Sir Richard Branson opens MSA simulator centre

Founder of the Virgin Group, Sir Richard Branson, and Virgin Voyages CEO Tom McAlpin, made a special visit to the MSA Solent on Sunday 15^th September, to open MSA’s new simulator centre with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The Viking Maritime Group have worked in conjunction with Virgin Voyages and the passenger industry to build and create “one of the most prestigious and modern, forward thinking simulation centres in the world”. On the South Coast of the UK, the Maritime Skills Academy has developed two training centres, one for safety training in Dover, and most recently one for simulator training in Portsmouth.

The MSA Solent provides the Virgin Voyages Crew with a fresh and culturally attuned environment and is where the company’s crew will train and enhance their skills running through Bridge Resource Management, Ship Handling, ECDIS, Engine Room Management, High Voltage and many other courses created in line with Virgin Voyages’ procedures.

MSA Solent is the world’s only commercial training centre to have a fully integrated Wärtsilä Nacos Platinum system within the full mission bridge simulator and associated course provision, including full vision bridge wings and interactive tactical tables.

Meanwhile, Viking Maritime Group were selected as the sole provider of all basic, advanced and updating STCW safety training courses which will see MSA Dover train Virgin Voyages crew from around Europe.

The centre houses an environmental survival pool, fire training centre with a command and control module, lifeboat centre and engineering workshops.

For more information, visit Maritime Skills Academy. Sign up to our newsletter to get the best of Yachting Pages delivered direct to your inbox every month.