KTÜ's new simulator center, supported by the Ministry, enhances maritime education and connects industry leaders in Sürmene.
The protocol signed between the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure and Karadeniz Technical University (KTÜ) has begun to yield results. The advanced technology simulator center established with financial support from the Ministry has brought together giants of the maritime sector in Sürmene.
KTÜ Sürmene Faculty of Marine Sciences, a longstanding institution in Turkish maritime education, is hosting a significant investment that will strengthen its educational infrastructure. The Ship Engine Room and Liquid Cargo Handling Simulators, set up at the Muammer Demeli Campus, were made available for students during a ceremony held on December 15.
During the opening ceremony, Ünal Baylan, Director General of Maritime Affairs at the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, highlighted the state support behind this investment. In a statement on his social media account, Baylan emphasized the project's financing model, stating: "We attended the Opening Ceremony of the Engine Simulator established at the Sürmene Faculty of Marine Sciences with the financial support provided under the protocol signed between our Ministry and KTÜ. This investment will strengthen the qualified human resources in maritime education; may it be beneficial for our students."
The newly commissioned simulators will allow officer candidates to experience ship engine operations and risky liquid cargo handling processes in a virtual environment. Rector Prof. Dr. Hamdullah Çuvalcı also stated in his speech at the ceremony that this technology will directly contribute to the competitiveness of Turkish maritime.
The opening ceremony brought together bureaucrats and industry leaders. The participation of figures such as Tamer Kıran, President of the İMEAK Chamber of Shipping, Salih Zeki Çakır, Chairman of the Trabzon Shipyard Board, and Orhan Kasap, President of the KTÜ Maritime Transportation Engineering Alumni Association, underscored the importance given to the project. The ceremony concluded with a ribbon-cutting and the delegation's on-site examination of the simulators.
