France Opens its First National SAR Training Center

The new French National SAR Training Center equipped with Transas simulators opened its doors in St-Nazaire harbour, West of France, not far from Nantes. The official opening took place late June, welcoming about 200 guests including representatives of National SAR HQ, Navy, French Affaires Maritimes, and various local authorities and sponsors. The project major sponsor is the well-known oil and gas company TOTAL.

The most outstanding feature of the project is that it is the first time when French SAR organization “Société Nationale des Sauveteurs en Mer” (S.N.S.M) established one centralized national professional training center. Volunteers will be regularly trained there using both simulation and real navigation equipment including real ships, RIBs and jet skies. One of the SNSM goals will be to provide highly professional training course very close to the daily tasks.

French Pilots from SPSA (Atlantic, Brittany and French territories pilotage association, all in all 80 pilots), also major Transas Simulation users, participated in the project. They made a special donation of all their restricted areas and ports to SNSM.

The simulator bridge mockup has been designed in accordance with original ship drawings and is an exact 1:1 replica of one of SNSM latest modern 14-meter life boats (V1NG). A particular attention was paid to ergonomics, instruments and commands.

Project scope of supply includes a Full mission bridge with visualization of 210° FOV with circular projection, a small 3-channel cubicle, instructor workplace with selective visual channel, introduced as an Evaluation bridge, and a complete VTS/MRCC desk with VTS simulator including Navi-Harbour 4.3 VTS. An MRCC station is offering the outmost realism of complete operations control – VTS Coastal Surveillance, communications, operations management etc. Six VHF panels enable reliable communications between ships and shore. A new model of latest generation of modern Search and Rescue ship was specially developed for SNSM to provide most accurate training. 3D Compass simulation is a special development based on Navi-Sensor technology, it shows heading on a small LCD display and reacts to a vessel movements (turning, rolling). All in all, the project will greatly benefit to education of French SAR specialists.

SNSM is managing around 250 ships, and 3000 volunteers, from professional sailors to beach rescuers. SNSM is on order by French MRCCs, operated by French Navy and Affaires Maritimes, located all around French coasts and abroad territories.

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World Maritime News Staff, November 23, 2011; Image: Transas