Maritime Training in Suez Canal

Maritime training is one of the vital sectors in the Suez Canal Authority, where navigation in the Suez Canal is the first priority for the authority. Along with the rapid development of the shipping industry that requires continuous training to keep up with that fast progress

The Maritime Training and Simulation Academy (MTSA) is a world-class institution dedicated to enhancing maritime safety, efficiency, and environmental sustainability. It has quickly become a global leader in maritime training and simulation, committed to providing cutting-edge services. By embracing technological advancements and remaining in line with industry trends, the MTSA aims to solidify its position as a premier global center for maritime education and training.

Mission

Providing maritime training and simulation services for naval officers, especially Suez Canal pilots, in addition to providing maritime consulting services that rely on the use of maritime simulators in the areas of research and development and design of ports and waterways.

Objectives

Enhancing Maritime Proficiency: To equip maritime professionals with the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate complex waterways, ensuring safe and efficient operations, especially for Suez Canal.
Promoting Maritime Safety: To enhance Suez Canal navigation safety by promoting a culture of safety and risk mitigation through advanced training and simulation.
International Collaboration: To collaborate with international maritime organizations, academic institutions, and industry partners to share knowledge and promote global maritime standards.

Ship Handling Training

Since 1996, the Suez Canal Authority has invested in its Maritime Training and Simulation Academy, equipping it with cutting-edge technology for ship handling training. The academy's primary focus is navigation through the Suez Canal, encompassing the North and South waiting areas, the main channel, its branches, garages, and other relevant areas.

The Maritime Training and Simulation Academy delivers high-quality ship handling training for a variety of vessel types and tonnages. The training is based on extensive and accurate library of ship models, including container ships, car carriers, bulk carriers, LNG carriers, VLCCs, and more.

Full Mission Bridge Simulators

The Academy features two DNV-certified Class-A Full Mission Bridge Simulators, offering both 360° and 240° fields of view. These simulators are equipped with state-of-the-art navigational facilities, making them unique in both Africa and the Middle East. Both simulators provides a comprehensive, immersive experience crucial for training in complex and dynamic maritime environments. These advanced simulators provide a realistic and highly effective training platform for maritime professionals.

Tug Handling Training

The MTSA simulation tools include two tug bridges, accommodating VSP, ASD, and conventional twin-screw tug types, complete with realistic hardware controls mirroring actual ship systems. Each tug bridge features a simulated towing winch with integrated control, monitoring, and alarm systems. The tug controls are designed to replicate the operational systems found on actual tugs, ensuring a high degree of realism for trainees.

Tugboat simulators enable training on various towing operations, including handling vessels in all situations, whether in normal operations such as entering and exiting ports, escorting tugboats, and handling emergencies, in addition to oil platforms, special-purpose units, and others. These simulators provide highly efficient training for tug masters to work in direct and indirect towing situations, and handle emergencies and refloat stranded vessels.

Oil Spill Management

The Maritime Training and Simulation Academy utilizes an advanced Oil Spill Response and Management system based on the PISCES II (Potential Incident Simulation, Control, and Evaluation System) software. Developed by Transas Marine, PISCES II is a sophisticated modeling and simulation tool used to predict oil spill behavior in marine environments. This system, also employed by organizations such as the US Coast Guard, provides a valuable training platform for personnel, facilitates the testing and refinement of response plans, and enhances decision-making capabilities in the event of an actual oil spill incident.

Key Features and Capabilities

Realistic Simulations: PISCES II creates highly realistic simulations of oil spill scenarios, taking into account factors such as wind speed and direction, ocean currents, water temperature, and oil type. This allows responders to visualize the potential spread of the spill and plan accordingly.
Response Strategy Evaluation: The software enables users to test different response strategies, such as containment booms, dispersants, and skimming, to determine their effectiveness in mitigating the impact of the spill.
Environmental Impact Assessment: PISCES II can help assess the potential environmental impact of an oil spill by predicting the areas that may be affected and the types of ecosystems at risk.
Training and Education: The program is widely used for training and education purposes, allowing responders to practice their skills in a simulated environment without the risks and costs associated with real-world incidents.

ECDIS/ARPA Radar Classroom

Electronic navigation systems are now essential for the planning, execution, and monitoring of safe and efficient navigation. ECDIS and Radar play a crucial role in enhancing and maintaining situational awareness for the entire bridge team.

The Maritime Training and Simulation Academy has recently added an ECDIS/Radar ARPA classroom, enabling the Suez Canal Authority to offer courses that meet the knowledge, skill, and understanding requirements for ECDIS and Radar ARPA competencies as defined by the STCW 2010 Convention (latest edition) and Table A-II.

This new facility allows the Center to deliver the following IMO model courses:

IMO Model Course 1.27 "Operational Use of ECDIS"
IMO Model Course 1.07 "Radar Navigation – Operational Level"
IMO Model Course 1.08 "Radar, ARPA, Bridge Teamwork and Search and Rescue"

DNV Certification

In 2024, the Suez Canal Maritime Training and Simulation Academy has been certified according to the DNV-ST-0008 standard of learning programs. One of the certified programs is the IMO Model Course 1.27 - Operational user of Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS).

GMDSS Training

The Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) is a crucial system designed to ensure safety at sea. GMDSS simulators are sophisticated training tools that replicate the real-world environment of a ship’s GMDSS station. These simulators provide a safe and controlled environment for maritime professionals to practice their skills in handling distress and routine communications.

By providing realistic training environments and hands-on experience, simulators help maritime professionals develop the skills and knowledge they need to respond effectively to emergencies and maintain safe communications. As technology continues to advance, GMDSS simulators will play an even greater role in maritime training and education.

