AWA Marine and Wartsila support
Industry decarbonization and digitalization
AWA Marine and Wärtsilä hosted the 3rd Annual Simulation User Seminar held on November 13 at the luxurious Solaire Resort in Manila, themed “Decarbonization and Digitalization- Driving Change in Maritime Training,”
126 representatives from 60 education and training institutions, alongside key maritime industry stakeholders participated in the discussions and knowledge sharing.
Shayne Gent, AWA Marine General Manager, said the huge turnout shows a shared commitment to enhancing maritime training and education in the region.
Ben Chng, Wärtsilä Global Director of Sales, urged the attendees to support the crew's upskilling and transition to become better equipped on alternative fuel engines, new energy saving devices, and optimization tools.
“One of the key enablers for us to be successful in achieving this goal is really about collaboration across the eco system,” Chng pointed out.
So, at Wartsila, we believe we cannot do this alone, we have to do this with our partners, across the eco system. This means ourselves as suppliers, our local partners AWA Marine, the regulators, the government bodies, shipowners, ship managers and of course the training institutes, the instructors, seafaring crew community. All of us need to be part of this value chain.”
Education and Training.
Herbert Nalupa, Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) STCW Office Maritime Education and Training Standards Supervisor (METSS) and concurrent Chief of Public Information Division and Monitoring discussed about the “Role of MARINA in the implementation of the STCW Convention in the Philippines,” while Felix Oca, Chairman of the Philippine Association of Maritime Institutions (PAMI) presented on the “Status of Maritime Higher Education in the Philippines.”
Nalupa said, “From the governments perspective, from the regulators perspective when we say transition to decarbonize industry the Philippines would have to think of seafarers.”
He explained, “It's all about how seafarers will be trained, educated on using alternative fuel, emerging technologies, new equipment onboard and new shipboard operations.”
There are currently 83 recognized MHEIs in the country. Oca discussed on the challenges encountered by MHEIS on implementing the changing curriculums.
He expects that with the emerging new technologies in global shipping, there will be additional knowledge, understanding, and proficiency (KUP) requirements in the curriculum.
STCW review
Neil Bennett, General Manager Sales, Global Simulation and Training, Wärtsilä Voyage, outlined the four objectives of the comprehensive review of the STCW Convention: continuing to deliver competent seafarers, providing internationally recognized standards, adapting to the industry’s new technologies and developments, and ensuring harmonized and consistent implementation.
He went on, “We’re trying very hard to make it easier to utilize simulators in your training and make it easier for flag states to be able to show that a simulator is “fix for purpose” or capable of being used for particular types of training, as part of “in-service training.”
There were 50 papers submitted by different countries and organization that identified around 400 gaps to be addressed in the ongoing comprehensive STCW review.
Nalupa confirmed, the Philippines submitted five papers for the proposed revisions, including reduction of the onboard training requirements, stating that “New and emerging technologies may support training and certification of seafarers. This could include the use of simulations as an alternative to a portion of a requirement for seagoing service. In addition, considering the initial phase, the training and certification of seafarers often precede the implementation or installation of these new technologies on ships.”
“Nowadays if we talk about education and training and implementation of seafarers building their competence either reskilling, either upskilling, we cannot do that without simulator, Nalupa said.
Expertise
Wärtsilä’s Sanjay Verma, General Manager, Business Development Decarbonization Services, and Sanjeev Thasari, TechSim Expert, Simulation Sales, shared their expertise on decarbonization and simulations.
Verma discussed how complex the decarbonization journey of the shipping industry and Wärtsilä’s initiatives to help achieve the net zero emission goals.
He underlined Wärtsilä’s approach to decarbonization of consuming less energy for the same work, and transforming the same energy more efficiently.
Furthermore, Sanjeev tackled Wärtsilä’s simulations and other platform solutions for the seafarers to “at least get the basic understanding of the new technologies and decarbonization concepts so that they can safely operate the ships when they are onboard.”
Other presenters at the seminar were Gaurav Bajaj, Product Lead of Wartsila Voyage Services
and Raimo Nikkila, Director of Sales and Business Development of Mevea Ltd.
Cooperation
AWA Marine Philippines Director and Chairman Liam Murphy and Business Development Manager Reynaldo Tanudtanud and Shiela Seno, Simulation Product Manager and Wärtsilä’s Kumar Kiran, Product Sales Manager Simulation were all present to strengthen cooperation with stakeholders.
The seminar concluded with a reception that provided an opportunity for casual networking with clients and guests.