The fourth report in the Kotka Maritime Research Centre publication series is out! Researchers and experts of the SIMREC project have today published a joint report titled as Designing effective simulator-based oil spill response trainings for improved performance, preparedness, and societal resilience. Based on the work conducted and lessons learned during the three-year project, the report provides information, tools and recommendations to support the design and construction of effective simulator-based oil spill response trainings for various teams.
If a major oil spill materializes on the Baltic Sea, it is of utmost importance that different actors can, both nationally and internationally, join their forces and react fast and effectively to minimize its negative impacts to people and environment. The successful implementation of such complex multi-organizational processes under heavy time pressure is based on skilled and experienced operative teams. The development of such teams requires frequent joint exercises and training.
The report states that today’s bridge simulators can provide an effective, cost-effective, and safe environment for testing and practising various joint tasks related to oil spill management. Applied complementarily to authentic on-board exercises with real vessels, the authors suggest simulator-based training programmes bear strong potential for improving the oil spill response readiness of the Baltic Sea countries, thus also developing societal resilience against oil accidents.
The report is a joint effort of the researchers and experts from the South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (Xamk), University of Helsinki, Aalto University, and Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE). It is edited by Merikotka’s research director Annukka Lehikoinen. Project SIMREC has been led by Kotka Maritime Research Association and co-funded by the European Union together with the participating organizations.
Access the report by clicking the LINK.
