Massive investment in future maritime professionals

The Department of Maritime Studies is embarking on an exciting journey with the establishment of a dedicated simulation centre at Granger Bay Campus, fuelled by the generosity of ChartWorld Germany, which has donated 10 Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) units.

This donation of the 10 eGlobe G2 ECDIS units, which include the stands and keyboards, was made possible through the department’s long-standing connection with Axel Beyer, who previously lectured at CPUT and “has remained one of our biggest supporters over the years”. “In terms of value, the eGlobe G2 ECDIS price estimate ranges between $3500 and $6500 (approximately R65000 to R120000) per unit. As a department, we are only required to cover the licensing for the software, which is a very small fraction of the cost compared to the price of the actual physical units,” noted Acting Head of Department, Samkelisiwe Ntuli.

The ECDIS is the digital navigation and mapping system used on modern commercial vessels, effectively replacing traditional paper charts. “This directly benefits our students by allowing us to run specialised ECDIS courses, providing them with the exact hands-on training they need to confidently meet modern industry demands before they even step foot on a ship.” Reflecting on this generosity, the excited head of department said the real hard work was driven by Beyer and the fantastic internal team at ChartWorld, “specifically Joe, Katrin, Swanand, and Abhijith, who handled everything from updating the firmware and arranging licenses to managing the packaging and logistics, and not forgetting our Survival Centre team who facilitated the shipping and delivery of these units”.

“My main thought is just profound appreciation that what started as a casual chat several months ago has finally crossed the finish line.”

Having this new simulator room completely changes the game for both the students and the teaching team. For students, it means they no longer have to crowd around a single computer; everyone gets plenty of actual screen time to practice. They get to train on the exact digital mapping systems used on real cargo ships, building the confidence they need to step onto a commercial vessel on day one.

“Plus, the simulators let them safely practice handling stressful situations like massive storms or crowded shipping lanes where making a mistake doesn't cost anything. For our lecturers, this technology makes testing much fairer and more straightforward, since we can give every student the same virtual scenario to solve. It also breathes life into our lessons, allowing us to show how to plan a voyage in real-time instead of just pointing at textbook drawings. This ensures that we provide industry-ready graduates, thereby responding to industry plea of bridging theory and practical knowledge.”

Ntuli is “incredibly grateful” for this amazing act of goodwill. “It is especially meaningful because it stems from a relationship with a former staff member who still deeply cares about the success of our department and its students. Knowing that an entire international team worked so hard to get this equipment shipped to Cape Town gives our department an incredible boost of energy. It is a massive investment in our future maritime professionals, and we are so proud to have this level of global support.”

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
Email: BoyceAp@cput.ac.za