International Journal
on Marine Navigation
and Safety of Sea Transportation
Volume 6
Number 4
December 2012
1 INTRODUCTION
Among the most important tasks of the professional
training for the interior water transport specialists are
the safety of navigation and the decrease in the
number of accidents on the inland waterways. This is
achieved largely by the up keeping of knowledge,
skills and practice of the navigators at an appropriate
level. The navigational simulators have been the
main tools for training and monitoring the vessel
navigator’s level of skill. In spite of the measures to
enhance the professional level of the inland water
transport specialists, the number of accidents due the
vessel navigator’s mistakes is not diminishing.
According to data provided by the RF State
Organization for Naval and River Navigation
Supervision from 2005 to 2010 (see ref.1), the
accident number remains at the same level and even
has the trend to increase. This fact indirectly shows a
low effectiveness of the existing methods of the
navigator’s professional training.
2 BASIC CONCEPT OF THE SC-METHOD
The analysis of the recent publications on the
problems of increasing the navigators qualification
level (see ref.2,3) permits to draw the conclusion
about the need to improve in the fast place the
methods of using the navigational simulators to train
the inland water transport navigators. At present
time there is no in Russia common concept of using
the navigational simulators for the river vessel
masters training. The training with simulators has
been envisaged only for the “river-marine” vessel
navigators. As for the other categories of inland
water transport navigators, the right to choose the
mode of their training has been delegated to the
leaders of particular water basins and steamship
companies. Therefore, the selection of navigational
simulators to be used in training centers depends in a
large degree on the competence of decision taking
leaders and on the financial prosperity of
organizations. Thus, there is a real need in
developing clear criteria of evaluating the
effectiveness of simulators, produced by different
companies to be employed in training specialists for
specific water basins of the Russian Federation.
SC-Method of Adaptation Marine Navigational
Simulators for Training River Shipmasters
O. Demchenkov
Moscow State Academy of Water Transport, Russia
ABSTRACT: The article provides an actual overview of navigational simulators for training shipmasters to
control vessels on inland waterways in Russian Federation. There’re considered methodology of adaptation
“marine” navigational simulators for training “river” shipmasters, based on SC-method (“the Safety Cube”
method).
481
Table 1. Typical transport infrastructure facilities of real basins from the RF inland waterways. XY-projection according to SC-method
___________________________
* Considered 3-screws passenger ship with a separate management for machine (screw).
** Under the seasonal prevalence understood multifactorial concept that consists of: changes in the position and direction of the fairway due to due to rearrangement of sediments;
changes radar images in connection with water discharge in the upper reach of the reservoir; изменение скорости и направления течения; change in the depth of the fairway,
and other factors..
Water basins
Transport infrastructure facilities
Vessels
Hydrotechnical
constructions
Distinctive parts of the inland waterways
Self
-propelled ships
Haulted ships
Kicked ships
*
Dangerous goods
carriers
Rapid ships
Barges
Rafts
Suction
-tube dredgers
-ribbed locks
Double
ribbed locks
Single
-chambered locks
-chambered locks
Moorings
Free rivers
(rivers without obstacles)
Rivers with
gateways
Lakes
Channels
Bridges
Areas with avanport
Se
asonal prevalence
**
Group rifts
Rifts between riversides
Rifts with placers
Rifts along ravines
Abrupt turns
Lateral channels
Lake segments of the
water basin
River segments of the
water basin
Single
-span bridges
Multi
-span bridges
Azovo-Donskoy
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
+
+
+
+
+
Amursky
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
+
-
-
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
-
-
+
-
+
Volzhsky
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
-
+
+
+
+
Vostochno-Sibirsky
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
-
+
-
+
-
+
+
+
+
-
+
-
-
+
-
-
Enisejsky
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
+
-
-
+
-
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
-
-
+
+
-
-
Kamsky
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
-
+
+
+
+
Severo-Vostochny
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
+
-
-
+
-
+
+
+
+
+
-
-
-
-
+
-
+
+
Severo-Zapadny
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
+
+
+
+
-
+
-
+
+
-
-
-
+
+
+
+
+
-
Severny
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
+
+
-
+
+
+
+
+
-
-
+
+
+
+
+
-
Obsky
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
+
-
-
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
+
-
-
+
+
+
+
Ob’-Irtyshsky
+
-
+
+
+
+
-
+
-
-
+
-
+
+
+
+
+
-
-
-
-
+
+
+
-
Centralny
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
+
-
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
+
+
+
+
-
Table 2. Transport infrastructure facilities which are modeled in navigational simulators. XZ-projection according to SC-method
Navigationa
l
simulators
Transport infrastructure facilities
Vessels
Hydrotechnical
constructions
Distinctive parts of the inland waterways
Self
-propelled ships
Haulted ships
Kicked ships
Passenger carriers
*
Dangerous goods carriers
Rapid ships
Barges
Rafts
Suction
-tube dredger
Single
-ribbed locks
Double
ribbed locks
Single
-chambered locks
Multi
-chambered locks
Moorings
Free rivers
(rivers without obstacles)
Rivers
with
gateways
Lakes
Channels
Bridges
Areas with avanport
Seasonal prevalence **
Group rifts
Rifts between riversides
Rifts with placers
Rifts along ravines
Abrupt turns
Lateral channels
Lake segment of the water
basin
River segment of the water
basin
Single
-span bridges
Multi
-span bridges
«NTPro»
+ - + - + + + - - - - -
***
- + - + - + + + - + + - + + + -
«MARLOT»
+ - - - + - - - - - - - - + - - - - + + - + + + + + - -
«MASTER»
+ - + - + - + - - - - - - - - - - + + + - + + + + + - -
«RNM»
+ - - - + - - - - + - + - + - - - - + - - + + + + - - -
«Riv.Sim.
