EUROPE

Real-life £1.75m port training centre launched

18 years ago

His Royal Highness Prince Andrew, The Duke of York, has officially opened a world-class £ 1.75m port and international trade training facility on the UKs north west coast.

Port Strategy: HRH the Duke of York opens the centre in the UK's north west

Developed by AIMS (Liverpool), the suite includes three simulators which allow users to replicate conditions of real-life, potentially dangerous, or unusual work situations, such as high winds, that may arise in a port, within a safe environment. A further two simulators will be installed in the coming months.

The training centre is said to be the first of its kind in Europe and makes use of virtual reality technology developed for the international gaming and film industries.

Learners can use the equipment to drive virtual forklift trucks and land-based tugs, gantry and quay cranes and a straddle carrier in the re-created virtual environments of Twelve Quays, Birkenhead and Seaforth Container Terminal.