How To Steer A Super Tanker On Dry Land In Newport Beach

The Full Mission Bridge Simulator is so sophisticated, the U.S. Navy is planning a visit in the near future to evaluate its use at some of their own training facilities. The simulator comes as close to replicating a ship’s bridge as any in operation today globally, both in terms of physical appearance and instrumentation.

Different vessels in the fleet

Programmed into the system currently are 45 different vessels, ranging in size from small fishing boats to high-speed ferries to mega-containerships. To date, students can “captain” this fleet into 16 different geographic areas, including Los Angeles/Long Beach, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, and Singapore.

To visually ascertain navigation

Adding to the simulator’s realism are giant video displays arrayed across 270 degrees, so student skippers can look beyond their instruments and information screens to ascertain visually what they’re navigating through and to – just like from the height of an authentic wheelhouse.

Simulator’s purpose

There isn’t an imaginable maritime scenario that can’t be programmed into the computer. Vicente can input ship traffic, threatening collisions, or career-ending groundings. In case of accidental groundings or collisions, the simulator will stop the simulation. Despite its 21st century sophistication, it will not contact insurance carriers.

Satellite updates

With constant satellite updates, the system can even identify ships resting at assigned anchorages in Long Beach Harbor, or any of the 65 giant freighters currently backlogged at anchor from Long Beach/LA down to Huntington Beach, while awaiting docking instructions.