SVITZER has opened a new maritime training centre at its Newcastle tug base.

The facility opened its doors to the Svitzer community, industry and local government for the first time on Thursday 12 September. It lays the foundations for the introduction of Svitzer’s new TRAnsverse tugs, due to enter service in Newcastle from 2025.

The drawcard of the facility is its simulation suite, which includes a 360-degree simulator configured as a tug bridge and a 180-degree ship’s bridge simulator. It also has a training room.

At an opening event on Thursday, Svitzer Australia general manager – east Dylan Sheehan said the training facility would be a game changer in terms of training crew, interacting with pilots, working with AMSA and as new stakeholders come to the port.

And Svitzer Australia GM Videlina Georgieva said the TRAnsverse tugs – which the facility will prepare masters for – are the second and third of their kind in the world and function differently.

“It’s a tug that exerts force in a very different way, in multiple positions and manoeuvres that we haven’t seen before or experienced before,” Ms Georgieva said.

“We believe that it will bring a new level of safety, manoeuvrability and efficiency, but also challenge our assumptions of towage capabilities in the industry.”

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes officially opened the Svitzer Maritime Training Centre and highlighted the training opportunities for the next generation of seafarers.

She said seafaring and maritime are intrinsically linked to Newcastle and its identity.

“To see the investment that’s not only going into the TRAnsverse tugs that are coming here next year, but to the quality and the standard of the training that’s going to be available to the current tug operators, but also the future generations, is so important to the city of Newcastle.

“We all have a vision in Newcastle and share the idea that we can really grow this industry around the port. And we acknowledge that the port of Newcastle is on the world’s largest coal-exporting ports, and that has sustained us … for many years.

“But knowing the strategic direction of the port of Newcastle to diversify those operations … and the future opportunities that renewable energy and offshore wind bring around the port, means more jobs and more opportunities, particularly in towage.”

Clr Nelmes thanked Svitzer for its foresight and investment in the infrastructure and in the city.

The centre is located at Svitzer’s Newcastle Tug Base in Carrington.