SHIPPING companies could save huge amounts in training costs and improve safety at sea by using ''virtual reality'' navigation simulators, according to experts.
Under the existing system, ships' officers must spend long and costly periods at sea while training for master's certificates.
But using computer simulators, which re-create almost every aspect of activity on a ship's bridge, even to bringing on possible sea-sickness - can reduce training time dramatically while offering valuable experience of rare emergency conditions.
''The potential savings for fleet operators are huge,'' said Tjakko Bouwman, director of the Royal Dutch Shipowners' Association. ''We think the compulsory sailing time for a trainee can be brought down if navigation simulators are used.'' Simulators were first developed by defence companies in the 1970s, and although now widely used for flight training, they have only recently been adapted for sea navigation.
Simulators for maritime training use high-definition computer technology which combine three-dimensional graphics projected on to wrap-around screens with sound and movement.
US company Flight Safety International, which has installed a navigation training system for the Dutch port of Rotterdam, also has made its latest system interactive to allow students to react to each other while learning.