(CAYMAN ISLANDS) — Cayman Maritime Week, sponsored by Transas, brought together industry experts, shipowners and operators, yacht managers and brokers, and other professionals from all areas of the maritime industry on May 2-4.
Over the three-day event, Transas participated in the conferences organized under the Cayman Maritime Week's umbrella, and presented its concept for the coastal monitoring and ship traffic control in the Caribbean waters, its views on using simulators as tools for marine environment protection, and chaired the panel on the digital age of navigation and importance of investing in technology and solutions which require communications on board.
One of the highlights of the Cayman Maritime Week was the simulator provided by Transas. The Transas engineering team prepared an area model of the new proposed terminal for cruise ships based on the detailed plans received from the Cayman Port Authority. The simulation of the new terminal was presented to Moses I. Kirkconnell, the deputy premier and minister of district administration, tourism, transport and port authorities of the Cayman Islands.
Frank Coles, Transas CEO, said, "Current docking facilities on the island do not allow cruise ships to come alongside. Over the last several years there's been a discussion in the Cayman Islands to extend two long piers so that the cruise ships could dock at the terminal. This would greatly alleviate the potential damage to the coral reef system and the need to tender passengers to and from the island. As a part of this, the island is carrying out a major environmental research program, taking into account the effect of building these new piers. The use of simulation technology would enable the port authorities to look at how building the new cruise terminal could impact the island's ecosystem."
Ocean pollution was also one of the conference's key focuses. Using its high-tech simulator, Transas showed the attendees how easily pollution can spread from one country to another and what can be done to prevent it. "Using the mathematical models, and depending on the viscosity of the oil, we can set up wind and currents in our simulators, and use them for emergency response and pollution tracking training," said George Toma, vice president for global sales and support, Transas.
Another important subject discussed at the Cayman Maritime Week was the country's growing maritime cluster and attracting younger generations to join the maritime industry. Over the week, Transas welcomed several visits from the Cayman high schools at its booth talking about global shipping industry and seafaring traditions. "It's incredibly high-tech today. I believe we should encourage people from Cayman to go to sea as officers in the electronic age," said Coles.
