BC Ferries unveils $2.5M training simulator
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BC Ferries unveiled its newest asset on Wednesday, and while it's something the public will never see in person, it is something the company says riders will definitely benefit from.
BC Ferries unveiled its newest asset on Wednesday, and while it's something the public will never see in person, it is something the company says riders will definitely benefit from.
After a year of construction, a new "Simulation Training Centre" has officially opened at BC Ferries' Departure Bay Terminal in Nanaimo.
"This is a huge tool to motivate our licensed officers, it's important for retention for our fleet," said Robin Grypma, senior manager at the Simulation Training Centre.
"BC Ferries has spent a lot of money on this facility because it's an investment in our fleet," she said.
Crew members go through the centre to refine their skills and practice on new routes through two highly realistic simulators that accurately recreate the entire coast and mimic the different equipment on each type of ferry in the fleet.
"We bring every licensed officer into the simulation training centre," said Grypma. "We train them for a variety of different events they may experience and it's the safest place to do that."
While mishaps with BC Ferries vessels are rare they can occur and the simulator offers a place to review incidents to prevent them from occurring again.
