New maritime simulation suite opened in China

Wärtsilä and Sinocrew Maritime Services, a Beijing-based crew management and training firm, have commissioned a new maritime simulation unit in Beihai, China. The companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to set up the first Maritime Advancement in Simulation, Technology and R&D Services site in China.

The Beihai International Seafarer Center will focus on the training of personnel from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region. Its aim is to equip seafarers with skills relating to new decarbonisation technologies and shipping’s initiatives targeting sustainability and innovation. It will place significant emphasis on cruise ship operations. 

Wärtsilä marine simulators and training programmes will focus on ship operations but the company will also   support Sinocrew through comprehensive, long-term service and maintenance contracts. This approach ensures that the centre’s technology remains up-to-date and should reduce the need for unexpected and costly upgrades.

Captain Wang Jixuan, founder and chairman of Sinocrew Maritime Services, said: “Together with Wärtsilä’s expertise and support, we are creating a world-class, international centre of excellence, not merely training seafarers, but preparing them for the future of cruise sector shipping. This involves familiarisation with the coming wave of decarbonisation technologies, including those related to future alternative marine fuels.”

Speaking for Wärtsilä Marine, director of Simulation & Training, Johan Ekvall, commented: “The marine industry’s transition to future sustainable fuels and the adoption of new technologies requires a highly skilled workforce. This training centre will be at the forefront of building that competency in a key global shipping region … Seafarers trained on Wärtsilä's high-fidelity simulators will be more proficient in fuel-efficient voyage planning, engine optimisation, and smooth port operations.”

The contract for new simulation systems was booked by Wärtsilä in the third quarter of 2025.