A Tour of MITAGS
A group of captains from the Chesapeake Area Professional Captains Association (CAPCA) recently stood a challenging watch on a ship’s bridge, with situations including vessel traffic in a congested harbor, high winds, reduced visibility in a rain squall, night navigation, and even icebergs!
This “watch” was during a special members-only tour at the Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies, known as MITAGS, where the captains experienced first-hand how professional mariners are trained on a bridge simulator. During our simulated voyage out of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor in a Coast Guard Cutter (at 20 knots), a group of CAPCA members stood a challenging watch, with situations including vessel traffic in a congested harbor, high winds, reduced visibility in a rain squall, night navigation, and even an encounter with an iceberg!
A technician located outside the simulator controlled the conditions, so we never knew what was coming. Even though the simulator is stationary, the sense of motion and virtual surroundings feels very real. It was so realistic that many people said they were glad we had lunch after the tour!
MITAGS, located near Baltimore, was established by the International Organization of Masters, Mates, and Pilots to provide advanced technical and safety training for professional mariners. The bridge simulator we visited was just one of a wide array of training resources at the Institute. Others include engine room and radar training, facilities for firefighting and emergency medical training, research labs, and extensive classroom capacity for professional education to help mariners progress through their career paths.
The diverse range of courses covers topics such as ship handling, construction and stability, cargo handling, towing, meteorology, license advancement preparation, and many more. MITAGS also operates a West Coast training center in Seattle.
For those who might attend a future simulation, we won’t give away the ending but watch this video by CAPCA member Dave LaMay to get a sense of what you’re in for.
You can learn more about MITAGS at mitags.org. Monitor the CAPCA calendar for more learning opportunities at our monthly programs and special tours of unique locations in our Chesapeake region.
By Capt. Chuck Thompson