Dredging Training

Modern industries use dedicated simulators widely for crew training. The idea is to provide realistic training while eliminating accidents, production losses, damage to highly expensive assets and even personal injury.

Simulators represent substantial investments but cost just a fraction of the real thing. So it's no surprise that the dredging industry is using more and more of these systems.

Maritime Training and Simulation Center recently added CSD Dredging Simulator to help dredging department to train technical staff on optimized dredging operations. The CSD simulator can be used to familiarize technical staffers, electricians and field managers with the operational ins and outs of jobs and the possibilities of the vessels deployed on that job, to draw in new talent and to motivate new staff and assess their potential.

The CSD Dredging Simulator simulates the newly built dredgers "Mohab Mameesh" and "Hussein Tantawy" recently joined the Suez Canal Authority dredging capacity.

Training Services

Safe Handling of Ships in Suez Canal

The course covers training in the three sections of Suez Canal (Portsaid, Ismailia, and Suez). This includes theoretical lectures and practical scenarios. The practical scenarios focus on the major critical scenarios in each section of the Suez Canal including maneuvers in different environmental effects (Fog, Sandstorm), different day times (Daylight, Night time), own ship faults (Engine failures, Steering failures, etc..), other ships failures (ahead ship troubles), hydrodynamic effects (bank effect, squat effect), and Master-Pilot Information Exchange (MPX) for safety passage.

Essential Course for Pilotage in Suez Canal

This is an essential course that presents the basic information about Suez Canal and the main tasks of pilots guiding ships in Suez Canal. The course includes:

Principles and rules of naval maneuvers in the Suez Canal.
Navigation in Restricted Channels.
Bridge Resource Management
Master-Pilot Information Exchange
Working with Tugs in Suez Canal
Practical Training in Bridge Simulator

Essential Course OF Tug Handling

The Essential Course of Tug Handling focuses on the fundamentals of ASD/VSP tug handling operations and will cover topics including:

Types of Tugs and Tug Propellers
Risk Assessment
Tug Stability
Towing Equipment
Ship-Tug Interaction.
Practical Training on ASD/VSP tug simulators.

Marine Consulting Services

The Academy offers expert advice and support to enhance maritime operations and strategic planning. With extensive experience in developing feasibility studies, risk management strategies, and operational efficiency and optimization plans for ports and navigation channels, the Academy has served a distinguished clientele, including the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani), the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone), and the Alexandria Port Authority.

Modeling Ports and Navigational Channels

The Academy possesses the capability to model new ports and navigational channels. This modeling process involves translating original designs into simulation-ready models for use within the maritime simulators. Comprehensive scenario development allows for the simulation of all port operations under both normal and extreme conditions. Following scenario execution, a detailed report containing recommendations is generated to inform enhancements to port operations, dredging projects, and comprehensive risk assessments.

Latest Projects

Approach Channel Expansion for Port of Ras ElKhair - Saudi Arabia

The Port of Ra’as Al Khair, a key maritime hub on the Arabian Gulf in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, currently faces operational constraints due to its approach channel dimensions. The existing 175-meter width and 16.2-meter depth restrict the channel to single-vessel traffic, impacting efficiency and capacity. To address these limitations, a simulation study has been commissioned to evaluate the feasibility of expanding the approach channel to 350 meters wide and 18 meters deep. This proposed expansion aims to enable simultaneous two-ship traffic, thereby increasing port throughput and reducing vessel waiting times. The study will analyze the potential benefits and challenges associated with the expansion project.

Pilots Training for Expansion of New SCZone Port - El-Areesh

The Al-Areesh Port, an SCZone (Suez Canal Economic Zone) port, is strategically located on the Mediterranean Sea in the northeastern region of the Sinai Peninsula, approximately 150 kilometers from East Port Said. This project focuses on providing specialized training to port pilots, specifically on safe and efficient entrance and exit operations within the port's newly expanded facilities. This training is crucial for ensuring seamless navigation and maximizing the port's operational capacity following its expansion.

Pilots Training for Expansion of New Abukir Port

The newly established New Abukir Port, located on the Mediterranean Sea, is under the supervision of the Egyptian Navy Forces. This project focuses on providing specialized training to port pilots, concentrating on safe and efficient entrance and exit operations within the port's recently expanded infrastructure. This expansion is specifically designed to accommodate larger vessels, including those exceeding 200,000 tons, ensuring the port can handle modern shipping demands. The training program will equip pilots with the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate these larger vessels through the new port layout, contributing to safe and efficient maritime operations.

Special Training on Bunkering Operations

Following the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources’ licensing of companies such as Peninsula and Minerva Group to conduct bunkering operations in the outer Port Said area, the Maritime Training and Simulation Academy has developed specialized training services for captains of bunkering barges operating in this region. This training encompasses fundamental ship handling skills, adherence to official procedures, and effective responses to emergency situations. The curriculum is designed to equip captains with the necessary knowledge and practical skills to conduct bunkering operations safely and efficiently within the designated area.

First Transit Trials

First-time transits of the Suez Canal, particularly for vessels and units of considerable size, require careful planning and specialized studies. The Maritime Training and Simulation Academy has extensive experience conducting such studies and trials for unique vessels navigating the Canal. A recent example of this expertise includes a comprehensive study undertaken for the transit of the SAIPEM 7000, a large semi-submersible crane vessel. These studies often involve detailed simulations, considering factors such as vessel dimensions, maneuverability, and prevailing environmental conditions, to ensure safe and efficient passage through the Canal.