EYOS Expeditions / SIMWAVE
Caroline Blatter 11 Jun 2020 Yacht Agent / Concierge Services / Yacht Management / Yacht Charter / Yacht Sales / Yacht Expedition Services
EYOS AND SIMWAVE PARTNER TO DELIVER UNIQUE EXPEDITION OPERATIONS AND ICE NAVIGATION TRAINING FOR SUPERYACHT OFFICERS
EYOS Expeditions and Simwave have developed a bespoke ice navigation and expedition operations simulator course for superyacht officers that meets STCW and Polar Code requirements. This partnership combines Simwave’s expert instruction and sophisticated simulator technology in Rotterdam with the practical expertise of EYOS to deliver essential training with practical, real-world polar expeditions insight that is not found in any other course.
This innovative curriculum satisfies ice navigation training for nautical officers wishing to meet the requirements of the IMO’s International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (Polar Code- Basic & Advanced), which came into force in 2017. The Polar Code is mandatory under both the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). The Polar Code covers the full range of design, construction, equipment, operational, training, search and rescue and environmental protection matters relevant to ships operating in the inhospitable waters surrounding the two poles.
EYOS Expeditions CEO Ben Lyons said, “We set out to create something different with this course, however we didn’t want to just have a ‘tick the box’ exercise with scenarios that yacht officers would never experience or learn anything from. Throughout, we’ve put an emphasis on practical topics and realistic simulator learning combined with actual expedition operations.”
As an example, Simwave’s team modelled actual passages and landscapes that yacht officers are likely to navigate, including Antarctica’s famous Lemaire Channel, Paradise Bay, Port Lockroy and Palmer Station, along with fjords in Svalbard and the Canadian Arctic, including Bellot Strait. This is one of the first times Antarctica has been successfully developed in a simulator exercise, and by combining that with EYOS’ insight on expedition operations, a unique concept has been developed.
Basic and Advanced Ice Navigation training is delivered through a combination of presentations, tabletop exercises and in-depth scenarios utilising Simwave’s state-of-the-art 360o bridge simulator, with floor projection and docking stations. Participants will simulate operations with small boats (Zodiacs & kayaks), controlling their vessel near sensitive wildlife (polar bears and whales) in line with IAATO and AECO guidelines, interact with an Expedition Leader, and conduct emergency scenarios with a range of authentic weather conditions.
EYOS Expeditions’ CEO Ben Lyons said, “We are seeing unprecedented growth in the expedition yacht sector, combined with a desire for vessels to visit remote and harsh polar waters. Our partnership with Simwave provides an opportunity for superyacht officers to gain the skills and qualifications they need to safely and responsibly explore these regions.”
As part of the simulator time, students navigate Damen Yachting’s 77-meter SeaXplorer, the first of which is due for delivery this year. Lyons said, “EYOS helped design the SeaXplorer to be the ultimate expedition yacht; we couldn’t think of a better vessel for students to operate in these virtual conditions.”
Simwave CEO & Founder Marcel Kind said, “At Simwave we are the forefront of improving safety at sea. With the increase in expedition travel over the last decade, we have been focusing our attention on the polar regions. To protect the environment, the vessel and its crew, we need to raise the bar and create best-practice guidelines. Customized training is an essential part in this and together with EYOS we were able to create a new standard in polar water operations.”
Kelvin Murray, EYOS Director of Expedition Operations and Undersea Projects, was part of the team developing the course. He commented, “In addition to field operations experience, the EYOS team work closely with maritime authorities and SAR agencies across the globe such as Transport Canada, ARCSAR, the Governor of Svalbard and the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office. EYOS staff sit on both Executive Committees of AECO and IAATO member organisations, and are regularly consulted by industry and governments alike regarding complex operations in remote regions. The team at EYOS have successfully delivered over 1,200 expeditions in the Arctic and Antarctica, and now we are sharing this unparalleled experience with other seafarers through Simwave’s superb simulator system.”
About EYOS Expeditions
EYOS Expeditions has been designing private superyacht expeditions since 2008. The company’s co-founders have spent decades designing ground-breaking itineraries and hold several ‘world firsts’ and world records.
Widely recognised as the world leader in superyacht expeditions, EYOS was invited as a design partner by Damen shipyards to develop the SeaXplorer expedition yacht.
Co-founder Tim Soper was selected by Conde Nast Traveller as one of their Top Travel Specialists of 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, and led a 2014 private yacht expedition that set the world record for furthest south that any vessel had ever reached in history. Co-founder Rob McCallum has spent an entire career working in the undersea world. He ran commercial expeditions to the RMS Titanic, to the battleship Bismarck and provided key logistical support to James Cameron’s ‘Deep Challenge’ record-breaking dive in 2012. In 2019, he led the Five Deeps Expedition, which was described as the most ambitious expedition this century and took one man to the deepest point in each of the five oceans.
About Simwave
Simwave acts as a highly specialised and multi-disciplinary knowledge centre for the maritime industry which uses state-of-the-art simulators, works with the best professionals and all our services meet the highest standards. Simwave is making the maritime industry safer by developing, delivering and supporting (outsourced) solutions with maritime (simulator) training and assessment, allowing companies of all sizes to use simulators for training, assessments and applied research, whenever needed and to customers’ needs.
Simwave operates over 59 connected simulators for Bridge, Engine & Liquified cargo handling.
