Marine Technology Reporter Blogs - marine institute

The Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University (MI) of St. John’s, Newfoundland is the first post-secondary institution in the world to offer simulation-based training in launching, maneuvering and recovering lifeboats in all weather conditions. MI’s Offshore Safety and Survival Centre is training offshore personnel and students on the Survival Quest system developed by Virtual Marine Technology (VMT), also of St. John's. VMT develops simulators for survival craft and high-speed electronic navigation training. “Using the SurvivalQuest simulator we can better prepare lifeboat operators to handle a variety of emergency launch conditions in a safe, realistic and focused learning environment,” said Glenn Blackwood, Executive Director of the Marine Institute.

The SmartBay ocean observing system in Placentia Bay, Newfoundland has secured $224,000 in funding from the Government of Canada’s Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) to support two years of operations and the development of a sustainability plan. “The success of this user-driven observation system involving fishers, the oil and gas industry, marine transportation, recreational boaters, and municipalities is being piloted in Placentia Bay for potential development and use in oceans around Canada and throughout the world,” said Senator Fabian Manning in St. John’s. The federal government funding support supplements $451,000 in provincial government support for SmartBay announced in September, 2010.

The Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University (Marine Institute) in St. John’s, Newfoundland is the first post-secondary institute to adapt Lockheed Martin’s VISTA simulation and training tool for non-defence marine applications. The agreement between Lockheed Martin Canada and the Marine Institute was announced in December. VISTA—visual integrated simulation and training application—is a simulation and training tool originally developed for the Canadian navy to train technicians in the operations, maintenance and repair of complex systems and equipment onboard Canadian vessels. This application has been adopted by navies in Australia, the United Kingdom, Japan and the United States.