2.5»
+ - + - - - - - - - - - - - - + - + + + - - - - - + - -
____________________________
* Considered 3-screws passenger ship with a separate management for machine (screw).
** Under the seasonal prevalence understood multifactorial concept that consists of: changes in the position and direction of the fairway due to due to rearrangement of sediments;
changes radar images in connection with water discharge in the upper reach of the reservoir; изменение скорости и направления течения; change in the depth of the
fairway, and other factors..
*** Gateway as an object of transport infrastructure not realized in full in “NTPro”. Only entry or exit from the gateway are modeled without the implementation of the locking
process.
483
Table 3. Navigational simulators which are used for training shipmasters to control vessels in real basins from the RF
inland waterways. ZY-projection according to SC-method
Water basins
Navigational simulators
«NTPro» «MARLOT» «MASTER» «RNM» «Riv.Sim. 2.5»
Azovo-Donskoy
+
-
+
-
-
Amursky
+
-
-
-
+
Volzhsky
+
+
+
+
-
Vostochno-Sibirsky
+
-
-
+
Enisejsky
+
-
-
+
Kamsky
+
-
-
+
-
Severo-Vostochny
+
-
-
-
+
Severo-Zapadny
+
+
-
+
-
Severny
+
+
-
+
-
Obsky
+
-
+
+
-
Ob’-Irtyshsky
+
+
+
+
-
Centralny
-
+
+
-
-
In order to substantiate the optimum criteria of
employing simulators for the purpose of training
the specialists of inland water transport, the author
have analyzed in the period of 2009 to 2010 the
database of the simulators used in 33 training
centers of the RF inland water transport. In the
course of research the author has taken into
consideration the requirements contained in
guidance documents (see ref.4-7) as well as the
published materials (see ref.8,9).
In general, the number of parameter groups that
can be used to compare the simulators, may be
rather large. At the same time, any systematic
apparatus should be developed in the interests of
its practical use and must be easily understood by
the specialists having a different level of
mathematical knowledge. Therefore, in the process
of developing the methods for the efficiency
evaluation for the navigational simulators used in
training of vessel navigators of the inland water
transport, the basic data was grouped according to
the following three categories:
1 transport infrastructure facilities (i.e. vessels,
hydrotechnical constructions, distinctive parts
of the inland waterways;
2 water basins;
3 navigational simulators used for the training of
inland water transport navigators.
The mathematic models realizing method called
“the Safety Cube” (SC-method) (see ref.10) are the
best suitable for the solution of multi-criteria
optimization tasks of similar class. This approach
consists in establishing interconnection between
the constituent elements (components) of
researched categories and comes to the
construction of developments along the axes XY,
XZ and ZY (see fig.1)
Tables 1, 2 and 3 contain the detailed
characteristics of interrelation of the components of
the researched categories. They are grouped
according to the evolvent XY, XZ and ZY
correspondingly.
Figure1. The interrelation of categories used for evaluating
the effectiveness of navigational simulators,
using the SC-methodology apparatus
484
3 USING THE SC-METHOD TO ASSESSING
EFFECTIVENESS OF MARINE
NAVIGATIONAL SIMULATORS FOR
TRAINING RIVER SHIPMASTERS
A detailed analysis of evolvents of "the Safety
Cube" allows detecting individual features of
navigational simulators which are used in training
centers for training navigators. Knowledge the
differences and shortcomings of navigational
simulators from different manufacturers may help
decision makers (managers of shipping companies,
leaders of basins, etc.) to plan effective teaching
and/or retraining of crew for the operation vessels
in specific inland water basins.
