OREANDA-NEWS. September 26, 2011. In St. Petersburg, SCF Group (Sovcomflot) and the State Maritime Academy, named after Admiral Makarov, signed a cooperation agreement as a part of the jubilee international exhibition and conference on shipbuilding and shipping, “Neva-2011”.

The Protocol was signed by SCF Executive Vice-President Sergey Popravko and by the Director of the State Maritime Academy, Valery Mikheev.

The agreement reflects long-term cooperation between Sovcomflot and the State Maritime Academy. It envisages the training and subsequent retraining of crews and attracting professors from the Makarov Academy, on the basis of a unique training simulator centre. SCF is planning to open this centre at its new headquarters on the River Moyka Embankment in St. Petersburg. The cooperation project takes into account the mutual interests of both parties, as well as the existing demand for marine officers from Russia’s shipping industry who meet the highest international shipping standards, including the ability to navigate in the harsh conditions of the Arctic and Sub-Arctic seas.

Cadets studying at the famous Makarov Academy, one of Russia’s most prestigious maritime educational institutions, will also have the opportunity to retrain on SCF’s modern simulators. The necessary financial resources will be invested by Sovcomflot.

A specialised simulator replicating a ship’s navigational bridge, from where a vessel is operated, will be the major part of the training centre.
The agreement also envisages the development of cooperation between the SCF training centre and the Makarov Academy in scientific and research work, in particular carrying out accident investigations.
After signing the agreement SCF Executive Vice-President Sergey Popravko noted:

“Applying innovative technologies is relevant to SCF’s current projects in the Arctic, as well as seaborne transportation in harsh ice conditions, which is well known to our specialists with their long-term focus. Cooperation with the Makarov Academy on the basis of the SCF training centre will allow seafarers to train for voyages on board specialised vessels and to benefit from this unique experience. Seafarers will also become acquainted with new trends and developments in world shipping and will be able to upgrade their own skills. High potential personnel will be trained for shipping on the basis of the SCF simulator centre, which will help our country maintain its leading international position for seaborne transportation in harsh climates.”

SCF Group has been cooperating with the Makarov State Academy for a long time, assisting it with financial support. SCF also provides sponsorship for the sail training vessel Mir. Restoration of the sail equipment on board has been one of the company’s major sponsorship projects. A renovated SCF study room was opened at the Academy in 2010, which is well-equipped for arranging conferences, lectures and seminars. SCF is also selecting its future cadets from the Makarov Academy, and is providing practical experience for them and for their professors, whilst also commissioning scientific and research work and being involved in teaching activities.