BENEATH the everyday activity of Australia’s ports, pilotage and deck-officer community, one question is increasingly being asked: what is happening at Smartship Australia?
That question has now crossed the Tasman. Across Australia and New Zealand, experienced mariners are struggling to understand changes reportedly being made to one of the region’s most important maritime simulation facilities; changes about which the industry appears not to have been consulted or informed.
Smartship’s history is distinctive.
In the late 1990s, Australia lacked an advanced ship-handling simulator capable of meeting the demands of a pilotage profession operating in a rapidly changing environment. The SA Fortius allision in Port Kembla also brought renewed pressure to accelerate the modernisation of pilotage practice, which had already begun with the introduction of Bridge Resource Management (BRM) training in the late 1990s. Pilots requiring high-end simulation training were obliged to travel overseas.
The Australian Marine Pilots Association (AMPA), then the profession’s representative body, set out to change that. Since many Australian pilots, including coastal pilots, were then based in Queensland, Brisbane was selected as the location. AMPA worked closely with Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ), who eventually took over the project to bring it to fruition.
But world-class simulation is not simply a matter of installing sophisticated equipment. Its value depends on the people who design scenarios, facilitate exercises and draw practical lessons from them. At this level, participants do not need conventional “training”; they need skilled facilitators with deep operational knowledge, credibility and the ability to challenge experienced mariners constructively.
A worldwide search was undertaken to find the right person to lead that work. Captain Peter Listrup, then managing the advanced Star Cruises simulator in Malaysia, was appointed director and principal instructor of Smartship. He was already well known to many Australian pilots via his work developing competency audits, at the time a world-leading initiative. Together with Captain John Watkinson of Maritime Safety Queensland, he helped select, build and establish the simulator and develop its program of courses.
Smartship grew beyond full-mission bridge simulation. A tug simulator was added, with the ambition of later incorporating VTS capability so that an entire pilotage movement and its supporting services could be simulated within the one facility.
Over the years, Smartship has become widely regarded as a centre of excellence for pilots, masters and port managers from Australia, New Guinea and New Zealand. It is not merely a simulator: it is a place where professionals meet, test ideas, share experience and strengthen the standards that underpin safe pilotage.
Captain Listrup has been central to that success. His technical and operational knowledge, and the respect he has earned across the industry, are assets built over decades; not assets easily replaced through an ordinary recruitment process.
Therefore, it is alarming to hear reports that Captain Listrup was advised that his contract would not be renewed and his position would be advertised. It is understood that the advertisement noted that it was not essential for the applicant to possess any maritime or simulator experience. Captain Listrup did not apply for the new role.
No individual is indispensable. But the capability required to lead a world-class maritime simulation facility is rare, and the knowledge accumulated through years of trusted engagement with pilots, masters, tug operators and regulators is not readily transferable.
The question facing Smartship’s stakeholders is straightforward: how will the facility retain the expertise, trust and industry confidence that made it successful in the first place?
The maritime community deserves a clear answer - and, before irreversible decisions are made, genuine consultation.
This is a contributed opinion and the views or opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Daily Cargo News.
Dr Ballantyne's company Seatransport has been using the AMC tanktest facilities for 40 years and also been using Smartship since its inception.