An indigenous firm, Hudson Trident Limited has commenced in-country maritime training on various courses to save the huge capital flight hitherto spend abroad.

The Managing Director of the company, Lai Are, who officially unveiled the state-of-the-art facilities in Lagos recently said the facility would aid the economy through job creation, foreign exchange savings, increase knowledge of practitioners and enhance efficiency.

“We felt that one of the key aspect of the industry which is still lacking is in the area of training of maritime practitioners and we decided to establish the Hudson Trident Training Centre to provide maritime training for people in the industry. We have different types of simulators here that can simulate the various conditions of all the ports in Nigeria.

“We intend to contribute our own quota towards the development of the maritime industry by establishing this center,” he said.

According to him, the simulators are better trainer and the services offered complied with international and local standards and regulations.

He said: “If you want to train a man on a vessel and you decided to take him on a voyage from Lagos to Port-Harcourt, he may not see ten per cent of what you want him to see on that voyage, but if you are in a simulator you can create those scenarios, re-create them and take him to different places. Its a very good equipment to have. You have them in different countries and we felt that Nigeria deserves to have this kind of facility”.

Equipment at the center includes: Tug boat simulator; offshore supply vessel/ship simulator; dynamic positioning; crane simulator; liquid cargo handling; GMDSS simulator and engine room simulator.