After various involvements from member colleagues and a long debate at the 1987 General Meeting in Helsinki, the following conclusions have been made to form the EMPA policy on simulation techniques.
It is a positive agreement about usefulness of the simulation techniques and that our needs, consequently the programmes and the scopes of the different kinds of simulations, are well defined.
There are different types of simulators:
Radar/Computer simulation has proved to have some value for familiarisation with:
the topographical layout of a district or river
certain emergency manoeuvres
new instruments, radar, ARP training
Scale model simulation has proved to have some value for:
a general view of basic shiphandling
experimentation with certain ship types, in specific conditions, e.g. narrow channels, shallow water, current, swell, etc.
evaluation of new manoeuvres
trials of emergency manoeuvres
final adjustment of new harbour installations or modifications
Third generation – Computerized simulators. They have proved to have some value for:
designing places to manoeuvre with ships (Port, approaches, berths, and so on)
working in real time with tugs
working together with the Bridge Team
Summary:
To obtain proper data, the only way is to conduct full scale trials and the data are only valid for a given situation.
A pilot interchange between Pilot Stations resolves some of the problems of experience: training on a real ship with a colleague.
Pilots have nothing to fear from simulation techniques - they exist and their evolution must be followed.
It is up to the local Pilot Service to find out how and where to fit in with the new developments in simulation techniques in order to botain maximum benefit from it.
Simulation techniques may be complementary and useful for updating general knowledge and scale model simulation may represent a positive input.
Training by simulator is not and never will be a substitute for practical experience.
AGM - Dublin, May 1989