MARITIME QUALIFICATION CENTER at VARNA TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY - Opportunities ~ Flexibility ~ Cooperation

At the beginning of March, at the invitation of Capt. Onnik Merdinyan - Head of MQC at TU Varna, Merlion Shipping Ltd. had the pleasure of attending a specially organized meeting with the team of the Center and a presentation of its technical capabilities.

Link to MQC at TU Varna: https://www.mqc-tu.com/en/

Link to 360 degree walk in MQC to TU Varna: https://www.mqc-tu.com/en/360galery/

Capt. Andrey Stanev has led us in an interesting and richly informative way through the most interesting and significant projects of the center, the result of which clearly shows the combination of knowledge, skills and technical capacity, put into practice.

• In 2012, at the request of the BMF, a simulation was created for the entry of ships into Varna Lake, the area to the factories of Varna-West, with a tanker at the quay. The result - the ropes are broken when there is a small rather than a large tanker on the ship's path.
• In 2019, upon the assignment of the Fleet Headquarters, the Center created a simulation for the relocation of our last submarine “GLORY” from the port of Varna to the port of Beloslav. The result - stepping on this simulation, the submarine was successfully moved to the last one and a jetty where it would become a museum.

What did our Team learn?

1. MQC Technical Capabilities

The center has:

• A 360-degree multifunctional, class A simulator built to meet the requirements of a DNV bridge with FULL HD image resolution. It has options for:
  • dividing the bridge by two 180 degrees;
  • dividing the bridge by three degrees depending on the needs;
  • module for 3D simulation, using dynamically positioned module PRAXIS DP2;
  • module for loading and unloading operations of an oil tanker.

• 120 degree, DNV class B simulator with rear image projection.

• Small, DNV class C bridges equipped with integrated GMDSS workstations.

• Instructional control panel for exercise management and monitoring.
• Real gyrocompass repeater.

• Engineer simulator, DNV class B, which has:
  • ship engine control room;
  • 5 operating consoles control panel;
  • instructional control panel.
• Mobile Simulator - provides on-site training, no matter where in the world the ship is.
• Software, that:
  • can build ports according to the needs and wishes of the contracting authority;
  • has a very powerful feature editor for ship models, which allows to study the behavior of ships in their various states, such as the ultimate trimmer.
• Dynamic simulator.
• Rescue simulator, having:
  • a path, where the trainee actually walks in a virtual environment, and with the help of a 180 degree screen, a real action environment is recreated;
  • 2 virtual helmet station, where, through a guidance system, trainees get into a fully virtual environment;
  • instructional control panel, which monitors the training and enables the organization of an emergency team operating in a virtual environment.
• Real time watching and recording of what's happening.
• Briefing room.

2. Opportunities and benefits of organizing training

• Exercise can be monitored in real time by us - the agents as well as the shipowners.
• The simulator provides a top view, simulating a helicopter.
• Instructors can observe the simulation from all positions:
  • on the ship;
  • in the air;
  • under water.

• Climate simulation, day, night (dynamic simulator), as it happens instantly, without having to restart the simulator.
• Clean bottom - option to remove water, to see clearly what is happening below it, bottom relief, features, desired situations and visible results.

• Creating courses and trainings, that focus entirely on the client's requirements, specifications and documentation.

• Preparation of a final contracting entity report, which may include:
  • monitoring of the course / training;
  • strong / weak moments;
  • recommendations.
• Communication / training is emphasized in organized courses / trainings:
  • in the ship;
  • by ship;
  • incl. from the helicopter.

• Ability to play fire drill in the Rescue Simulator.
• Given global warming, which is already a fact, there is an option to play scenarios with Ice-class Ships.
• Ability to prepare and conduct on-site interviews in simulators to be monitored by the contracting authority in real time.
• Training programs are prepared by acting Captains, Chief Engineers and Senior Electrical Engineers - a policy of leadership that is a priority and a prerequisite for an up-to-date and adequate training-practice relationship.

3. New team - new goals and priorities

MQC management at TU Varna, represented by Capt. Onnik Merdinyan and Maritime Technology Experts, represented by Capt. Andrey Stanev, follow a policy of flexibility, cooperation, fully in favor of the contracting authority, openness to opinions, ideas and recommendations, fairness and transparency, accessibility. All this in the context of the current business and educational environment, which are seen as interconnected and interdependent. *

The team of Merlion Shipping Ltd. thanks for the invitation, respect, idea and attitude, as well as for the opportunity to get acquainted live with the Team and the technical potential of MQC to TU Varna in the person of:

• Flotylene Admiral (from reserve) Costa Andreev - Maritime Opportunities Coordination at TU Varna
• Captain Onnik Merdinyan - Head of Marine Qualification Center
• Captain Bogdan Bogdanov - Projects and Courses Abroad, Chairman of the Bulgarian Maritime Chamber
• Capt. Andrey Stanev - Projects and Courses Abroad
• Krasimira Stoykova - Course Organizer
• Assoc. Prof. Engineer Mihail Shterev
• Captain Ivan Stanoykov
• Captain Simeon Nedyalkov
• Captain Nikolay Nikolov.

*The text expresses the personal impressions of the author.

Related Links:

htps://www.mqc-tu.com/en/

http://fs.tu-varna.bg/

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