their growing use in some sectors of shipping,  particularly on cruise ships. Forth Pilots attended because at Grangemouth we get the Bro ‘D’ class of tanker, which has ACDs, and also large cruise vessels with ACDs anchoring in the Forth, so we wanted to assess the need for training and the options available.

Those attending included pilots from Hamburg, Rotterdam, Belgium, Dublin and Cork, plus Peter Liley of the Australasian Marine Pilots Institute, and UK pilotage was represented by Ian  Simpson from Harwich, Donald Lucas and Kenneth Macinnes from the Forth as well as Gareth Rees and Nigel Allen from Southampton who are partners in the project on behalf of the UKMPA.

Azipod ABB

The morning session consisted of four talks, after an introduction by the coordinator of the project Professor Michael Woodward of Newcastle University. Erland Wilske, of Swedish partner SSPA, spoke on hydrodynamic modelling and then we had a session on marine simulation  by Marielle Labrosse, of French partner Mettle.

Jakob Pinkster, our genial host for the day, had maritime training as his theme before Gareth Rees spoke on operational practice.

 

The lunch break gave the opportunity to sample STC’s simulator.  The afternoon session began with Michael Woodward introducing a discussion based on tape of an interview with the Master of the Independence of the Seas conducted by Gareth Rees and Nigel Allen on board that vessel. We had a panel of experts comprising Cork Deputy Harbour Master Paul O’Regan, Cork Pilot Aidan Fleming, Brostroms Superintendent Leif Carlsson  and Hamburg Pilot/Trainer Thomas Lindler who answered questions from the  audience.

Rolls Royce: Mermaid pod

The lunch break gave the opportunity to sample STC’s simulator.  The afternoon session began with Michael Woodward introducing a discussion based on tape of an interview with the Master of the Independence of the Seas conducted by Gareth Rees and Nigel Allen on board that vessel. We had a panel of experts comprising Cork Deputy Harbour Master Paul O’Regan, Cork Pilot Aidan Fleming, Brostroms Superintendent Leif Carlsson  and Hamburg Pilot/Trainer Thomas Lindler who answered questions from the  audience.

The afternoon continued with questions and some in depth discussions arising from further excerpts from an interview with another Master of the Independence of the Seas (as described in the Winter 2010 issue of The Pilot).

It was very valuable to hear the experiences and opinions of so many sectors of the industry and we plan, initially at least, to focus on simulator training on the Bro ‘D’ class and we have arranged for Leif Carlsson to supply better details of these ships to the Simulator that we attend for our training needs.

The day was rounded off with drinks and, for those not needing to catch flights, an evening meal where discussions about ACDs continued.

Queen Mary : 4 x 21,5mw Mermaid pods. (2 fixed + 2 rotating)

We have exchanged some emails since the workshop and received the following comment from Chris Lefevere, Secretary General of EMPA who also attended the Workshop:

I think that an extended ACD training for pilots can be very useful for specialised’ pilots who handle these ships regularly allowing them to gain the necessary experience.

For other pilots who will only work occasionally with ACDs a basic pilot training for ACD is absolutely necessary to understand the terminology, the principles, the limitations, the do’s and don’ts.

Moreover accidents have happened with Masters that don’t have experience with ACD’s or have lost awareness during the manoeuvre. A pilot has to be able to intervene if the Master does not manage to make the desired manoeuvre, to adjust speed, etc.

Based on the views expressed in the discussions, the final months of the project will be spent assimilating the knowledge and drawing up some recommendations.

 

Kenneth MacInnes (Forth)

 

Queen Mary 2 :

4 x 21.5 MW Mermaid pods