UAE: ADPC’s Maritime Training Center Reports Significant Growth for 2013

The Maritime Training Center of Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) saw significant growth in 2013. The overall number of course participants rose by 41%, from 192 in 2012 to 271 in 2013.

Besides the Channel Familiarisation Course, one of the main programs of the training center, five additional courses have been added to the curriculum to widen the teaching spectrum while further establishing the center as a major training hub for maritime professionals.

The five additional courses cover the Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) course, the Port Facility Security Officer (PFSO) course, the High Speed Craft Operators course, as well as the course on Human Element, Leadership and Management (HELM), on both the management and operational level.

The number of attendees who have completed the Channel Familiarisation Course, which covers the new 53 kilometer long Musaffah channel leading from the open sea of the Arabian Gulf to Musaffah Port, rose by 16%, from 192 participants in 2012 to 223 participants in 2013.

Ever since its introduction in 2012, more than 400 vessel masters have completed the Channel Familiarisation Course. The masters have included captains of ships carrying general and bulk cargo, and some of the many ships serving the oil and gas fields.

The participants are trained on a state-of-the-art Ship Manoeuvring Simulator which has been programed with all of the specific details of the Musaffah Port and Channel. Other local settings can be used, such as Khalifa Port, as well as further non-specific port locations which allows the master to practice navigation in an unfamiliar environment.

The ship simulator can also be programed to reflect a wide variety of vessels, ranging from high speed pilot boats and crew boats to the world’s largest container ships. The program also simulates different weather and tidal conditions to give a wide practical training experience.

“The growing number of attendees is a solid indicator that our combination of high tech equipment, ultra-modern facilities and highly experienced staff who teach in line with international maritime standards is paying off”, says Sultan Al Jaberi, VP Regulations, HSE and security, ADPC.

“Over the past year we have increased the number of Channel Familiarisation Courses from 72 to 84 to address the growing demand. In 2013 we widened our teaching spectrum and offered a total of 92 courses with a total of 271 attendees. And we will further develop our programs to establish the center as a major regional hub for maritime education.”

Besides the Channel Familiarisation Course, ADPC’s Training Center offers IALA model courses for Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) operators. As the first maritime educational institute in the Gulf Region to offer the highest internationally accredited training courses for VTS personnel, the Center provides training on especially designed VTS simulators.

In addition, the Center offers the internationally recognized Port Facility Security Officer (PFSO) course. The training course, which follows the model implemented by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), has been approved by the UAE National Supreme Security Council, the General Authority for the Security of Ports, Borders and Free Zones.

Furthermore, the Training Center has developed programs for the operators of high speed craft and teaches navigational techniques appropriate to such craft. Also, the center puts equal emphasis on the training of non-technical skills.

“Up to 96% of marine casualties are caused by some form of human error”, explains Al Jaberi. A five-day training course on Human Element, Leadership and Management (HELM) addresses this issue on a management and operational level while teaching useful strategies of how to avoid common mistakes and be most effective in a high risk work environment.

ADPC, March 11, 2014