NYK orders four training vessels from Hyundai
Japanese transportation company NYK has placed an order for four training vessels, comprising one LNG carrier and three containerships, with South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries. This move is designed to ensure an adequate pool of qualified seafarers are available to man the company's fleet which is expected to grow to 880 vessels by 2010. A company statement said that this is also the "first time in maritime history for new vessels to be introduced that will be capable of providing training of this type to so many potential candidates." The vessels will be built specifically to offer practical onboard training to 20 trainees per ship. All four vessels will include lecture rooms and sleeping quarters for the trainees, private instructors and stewards. The trainees will be taught basic seafaring to ensure safe operations on board NYK vessels. The training will be carried out in two stages: the first part will involve three months of training for 20 trainees on each of NYK's four training ships followed by nine months of training on board company ships that are in operation with apprentices being divided into smaller groups of two or three.