Opportunities of Innovative Simulation Technology
for the Panama Canal
Presentation for the Panama Canal Authority and the Maritime Navigation
Advisory Board, Panama, 21 August 2009
Pjotr van Schothorst, VSTEP founder and CTO
pjotr@vstep.nl, www.vstep.nl

Who are we?
• Objective: To become a leading developer of maritime and emergency
response training simulators and related entertainment games
• Headquarters in Rotterdam, Netherlands
• 43 employees in the The Netherlands, UK, India
• 40+ Serious Game projects delivered on time, on budget
• Privately held company

What do we do?
Emergency
Response Training
Training Simulators
Simulation
Games
3

Our clients
Note: this is not a full list
4

Three topics to present and discuss
1 2 3
1. Safety training using a simulator: RescueSim
2. Ship Simulator Professional used as pilot orientation
instrument
3. Simulator for training remote lock operations and camera
placement and monitoring

RescueSim: Emergency Trainer

Multi-disciplinary training of large incidents

Ports
RescueSim Port Incident Management Trainer
• Port Authorities
– Incident management & terrorism awareness
– Industrial fire fighting
– Management of locks
– Port ship simulator
• Terminal operators
– Visualization new terminals
• Clients
– Port of Rotterdam
– State Waterways Authority
– Tweede Maasvlakte (new terminal development)‫‏‬
– Rotterdam Harbour Police
– Port Fire Brigade Rotterdam
8

RescueSim Port Incident Management Trainer

RescueSim Port Incident Management Trainer

Port Security Awareness Trainer

Port Security Awareness Trainer

Ship Simulator game series:
Over 440.000 copies sold to date!
20 countries, 7 languages

Ship Simulator Professional

Scalable from laptop to Full Mission Bridge Sim

Special feature: NMEA 0183 data input
• External input from GPS, gyro
• Upcoming: AIS input of real traffic
• This makes it possible that a ship in ShipSimPro follows the real
ship
• Benefits:
– Different camera positions possible, e.g. zoomed out, rotated
– Clear view possible when real weather is bad
– Daytime vision possible in night time travel
• Pilot would take laptop on board, connect it to ship’s on-board
navigation system, or take his own GPS sensor as well

Example: view on bridge with dense fog

Or: view at night

Wanted image: bird’s eye view, clear sky, daylight
Possible with SSPro and GPS+AIS input

Option: SSPro on pilot laptop with GPS+AIS input

Lock master simulator

Dutch Ministry of Transport, Public Works
andLock Management controls all locks
Water Master Trainer
In The Netherlands
Image only shows SW part
of The Netherlands

Opportunities of Innovative Simulation Technology
for the Panama Canal Summary - Summary
Questions?
Pjotr van Schothorst, VSTEP founder and CTO
pjotr@vstep.nl