Dubrovnik Merchant Marine University

In Dubrownik some time ago after war ended here , and work have then to be stoped on most modern Maritime University , and then countinue on Merchant Marine University, its of its kind one of the best in the word having simulators for deck  officers, which can simulate any situation what might happened for example in real situation as in simulator , well it is quite big room, and you have feeling as you are on navigational bridge, of ship, depend what theyon CD place in for simulate.

It shows situations you might have on ship, also different ships,such as  slow supertankers to very fast container ships or passenger cruising ships,

inside on your disposal are same instrument what are on ship navigation bridge such as radars, telegraph to give order to engine room, increase or decrease speed, depend of situations and all one modern ship have on bridge, also you can call by radio, ship  to ship communication another ship making dangerous simulated pass, and mentor from other room respond you as is real situation at sea. 

Although I attend different building of Maritime University in my time new one is just 100m away , having all modern simulators, and I did there also many, examinations required, and also on that simulator, they can simulate you any spot in the world ship has to pass.

Usually they did most dangerous ones such as English Channel where sea traffic is very congested as there are biggest ports there in the world, as Rotterdam, Amtwerpen, Hamburg  and many others just to mention few and visibility is often very poor with frequent fog.

Also on other part of word they have CD with dangerous Singapore Straight, Sailing along Japaneses coast, ect, as it cannot be described, smaller coaster are all along Japanese coast carry all kind of cargo night time usually coming at night or afternoon from other Japanese portst and its hundreds, and hundreds of them, its Japanese main means of transport those small ships life span for Japanese , and cargo is brought by hundreds or thousands a day  with such small ships to be loaded after on big ships departing Japan,

Let me explain such simulators as really one feel as on nvigigation bridge even ahead can see some artificial horizont and part of ship they simulate from navigational bridge to bow.

They also simulate entering big ports, manounring with helps of tugs,and one must show that as Captain how will safely berth certain ship alongside or anchor it at the place they simulate it by CD,

All is great and quite one have filing as he is on ship but of course you are on simulator, and what is missing is adrenalin, as on simulator if you make mistake of course you can start again but in real situation mistake can be costly,

No simulator ever make can replace real situations what happened suddenly but are help lets say and they cost millions dollars.

It is no their itention to if you failed few times as on school examinations to say to you , ok come again, no that course cost a lot  and you paid it, and Internationals law required this amonng tens examinations so lets say they are very helpful, as they know mostly you are Captains with many years of real experience on all kind of ships what they can simulate and place on simulator where are you suppose to pass, or when simulate some very congested port and you as Captain how will do, they know you have experience as they all mentors lets say are former Ship`s Captains and they are well aware that nowaday for experienced Captain` s such simulator is no essential but for young officers might be some help, but captain deputy is also with Captain exam and its senior executive officer and he is one to become Captain having sea, time experience and all needed and its company policy when will he  be given command of his own.

In real situation only Captain on certain ship made evaluation of every single crew member from senior officer to youngest seaman and monthly sent it to ship`s office and its on his discretion and nobody saw what he wrote.

So when Copmany ship belong is to promote anyone , they of course carefully read this from all ships compare , such records and decide then if one have all exams and many more after school what is asked by harbor Masters world wide courses, as Fire Fighting, Rescue by helicopter, Abandoning ship,Modern rdars, Electronic charts advced medical 1st aid for Captain` and senior officers , ect

Tthere are lot of such exams and seaman pay all from his pocket.

