The value of the training ship in the training of seafarers
The 10,124 tonnes deadweight MV YU FENG is an ocean-going cargo vessel for navigation training, teaching and research, run by the Shanghai Mari- time University (SMU). She is mainly sailing in Japan, Korea, Russia and other Southeast countries.
The facilities on YU FENG are advanced and complete. She has a training bridge, training control room, classrooms, laboratories and necessary living and entertainment facilities. She provides a favourable training, research and practice site for all faculties and students of SMU.
Each year, 12 classes of students (over 360 persons) from the navigation and engineering departments are admitted on board for training. The YU FENG makes a great contribution towards the training for high-level seafarers.
I had been the captain of YU FENG for more than 30 years. During my career life, I regarded the training ship as an important and flexible classroom for seafaring education. Through the training on the training ship, the students will realize the good quality and unflinching willpower of seafarers, as well as the importance of working hard on board.
Moreover, the students can witness and experience the whole process of ship’s management and operation, which can inspire them to work harder and obtain more knowledge conscientiously.
Such experience and knowledge cannot be obtained by the students in the university classroom. Only in such a special classroom can they learn much more knowledge about seafaring from their own training experience.
In short, training students on the training ship is an absolutely necessary link in their programme of maritime education. It is obvious that the training ship plays an imperative part in the training of seafarers. I believe the value of the training ship in the training of seafarers is inarguable.