A world-leading joint venture between the Marine Research Institute Netherlands (MARIN) and the Dutch Ministry of Defence has seen a new Fast Small Ship Simulator (FSSS) created for the training of crews working on high speed boats. Together with key suppliers Cruden and Tree C Technology, and end-users, the Royal Dutch Naval Defence School and the Royal Dutch Navy’s Surface Assault Training Group, the consortium aims to deliver a whole raft of training and cost improvements. Fast small ships play a vital role in all modern defence strategies, allowing a swift and flexible response to everything from illegal immigration and drug smuggling to fisheries protection and piracy.

However, crew training is currently expensive, time consuming, weather dependant and tough on instructors, who face up to a 1,000 hours per year at sea and slamming accelerations of up to 9 g.

The FSSS project is unique in its high degree of technological innovation as it is the first in the world to integrate advanced manoeuvre- and seagoing simulation technology, the latest motion cueing algorithms and state-of-the-art visualisation of both the marine environment and ‘at sea’ conditions.

The simulator reduces wear and tear on front-line operational vessels and a sharp reduction in fuel costs, while also opening up the possibility of co-ordinated training with other marine simulators such as the Ship Handling Simulator system.

Cruden is delighted to be part of this consortium and to be transferring simulation technology and know-how from the automotive and motorsport industries to the marine sector. A hydrodynamics-focused simulator, using detailed modelling and motion cueing techniques as well as professional image generation, is the next frontier for realistic and accurate training in fast boat handling, safety and navigation. The FSSS simulator is geared specifically to giving its crew a dynamic nautical setting in which they can perfect all the manoeuvring and navigational skills they might require.

The FSSS was developed by Cruden, MARIN and Tree C Technology as part of a CODEMO project, where SMEs and research organizations develop demonstration systems relevant to the Dutch Ministry of Defence.