Fundamental Study of Evaluation at Berthing Training for Pilot Trainees Using a Ship Maneuvering Simulator

Use of the ship maneuvering simulator (SMS) is at the core of pilot trainees education and training, so it is desirable to have an evaluation method that can be completed shortly after each berthing training session. There are basically two methods of docking maneuvering that pilot trainees learn: one in which the ship enters from outside the port and is berthed directly at the target quay, and a second method in which the vessel carries out a turn in front of the target quay before berthing. The authors suggested an evaluation index in a previous study concerning the first docking method. In the present study, the authors propose an evaluation method for the case of berthing the vessel using the turning maneuver. Since the index obtained by this method offers a single numerical benchmark, it is an easy–to-understand result of the training exercise. The authors carried out experiments using a SMS and confirmed that the proposed evaluation method is effective and helpful to improve the effectiveness of SMS training.