The training programme
Paul Verhoeven comes from a family of skippers. He has worked at Brabo since 1975. He started out as a boatman, then became a pilot, and has been in charge of training for around ten years.
Paul Verhoeven: “Our people start by passing the boatman’s exam and a few years later they can start their training at the Antwerp Maritime Academy. In the meantime they practise regularly in our simulator. Here we check whether they have the necessary skills to become pilots.
Once they’ve completed their STCW master course after eight years, they still have to attend six months of practical lessons. At the same time, we prepare them to appear before a jury (via theoretical training: types of propellers, types of rudders, docking of ships, etc.).
In practice, our apprentice pilots carry out around 350 piloting assignments and ten assignments (twice) with a ‘godfather pilot’. After this, if all goes well, they are ready to join our team of pilots.
Pilots start with ships from 90 metres in length and then gradually progress to larger ships. After two years they are piloting ships of 180 to 220 metres. At that point they are given additional simulator training and they go to Poland for a ship handling course. After five years they go to France (Port Revel) for an emergency course. This covers everything that can go wrong and how to respond in an emergency.”
“It’s only after 13 years of theory and practice that our pilots are ready for the real work.”
The simulator
A unique tool for in-house training
Brabo trains its pilots on the company’s own state-of-the-art manoeuvring simulator. This is similar to an aircraft simulator, but instead of a cockpit it simulates the bridge (360° full mission bridge) of a ship and also a smaller bridge for radar training. The parameters and controls of all kinds of ships (from 50 to 399 metres) that visit the Port of Antwerp are entered in the simulator.
A test lab for new types of ships and jetty designs.
The Brabo simulator and training centre are made available for international partners in other ports.
Brabo also uses the simulator to study a wide range of projects on behalf of customers such as the Port of Antwerp, terminals and shipowners. The work covers new docking techniques, new types of ship, new jetty designs, etc. and includes preliminary studies, testing and impact assessments.
