Thanks to an agreement between both institutions, Merchant Marine students at the University and Tugboat Captains of the Company, will be able to train in the country’s most modern and complete simulators, an international requirement.
Valparaíso, January 25, 2017.- With state-of-the-art technology, two new simulation rooms were inaugurated today, which will facilitate the training of Tugboat Captains, thanks to an agreement between SAAM and Universidad Andrés Bello (UNAB).
The modern equipment was purchased subsequent to the agreement signed by both institutions a couple of months ago, with the purpose of fitting-out two simulation rooms and adapting them to the particular needs involved in training port towage maneuvers. At the same time, SAAM will increase its number of student places so that Merchant Marine students may perform their professional practices in Company units.
“These new rooms will allow us to have highly qualified personnel in the skills demanded for executing safe operations, which is very relevant considering the changes that the industry is experiencing, with increasingly larger vessels and narrower spaces in which to maneuver. SAAM is aware of the importance of being constantly training our workers, in order to provide an efficient and safe service to our clients”, stated Marcos Piña, Assistant Manager of Operations, SAAM’s Towage Division.
In turn, Alejandro Lagunas, Director of Engineering in Merchant Marine at the Universidad Andrés Bello, said that “opening the doors to our simulators to generate this mutually advantageous alliance between SAAM and UNAB, allowed us to improve two of our five navigation bridges, which were transformed into modern and ample azimuthal tugboats simulators. Their realism, behavior, mathematical model and the 6 leves of freedom of movement of the simulated ships, allow us to practice port maneuvers in various scenarios and climatological conditions, achieving a realistic interaction that even allows analyzing force behavior graphics. All this, supported by the backing of Det Norske Veritas- GL Rating Company, which certifies that UNAB’s “Transas” Simulator, due to its configuration, equipment and field of vision, complies with the requirements of a Full Mission Class A”.
Lagunas added that, “for UNAB, maintaining a link with the industry is a permanent task, so we hope to have a long-term relationship with SAAM and thus contribute in what we do best: form and transform people with the help of technologies for the development of learning, skills and abilities required by Captains of SAAM’s large national and international fleet .”
SAAM’s Towage Division is present in twelve countries throughout the Americas and in over 70 ports. It has a fleet of more than 180 tugboats, having established itself as the fourth worldwide operator and the leader in South America.
