Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy (NVNA) in Varna, Bulgaria, has opened a new simulation centre, the Centre for Integrated Management and Monitoring of the Coastal Zone, and has contracted the Dutch company, VSTEP, for the supply and delivery of several NAUTIS simulators.

Apart from the simulators, VSTEP also developed an innovative tool called Live Data Module (LDM) to visualise the movements of ships in real time taken from AIS or incidents encountered such as oil spill, man overboard (MOB) or weather sensor-delivered information provided to the simulator. With this tool, operators can appreciate bridge activities with realistic port and coastal 3D modelling. This virtual bridge view in the simulator can assist VTS operators to better assist ships approaching the port, or ships that may be standing into danger or on a collision course.

Pjotr van Schothorst, CEO of VSTEP commented: ‘It was a delight to see this brand new high-tech simulation centre with some of our latest products inside the beautiful old building of the Naval Academy of Varna.’