Georgian College

Through cutting-edge technology, Georgian College's Centre for Marine Training and Research at the Owen Sound Campus provides leading simulation-based research and development in the areas of port design, vessel traffic logistics, and vessel design to produce the highest possible accuracy in the marine industry. "We have some extraordinary simulation capabilities and technology here," says Capt. Bradley Moore, who serves as Simulation Researcher and Project Co-ordinator, as well as instructor at the centre. "We often work with industry on solutions, mainly marine, for problems that they're facing or to assist in a study." Georgian assisted the Goderich Port Authority in its expansion of port facilities by testing three proposed designs for maneuverability of a standard Laker-type bulk carrier. The objective was to determine the best design for this type of ship traffic. Working with high-resolution bathymetry (the depth measurement of water in oceans, seas, or lakes), Shuttle Radar Topography Mission Digital Elevation Database (SRTM-DEM) and terrestrial surveyed data, along with municipal and engineering consultants the centre produced a simulation study of vessel traffic and maneuverability of the three proposed harbour designs. Capt. Moore was able to model the harbour designs with various parameters on the centre's simulator. Then he devised a series of tests to measure traffic flow, maneuverability and affordability. Working with Capt. Neil Olsen, a marine expert with detailed knowledge of the area and its environmental conditions, two weeks of exhaustive trials and testing followed. "They modelled the options we had and it allowed us to basically sail under different conditions into what the new port would look like," explains Rowland Howe, President of Goderich Port Management Corporation. "There was an extensive environmental assessment. We were able to demonstrate at the public information centres that we'd conducted all this work and we had good evidence that we'd really examined the data and did all we could to make sure the designs were compatible with good port operations." Georgian's Owen Sound Campus is central Canada's marine training centre for members of the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Coast Guard, Ontario Provincial Police, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources as well as mariners on oil tankers, cruise ships and freighters. Centre for Marine Training and Research a world-class facility Georgian's Owen Sound Campus is central Canada's marine training centre. Capt. Brad Moore demonstrates the new simulators at the Owen Sound Campus Centre for Marine Training and Research MARINE TECHNOLOGIES 12 GeorgianCollege.ca/CARI

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