In particular, using the above evolvents can be
convincingly argued that in modern navigational
simulators the transport infrastructure facilities
such as vessels and hydrotechnical constructions
(waterworks) are presented to a limited amount
and does not fully reflect the real diversity of
existing types of vessels and waterworks of the
Russian Federation inland waterways. Also, a
number of simulators, which was originally
designed to prepare the skippers of marine vessels
are absent or are not modeled in full amount
typical parts of inland waterways (rifts, canals,
etc.).
Table 4. Percentages of implementation the transport
infrastructure facilities of RF inland waterways in
navigational simulators with standard kit
Navigational
simulators for
RF training
centers
Percentage of implementation the transport
infrastructure facilities in navigational
simulators
Vessels
Hydrotech
nical
constructi
ons
Distinctiv
e parts of
the inland
waterways
In total
«NTPro» 55.5% 20% 64.3% 53.6%
«MARLOT» 22.2% 20% 50% 35.7%
«MASTER» 44.4% 0% 57.1% 42.8%
«RNM» 22.2% 60% 35.7% 35.7%
«Riv.Sim. 2.5» 22.2% 0% 35.7% 25%
Except qualitative assessments, using evolvents
of "the Safety Cube", there is possibility to obtain
quantitative expert estimates. For example, in
Table 4 shows the percentages of implementation
the transport infrastructure facilities of RF inland
waterways in navigational simulators with
standard kit, obtained from the results of statistical
processing the information from the evolvent XZ.
For clarity, the data of Table 4 can be
represented graphically by plotting values of the
calculated parameters on the axes of the polar
coordinate, as shown in Figure 2.
The data in Table 4 allow confirming with
quantitatively mentioned above qualitative
conclusion about the absence of a complete list of
transport infrastructure facilities in modern
navigational simulators which are used for training
and retraining shipmasters and navigators for
inland waterways
On average over all navigational simulators in
Russian training centers, are able to simulate only
38.6% of objects from inland water transport
infrastructure! In turn, officials of shipping
companies which are responsible for the safety of
navigation can make a reasoned conclusion about
the low efficiency of use of modern marine
navigational simulators for training river
shipmasters, intended for testing skipper’s skills in
different shipping conditions on inland waterways.
Figure 2. Percentage of implementation the basic groups of
the transport infrastructure facilities in navigational
simulators with standard complectation
4 CONCLUSIONS
Thus, the SC-method as a variation of methodical
apparatus "the Safety Cube" really allows
implementing a way of evaluating the effectiveness
of the navigational simulators for training
shipmasters to control vessels on inland waterways
in Russian Federation. Thus, the introduction of
SC-method will contribute costs optimization to
simulators, will increase the quality of training
navigators by rules for necessary adaptation and
eventually will decrease the number of accidents
and crashes on the inland waterways.
485
At present time is ready a series of publications
how to use proposed in article the SC-method for
rationale selecting concrete model and modification
of navigational simulators for training navigators for
specific river basins of the inland waterways of
Russian Federation. Now is developed some
practical methodics based on the SC-method for
forming requirements for databases of river
navigational simulators, taking into account regional
specificities, for the following organizations:
Bashkir River Shipping, Shipping Company
"ORION", Research Company
“Systems&Technologies” and Kotlas Rivership
College.
REFERENCES
[1] Official website of the Office of the State of Maritime and
River Oversight (Gosmorrechnadzor)
URL: http://www.rostransnadzor.ru/sea/
[2] Aizinov, S.D. 2006. Analysis of the effectiveness of marine
simulators. Morskoy flot (the Sea Fleet) 6: 18–23.
[3] Kostylev, I.I. 2006. Status and prospects of development of
simulator training the specialists of maritime transport.
Morskoy flot (the Sea Fleet) 6: 8 – 14.
[4] Instruction by content navigational equipment of inland
waterways / General Directorate of waterways and
waterworks Minrechflota RSFSR. 1988. Moscow:
Transport.
[5] the Code of Inland Water Transport №374-FZ. 2009.
[6] Rules for navigation on inland waterways of the Russian
Federation. 2009. Moscow: Translit
[7] Rules for crossing vessels and convoys through the locks of
inland waterways of the Russian Federation. 2004.
Мoscow: Translit.
[8] Golubev, A.I. 1987. Radar methods of navigation on inland
waterways. Moscow: Transport.
[9] Katenin, V.A.& Zernov, A.V.& Fadeev G.G. 2010
Navigation and hydrographic support on the inland
waterways. Moscow: Morkniga.
[10] Japparov, E.R. 2009. Methodical apparatus preventive
rationing technogenic transport risks on inland waterways
of the Russian Federation. Moscow: Altair-MGAWT
486