One what was really last long time was when they introduce on ships satellite cominucations, and it was completely new for us as we never learn theory at school as was till then radio officer, by Morse code maintaining communication, but when that was start coming on ships so then radio officers lost their jobs as all was doing, by deck  officers, work on such satellite communication and its ok, till it works, and on ship` there are two sets, but both can fail and then take thick book and try to rectify it on sea,

and although i learn on ships of course how to handle that communication they demand certificate and it was 22 days, from 7 am till 5 pm with lunch break there at University , a shad kitchen also and caffe bar, so 1 hour lunch break and 2 breaks in University caffee bar twice 15 minutes for coffee time aech, to rest a bit as that was completely new theoris for us although we knew all how to work , sent mails on ships among many other jobs we did,

Mostly was theory , and that job was doing before radio officer and we did never in school learn that so it was so booring as we are all experienced  senior officers many years, most came home on vacations from ships and have to spent so many days on such exams and listening mentors, who never sailed at all but were some electronic engineers ,

Very nice but on ship things are different,

For example one example ship is coming to Tokyo bay, it have inside agent once told me when typhoon was heading in that are some 1000 ships in all bay, Star just will mention some, Yokohame, Chiba, Kawasaki, Tokyo and smaller ones

 and 1st port there lets say is mostly Yokohama very big port, and this is procedure for any ship coming to any port,

at very moment pilot board ship Captain must sent mail to company in such congested traffic that pilot is on board, but senior officer take then ship navigation till Captain manage to send mail,

as in Tokyo bay in any moments are some 1000 ships there when you enter Tokyo bay interference occur from so many ship on communication that you can not use it once you enter bay.

In Dubrovnik Maritime University that course lasting 22 day almost all day including Saturday and Sunday, is great help to learn theory, problem that most of us came on vacation from ships and spent 22 days all day there is so demanding , one who came home from ship will know what I mean, and since theory if something goes wrong with satellite communication , it is very difficult or even impossible to solve unless on ship is Electronic engineer.

That is great thing, and is used also in some emergency situation. Captain or officer who is next to him if Captain is injured can send through this in plain text providing time is not so urgent that ship have some emergency, situation, very injured crew and situation where sip will be lost if no help come,

By international agreement when you transmit this emergeny massage it goes to satellite and depend where ship is country nearest send all what can help if ship is not very far on some ocean.

So if help can be provided and it is further updated to all ships by your mail, all is certain country have at it disposal means set in motions, rescue planes, helicopter rescue coast ships and many more and sure it cost lot of money that one can not  joke from ship with that and I will explain you even that is possible.

There are on the bridge two buttons only , no having but cover, over that buttons, an no lock of any kind exist or password to activate it.

That is made as ship if is really in grave danger and there is no time to send by written words mail explaining all, what kind of emergency ship is so as it goes to satellite with shid ID  number, is dispached to coutry close to ship.

But if time is lost and you cannot send and written text  and explain what is going on and in what emergency ship is, those two buttons most of sailors although they

MUST NOT, play EVER with it, so when officer at certain moment, who is in charge, as can be anyone even youngest if all are injured, what have to do open just plastic cover where are two buttons and pres both for only 5 seconds, and that is enough,

mail automaticaly by satellite above goes to rescue center and they at once set all in  motion, as this is consider worse then text emergency mail,contain ship ID and position ant that is in grave danger.

and if some sailor whatIi hear on other ships happened did it, as he know something, but not that he alarmed all rescue center with ship indentification ID, and scared as nothing will reveal and luckily in few minutes if he reveal someone what he did, Captain at once must mail to rescue center that it was mistake, as if not, all what certain country rescue means have as hellicopter, planes, ships and ships also close to that ship will be notified to alter course and head to you, so Captain must STOP all that costly millions dollars by man did it before rescue center take action and apologize , what can say tha one seaman pressed 5 seconds  that 2  for 5 seconds  it buttons??

as they are free not  as I say with any password just plastic cover, just press 2 buttons same  for 5 seconds, and Captain will sure lost his Certificate and be prosecuted as costs if all set rescue in motion as was false mail

company ship belong have to pay it and Captain lost his Certificate.

This new Maritime Universite in Dubrovnik is great place. such expensive simulators were donated fro Shipping company from Dubrovnik, to benefit all sailors and many CRoatians are coming from all country, no foreigners as all is on Croatian language held courses