The Maritime Department recently hosted a four-day International Association for Safety and Survival Training (IASST) Meeting and Seminar: “The Use of Simulators in Safety and Survival Training”, at Granger Bay campus.
IASST is a highly professional organisation, which pays efforts to improve the efficiency of safety and survival training all over the world, therefore, saving the lives of seafarers. The IASST has vast experience of more than 40 years in the field, which is combined with the expertise of all its members. It is a huge network of more than 150 members, located in more than 50 countries and on all continents. Every single member contributes to the development of the association and the safety of seafarers.
The event had 20 delegates coming from CPUT: Department of Maritime Studies, Project Maritime Training: South Africa, Sea Safety Training Group: South Africa, Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK): Japan, National Maritime College of Ireland: Ireland, Survival Systems Limited: Canada, Maritiem Instituut Willem Barentsz: Netherlands, WoW Company International SA: Belgium, Novikontas: Latvia, The Centre for the Study and Practice of Survival (CEPS): France and FISH Platform: Netherlands.
Senior Maritime Instructor and Manager: Department of Maritime Studies: Survival Centre, Samantha Montes, who was the event organiser, said the objective of the meeting was to facilitate an exchange of information and to fulfil other objectives of the IASST, and that the meetings are held regularly at locations around the world.
Montes said the international meetings are held to conduct the business affairs of the association. Standing items on the agenda of international meetings include review, approval and matters arising from minutes of previous meetings; future meetings membership matters and a round table of membership issues, however, she said the meetings’ agendas were not necessarily limited to the aforementioned matters. Montes added that a one-day safety seminar is held in conjunction with any international meeting. A safety seminar features a mix of international and local presenters.
Reflecting on this year's event, Montes said the event was very successful as “we were only asked in July to host due to the assigned host could no longer accommodate the meeting and seminar”. “[I was] impressed with the quality of speakers who were available at short notice. I am honoured that we, as CPUT, were asked to host. The IASST has not met in South Africa before, and this was the first CPUT was hosting since the inception of IASST in the 1980s.”
Yann Chauty from CEPS said the main topic, Simulation in safety, training was very interesting and successful. Chauty added that there was a need to invest sufficiently in the quality of the training equipment of the schools, including davits, lifeboats, etc, which “are very obsolete”.
Cormac Mac Sweeney from Munster Technological University said the event accelerated the update on current thinking and possibilities regarding the use of simulation in safety training. Sweeney said a lot can be achieved in online meetings and there is no doubt there is a cost involved in in-person meetings.
“In person [meetings] gives you the opportunity of not only having longer discussions on the topic but also the ability to discuss other topics of mutual interest, expanding on similar methodologies, discussing new ideas and perhaps creating new links,” partnerships etc,” he continued.
“Overall, the ability, without time restraint, to discuss areas of mutual interest to improve our ability to pass the most up-to-date knowledge onto our students/clients.”
Leon Morton from Sea Safety Training Group, said: “I would say in terms of simulation the last presenter with the gaming mode was something interesting, however, not all age groups would be able to do that as the gaming consoles take time to get used to… My favourite was the fish platform, showing how everyone locally and internationally, doesn’t consider the figures of the fishing industry. Our fishing industry needs to be included and not just be on the side as a mention.”
“We are from Canada, and it was nice to see that South Africa was developing a safety culture when it comes to survival at sea. And yes, the people were extremely nice and helpful,” said Paul Douglas from Survival Systems.
The IASST also handed over a charitable donation of 500 British Pounds to the National Sea Rescue Institute- NSRI Station 29 - Airborne Sea Rescue.
Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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