Virtual ‘Quay Skills’ cranes to train Merseyside’s new dockaside generation

Jul 1 2009 by Gary Stewart, Bromborough and Bebington News

A VIRTUAL reality “computer game” is helping the dock workers of the future to learn their trade.

Trainee crane drivers at the Maritime Engineering College, Monks Ferry, Birkenhead, can now hone their skills in a cost-effective virtual environment.

The £1.75m Quay Skills machines can simulate any port in the world in any weather condition, and train operators to deal with pre-programmed accidents.

Motion capture technology similar to that used in Hollywood epics can even populate the port with virtual workers.

Along with training for the gantry cranes used to load ships, the three simulators can also teach and test operators on quay cranes, straddle carriers for containers, land-based tugs for roll on roll off ferries, and fork lift trucks.

As well as being safe, they save on fuel costs and down-time for the real cranes. Jim Teasdale, chief executive of Mersey Maritime, which represents 1,700 maritime businesses on Merseyside, said: “These facilities are among the very best in the world.

“They prepare learners for potentially hazardous situations in an entirely safe environment and are as close as possible to the real thing. We are currently developing our programme to include training for apprentices, which will help deliver the next generation of port operatives.

“We want the skilled jobs associated with the Port to go to people in the region and this training suite will undoubtedly help to prepare people for when these jobs become available.”

Quay Skills was part funded with £656,000 from the Single Regeneration Budget funded by the Northwest Regional Development Agency and £656,000 from the Merseyside Objective One Programme. A further £450,000 investment has come from the private sector.

The machines took two years to develop, install, and commission in a partnership between Mersey Maritime, AIMS Solutions (Liverpool) and Drake Ports Distribution Services. Visit www. quayskills.co.ukIt is hoped they will make a big contribution to the 28,000 people who rely on the port for work and also the £2.5bn it is worth to the economy of Merseyside.