Transas ship modelling for cruisers

The year began with the development modelling for several in-service vessels for the Resolve Maritime Academy, in support of their training programmes for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCCL). This included the Celebrity Solstice, Freedom of the Seas, Vision of the Seas and TUI Mein Schiff 1. Each was painstakingly developed for maximum realism.

Two further RCCL vessels, still in the process of construction at the builders yard, were also modelled for Resolve – Quantum of the Seas and the TUI Mein Schiff 3, both are due for their maiden voyages in 2014.

Neil Bennett, vice president, Transas USA, commented: “Modelling vessels that are yet to leave the yard presents real challenges for development, predominantly because there is only limited data available to work with. However, the value of being able to train officers who will one day sail aboard that vessel, and to have the opportunity to run simulated trials of that vessel entering some of the ports to which she will eventually sail, even before she is floated out, is immense.”

At the same time, Transas developed the Emerald Princess and the future Royal Princess, due in service in the spring of 2013, for CSMART, the Center for Simulator Maritime Training, located in Almere, The Netherlands.

Model developers created realistic ship-specific virtual control pages and hardware consoles for each of the vessels using Transas’ flexible modeling engine, ‘Virtual Ship Yard’; and by working closely with shipyards, including Fincantieri – Cantieri Navali Italiani, the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany and STX Finland Cruise Oy.