Navy simulator pressed into service to train harbour pilots

The navy's bridge simulator has been pressed into service by the Ports of Auckland to prepare its pilots for bigger ships.

The port is dredging its commercial shipping lane in Rangitoto Channel and the approaches to Axis Fergusson container terminal by moving a million cubic metres of spoil.

The deeper channel would allow bigger container ships with deeper drafts to use the port. The ports company said it would also need more navigational aids, to upgrade and relocate existing navigational aids, and cut or remove disused submarine cables crossing the shipping lane. All the changes would be incorporated into the bridge simulator to train pilots.

The contract for the ports company to use the simulator was signed by the navy and the ports company at the Devonport Naval Base yesterday.

The navy said bridge simulator staff would model the shipping lane in the Rangitoto Channel and the approaches to the container terminal to reflect the planned deepening.

It would also use a model of the biggest container ship to visit New Zealand, the Nedlloyd Remuera, which can carry more than 4000 containers.

The navy said the contract was the first big commercial contract for the $6 million simulator since it opened in September 2000.

- NZPA

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