Bourbon, International leader in marine services for modern offshore

Training

Together, let's sharpen our skills

To meet the Horizon 2012 challenge whereby BOURBON aims to double its fleet and its workforce, the women and men of BOURBON are the key to success. With 99 vessels on order in the Offshore Division, by 2012 BOURBON will have to equip one vessel every twelve days, and hire and train more than 3,000 employees. In order to do this successfully, the group has established a unique organization, based on the definition of a high standard of skills for all its officers, backed by decentralized structures.

Throughout their career, BOURBON's employees receive internal and external training, whatever their job, to acquire the highest standards of skills. The talent of each employee is developed, enriched and value-enhanced so that they can grow both personally and professionally. Every employee plays an active role in his or her career.

The skills of each and every employee contribute to the performance of the group. Enriching his or her skills is a vital factor in the growth of the group. Hence BOURBON actively promotes the growth and development of its employees.

Based on aeronautics training methods, BOURBON's teams are qualified thanks to a process that combines knowledge acquired during the initial training program, continuous training, training on simulators and experience in the field.

• Training organization
• Simulators
• Reference officers

Training organization

The BOURBON Training Centers :

To meet the demands of growth in the Offshore Division, these optimized training sessions take place in the BOURBON Training Centers that the group is gradually opening around the world. The aim of these centers is to make certain there is a uniform training policy in every geographical area for recruitment and operations. They are found more or less worldwide:

• In Marseilles, a training center for anchor handling operations of oil and gas platforms and dynamic positioning on simulators, in partnership with the National Merchant Navy School
• In Manila, a dynamic positioning training center
• In Singapore, an AHTS operations training center on a simulator equipped with the characteristics of the innovative Bourbon Liberty 200 series
• In China, an electric diesel motorization training center
• In Ravenna, Italy, a training center devoted to the training of ROV operators.

Other centers:

Apart from the training centers developed by BOURBON alone or in partnership, the group uses the services of independent training centers to train its seamen. These centers provide various training programs and BOURBON has recognized them as being in compliance with its high operating, quality and safety standards which every employee must represent and apply. These all meet international standards.

They are located around the world: Norway (DP and AHTS training – Center housed at Aalesund University - Offshore Simulation Center), Brazil (Macae – DP Training), USA (New Orleans – DP Training) and Singapore (DP Training).

Simulators

To complete their training and perfect their technical skills, employees have high-performance simulators available to them.

AHTS simulators

A tool for training crews in Anchor Handling operations

The AHTS simulator installed at BOURBON's Marseilles and Singapore Training Centers represents both a technical advance and an opportunity for the entire profession in general to raise operating, safety and quality standards.
The simulation curriculum was developed with the Offshore Simulator Center (OSC), the Norwegian initiator of this technology.
It can be used to recreate the environment of the bridge and the deck of an anchor-handling vessel for offshore oil and gas platforms.

This concept enables high risk offshore operations to be simulated, such as the towing of platforms or the handling of offshore facilities' anchors through 3D modeling. The simulator includes a rear bridge maneuver environment including control panels, along with an operating environment on the bridge, as well as classrooms and briefing rooms. The following command stations are reproduced exactly:

• Station of the officer in charge of maneuvering the vessel (rear bridge station);
• Station of the winch command officer;
• Two deck personnel simulation stations;
• Offshore oil and gas platform simulation with anchor line winch and crane handling for platform-to-vessel transfers.

DP simulators

The dynamic positioning (DP) training program involves training students on the automatic system for controlling the position and the direction of a vessel. This means controlling three degrees of freedom of movement: backwards and forwards motion, sideways motion and yawing.

The DP training, which is recognized by the Nautical Institute, alternates between theoretical instruction and practical applications on a simulator which enables students to learn about all the components of the system while familiarizing themselves with a DP console. This gives them a highly realistic experience, which they then have to validate by spending time at sea operating a DP vessel.

The DP simulator is a comprehensive, reliable training tool that prepares students for the realities of the field:

• Familiarization with a DP console
• Simulation exercises on a class 2 DP vessel
• Navigation management using zone plans
• Regulatory procedures, checklists, communications…
• Facing unexpected situations determined by the instructor: breakdowns, sudden changes in outside conditions, program changes, etc.

The UHD Work-class ROV operations simulator In operation since June 2008, the simulator for the new Work-class ROVs provided by US manufacturer Schilling Robotics is used to train the pilots and crews that operate these very powerful ROVs. At present this is the only simulator of its kind in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean. It can:

• recreate subsea working conditions very realistically, thanks to 3D modeling;
• set weather conditions (visibility, currents, etc.)
• memorize several different kinds of mission: assistance on Christmas trees, pipe-lines, platform structures, debris collection.

This simulator, which can also be programmed with the specific data provided by customers on their equipment, and the work to be done, also constitutes a definite competitive advantage! Capable of training three to five ROV pilots every month, it will enable BOURBON to train 50 people within the next two years. A challenge that only BOURBON can meet. Later on, this simulator could be shipped around the world to meet local training needs.

The Surfer simulator

Surfers are fast crew boats that transport staff to oil facilities and move them around among different platforms. Their unique design allows them to berth safely into specific boat-landings, which are integrated into oil rigs and certain supply vessels. They are also used to transport small amounts of cargo on their forward deck. These vessels are propelled by waterjets, making them handy to maneuver. Piloting these ships is unusual and requires special training.

With this in mind, BOURBON is developing an onshore simulator training solution. Simulator training covers all the learning techniques and the monitoring of basic knowledge and know-how enabling the pilots to control the surfers under normal conditions It will also help to acquire control techniques in all circumstances and particularly when facing difficult situations.

Thus, the Surfer simulator will be able :

• to train pilots to handle a surfer
• to execute operational exercises in a 3D realistic offshore environment
• to confront and prepare pilots for the trickiest situations they might encounter at sea

Eight simulators will be set up to cover each Surfer operation area.

In addition, each new Surfer pilot will have to validate his practical training onboard a training vessel for one week.

Reference officers

To supplement the training system for new employees and the application of high quality standards in its operations, BOURBON has decided to appoint reference officers. They play an advisory role with newly promoted officers to assist them and pass on their experience based on BOURBON’s operating standards. Their mission is to observe, evaluate and identify any points needing improvement so the team as a whole can progress on a regular basis. This is an interactive policy aimed at advancement.