GE Marine upgrades Egypt training facility

Image: crane simulator in Egypt/GE Marine

In 2012, the AAST-GE DP Center was established through a joint effort between GE and the Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport (AASTMT) in northern Egypt for the training of mariners.

Operated by AASTMT, the facility joins an elite group of only 12 centers in the world that are qualified by the Nautical Institute (NI) to offer sea time reduction courses. This means that trainees are credited with 30 days of sea time when they complete five days of intensive training in the Class A Dynamic Positioning (DP) simulator. 

Selected to continue supplying and operating the simulator as a joint project with the Academy for the next five years, GE has upgraded the facility with GE Marine’s Class A training simulator.

“Since its inauguration the center has trained up to 800 students to become certified in operating DP systems,” said Ismail Abd Ghafar, president of the AASTMT.

In order to run this Class A simulator the center is utilizing hardware and software from GE Marine, including its C-series Dynamic Positioning and a simulator system. DP is an advanced ship position-control system which enables the vessel to maintain a stationary position or a precise course using its propulsion system, thrusters and rudders.

Applied Research International (ARI) is the preferred simulator supplier for GE’s DP training projects.

The center will also be equipped with a new Class A offshore crane simulator, the first of its kind for local operators to obtain offshore crane training in the Arab world.

“With over 900 of our DP systems deployed worldwide, the training center in Egypt will add to our capability in training future mariners for more efficient and safe maritime operations and also help meet the needs of the offshore and petroleum services in the Middle East and beyond,” said Tim Schweikert, VP, GE Marine.