ECDIS training now available on Trainingportal Offline
Manufacturer-approved training in Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS) has been launched on Trainingportal Offline – Mintra’s unique solution that allows workers to undertake elearning on board during periods of limited or no internet connectivity.
The addition of 13 ECDIS training courses to Trainingportal Offline provides shipping operators with a streamlined learning solution and gives seafarers access to approved training that matches the ECDIS model they currently use on board.
Manufacturer approved training from providers including ChartWord, Wärtsilä and NG Sperry Marine are among the courses that are now live on the platform. Marvin Bielek, Mintra nautical author and ECDIS expert, said the courses available on Trainingportal Offline offer an alternative to the ‘trickle down’ approach to on board learning, where one trained officer teaches others how to use it.
“By adding these manufacturer-approved type-specific ECDIS courses to Trainingportal Offline, we are offering flexibility to both employers and employees. We are giving them a choice of what works best for them.”
He said: “Trickle down training is discouraged by many authorities since information gets lost and no structure or complete course is given. The main benefit of making these courses available on Trainingportal Offline is that every seafarer will have a chance to receive complete, understandable and manufacturer-approved training for the ECIDS model they are using on board.
“They will be able to combine the type-specific learning with on board familiarisation of the actual ECDIS used and its integration within the bridge. This creates a very powerful and immersive learning experience.
“I think this development will be welcomed by seafarers because it gives them the choice of how and where they learn. Some may find it difficult to balance workload with the time required for ECDIS training on board – around 16 hours – and will prefer to use a training centre or an online course at home, but utilising their downtime on board for training may be preferable for others who do not want to give up time on shore.
“It is also very beneficial for seafarers who have been assigned to a vessel with a different ECDIS to which they have previously experienced on short notice without sufficient time to complete training on shore.
“By adding these manufacturer-approved type-specific ECDIS courses to Trainingportal Offline, we are offering flexibility to both employers and employees. We are giving them a choice of what works best for them.”
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) determined almost 15 years ago that the use of ECDIS should be made mandatory to support safe navigation as an alternative to paper charts. Over the past 12 months, Mintra has issued almost 27,000 certificates for its various manufacture specific ECDIS training courses.
Trainingportal Offline was developed specifically with the maritime sector in mind. It allows courses to be downloaded during periods of connectivity and then completed on board at any time, even when there is no internet connectivity. A locally installed application records activity and updates the master Trainingportal online with that information when a connection is restored, ensuring data in maintained within a single source.
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