Engine room simulator basic familiarisation and operation

Scope
The course is essentially a practical one, consisting of a series of exercises structured around the operation of a ship's machinery installation and carried out in conjunction with an engine-room simulator.

The exercises are supervised by an instructor and will, initially, allow the student to become familiar with the instrumentation and controls used in the engine-rooms of modern merchant ships. The student shall become skilled in the scanning of instrument displays when assessing the normal operational conditions of an engineering plant.
The exercises increase in complexity as the course progresses, as the student works through and becomes familiar with the procedures used for starting up auxiliary and propulsion plants, setting the normal operation condition and keeping an engine-room watch.

Each exercise should be preceded by a briefing session and followed up by a group debrief, which will analyze the actions and decisions of the student.

During the series of exercises each student will assume different roles in the engineering watch keeping team, and shall have more than one opportunity to take on the part of the engineer in charge of the watch.

Objective
To provide knowledge and skills to operate, supervise and monitor the safe operation and control of a ship's machinery installation in accordance with provisions of Section A-lll/1, A-VIII/2 and B-VIII/2 of the STCW95 Code.
In particular, the student will gain:

• familiarization with the use of instrumentation and controls used in the engine-rooms of modern merchant ships
• awareness of the need for proper pre-planning, the use of checklists and of the timescales involved in start up procedures
• understanding and awareness of correct watch keeping procedures
• understanding of the way in which machinery units are interdependent
• experience in identifying operational problems and trouble-shooting them
• the ability to make decisions, which promote the safety and efficiency of an operational plant.

Entry standards
Entry to the course is open to students with basic background and knowledge and to marine engineers who wish to improve their knowledge and understanding of the operation and control of the machinery installation of a modern merchant ship.

The student's watch keeping experience at sea in the engine-room of a merchant ship will be enhanced and consolidated by the structured activities undertaken in this course.

Course diploma
On successful completion of this course, a document should be issued certifying that the holder has successfully completed a course of training on an engine-room simulator.

Course intake limitations
The target activity will regulate the number of students who can use the simulator at any given time. Some activities may only allow four or six students to be directly involved in a simulator exercise simultaneously. Student groups must therefore be sub-divided and activities be phased so that all students can receive the same period of training on the simulator.

The briefing and debriefing sessions can be carried out as main group or sub-group activities, according to circumstances.

Staff requirements
Both the assessor and instructor in charge should be qualified according to STCW95, Section A-l/6. At least one additional instructor is required to operate the course effectively, preferably with qualifications and experience similar to those of the instructor in charge. An observer, who can provide support as directed by the instructor in charge, is also a desirable addition to the staff. The observer's main task is to observe the student in action and gather information about his/her activities and attitudes shown for later presentation during the debrief session. The observer shall not actively intervene.

Teaching facilities and equipment
The simulator system Kongsberg ERS Neptune MAN B&W 5L90MC – VLCC should incorporate basic units found in the engine-room of a modern merchant ship:

• a slow-speed main-propulsion turbocharged diesel engine
• a steam boiler
• a waste-heat steam boiler
• a turbo generator
• auxiliary machinery and equipment needed to support the main engine and operate the engine-room and ship.

The simulator complex should be divided into "engine-room", "control room" and "instructor unit".

The "engine-room" should contain the main propulsion unit, auxiliary units with associated equipment being suitably positioned and identified with local controls and related instrumentation adjacent to them. Realistic sounds associated with an engine-room add to the realism of the exercises.

The "control room" should contain all the instrumentation and controls needed to operate the plant, including a switchboard for the electrical system.

The "instructor unit" should allow observation of the students as operational commands are given or faults introduced. It may also be used as the bridge control point.