Sea Time Simulation Feasibility and Trial Design

Australia’s maritime workforce faces significant delays in sea berth access to accumulate the qualifying sea time required for Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) certification. This constraint limits the supply of seafarers, slows progression into critical roles such as Deck Officers, Engineers and Masters, and affects workforce readiness across the broader ports and maritime ecosystem.

To address this, Industry Skills Australia (ISA) is undertaking a Simulation Feasibility Business Case and Trial to determine whether high quality, regulator-approved simulation can safely and effectively support the achievement of qualifying sea time and competencies mandated by AMSA. This work aligns with the Strategic Fleet Taskforce Recommendation 9, national maritime workforce goals, and international best practice.

Simulation technology is used globally to build advanced seafaring skills, increase safety and reduce training bottlenecks. In Australia, simulation is already used for workforce training, but its potential to accelerate qualifying sea time remains unexplored.

Industry, RTOs and regulators have expressed strong interest in expanding the use of simulation, provided safety and compliance with AMSA and IMO standards are maintained.