World's first wellboat simulator opens
The world's first wellboat simulator, designed to allow trainees to learn farming operations in a safe environment, has been opened in Norway.
The main partners in the project are wellboat owner and contractor Sølvtrans, seafood handling and cooling solutions company MMC First Process, Fosnavåg Ocean Academy (FOSAC) and the Offshore Simulator Centre (OSC), Ålesund.
It is the latest of several simulators at FOSAC, situated in the small west coast town of Fosnavåg, a hub for various marine operations.
In a press release, MMC First Process, which has been involved in the wellboat industry since the 1990s, said it had "long recognised the need for such a test platform/simulator".
The company added: "MMC First Process engineers have spent a lot of time developing the simulator's water treatment and fish handling program. This program is the first of its kind to give crew the opportunity to practise the complete operation of both the boat and the fish welfare systems."
Complex operations
Roar Stenersen, vice president service and aftersales for MMC, said: "We have seen for ourselves and received feedback from our customers that there is a need to be able to practise carrying out these complex operations in a safe environment. We take our customers seriously, and have worked for a long time to come up with a satisfactory solution.
"Being able to carry out operations correctly on the first attempt is good for fish welfare, and it saves time and money. We are very pleased to have made this a reality and be able to launch this wellboat simulator together with Sølvtrans, FOSAC, OSC and some other suppliers."
FOSAC's simulator centre also has a full bridge simulator (360-degree view), an operation bridge simulator (180-degree view), an engine room with engine control room simulator, an offshore crane simulator and a work ROV simulator (pilot station).
