Captain Bill Anderson, Director of MITAGS-PMI-West and head of the Navigation Skills Assessment Program (NSAP®) addressed a meeting of the aptly named Informal Tanker Operators Safety Forum (ITOSF)

recently in London on the merits of the NSAP® curriculum.  The meeting was attended by executives from more than thirty tanker operators and held onboard the former WW II Grimsby-Class sloop HQS Wellington, one of the sole surviving ships of its class, which has since been converted to a formal conference venue.

Formed in 2006 by Chevron, Shell, BP and other major tanker operators, the ITOSF is designed to stimulate the open exchange of information and ideas on industry best practices in an informal and welcoming setting, free of the restrictions that usually accompany such gatherings. Many ITOSF companies have already adopted the NSAP® curriculum, and others were eager to learn more about it.

Captain Anderson described the origin and development of the program and how it can mitigate risks for mariners and companies by leveraging limited training budgets for maximum impact.  Attendees explored the program’s merits through in-depth conversations that continued throughout the all-day session.

Developed over a 10-year period, NSAP® is a risk-based measurement tool that assesses mariner performance using MITAGS-PMI’s full-mission simulators.  It focuses specifically on the core watchkeeping skills required of licensed deck officers as defined by international standards and global best practices.  NSAP® sessions use realistic, scenario-based exercises, and performance is assessed by qualified subject matter experts.

The NSAP®’s goal is to enhance mariner watchkeeping skills. This goal is being achieved through international training centers (ITCs) that conduct the objective, risk-based exercises.  NSAP® stakeholders leverage the objective data from the assessment of individual mariners to benchmark risk and make informed decisions about needed improvements.

With campuses in Baltimore and Seattle, MITAGS-PMI is a nonprofit vocational training center for individuals seeking to enter the maritime profession and for professional mariners seeking to advance their careers. It is the leader in maritime training, pilot licensing, ship simulation and operational research. To learn more about MITAGS-PMI and NSAP®, visit www.mitags-pmi.org.