To enhance maritime education and training, the Maritime Studies Department at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) in partnership with the Moses Kotane Research Institute and the Shangai Maritime University (SMU) officially launched one of its greatest innovations, the newly built Navigation Simulation Laboratory. Distinguished guests gathered at the Rendezvous Restaurant, Steve Biko campus on Thursday, 15 August 2024, to witness DUT’s pursuit of innovation, research, academic excellence and development of top tier maritime experts.
The Navigation Simulation Laboratory was established after DUT identified a gap in the training facilities for maritime education and training, in particular, a need to upgrade and expand the navigation (ship-handling) simulator to meet higher maritime training standards and needs.
Distinguished guests at the launch of the newly built Navigation Simulation Laboratory.
Among the attendees were dignitaries from government, CEO’s and Captains of the industry, academics from various institutions and managers from different companies.
The Programme Director, Mr Nkosinathi Manqele, a Nautical Studies lecturer shared their excitement as the department to finally celebrate the five years of hard work.
“We finally showcased our vision, innovation and perseverance as the Department of Maritime Studies under the Faculty of Applied Sciences at DUT. The dream started long before 2018 but the project itself started in 2019 and we worked through five years of hard work, sweats and tears, including the continued disruptions of COVID-19 and lockdown, until we came into this stage,” he excitedly said.
Speaking on behalf of the university, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning at DUT, Dr Azwitevhelwi Nevhutalu acknowledged the late Mr Leon Govender who was the Head of the Department of Maritime Studies, for his incredible role in developing the department’s facilities.
“We honoured our colleague Mr Leon Govender, who was a very special person for DUT. He spent the rest of his life with us and played a very critical role in getting the kind of infrastructure that we have currently, so it was very much befitting for us to have acknowledged him in this manner,” said Dr Nevhutali.
According to Professor Suren Singh, Executive Dean in the Faculty of Applied Sciences at DUT, the dream of expanding the simulation facility began after the late Mr Leon Govender who was the Head of Department of Maritime Studies and him visited SMU and saw an opportunity to collaborate with the Chinese university in expanding the DUT navigation simulator capacity.
“We gathered to celebrate a momentous achievement: the unveiling of the state-of-the-art Navigation Simulator Laboratory at Durban University of Technology (DUT). This facility showcased our university’s unwavering commitment to innovation, research, and the development of top-tier maritime experts. The visionary leadership of the late Captain Leon Govender former head of Maritime Studies, ignited the spark for this extraordinary project. His relentless passion for elevating the Department of Maritime Studies drove this initiative from its inception. His relentless passion, expressed through daily visits to my office, was the catalyst for the creation of our state-of-the-art navigation simulation laboratory,” shared Prof Singh.
Prof Singh further revealed that the visit by Prof Jin Yonxin, President of Shangai Maritime University in 2016, following the 23rd International Maritime Lecturers Association (IMLA) Conference in 2015, ignited DUT’s ambition for a world-class facility. He indicated that the delegation led by Prof Jin Yonxin provided the inspiration to turn this dream into reality and DUT secured funding of over R10 million through the support of the Moses Kotane Institute.
“This laboratory is equipped with the latest technology to simulate a wide range of navigation scenarios and our students and researchers will have the opportunity to experiment, learn, and develop cutting-edge solutions The launch of this laboratory was not merely an event; it was a commitment to excellence. It was a commitment to pushing the boundaries of knowledge and to creating a positive impact on society,” added Prof Singh.
Chef Executive Officer (CEO) of Moses Kotane Research Institute, Advocate Thembelihle Mapipa briefly explained their partnership with DUT and their role in facilitating the process of securing funding for the Lab.
“We are not a funding institution, we are an institutional government under the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Traditional Affairs and we are grant funded by the department under the KwaZulu-Natal government. We facilitated the funding that contributed to the final product. We have the mandate of economic research, innovation which includes Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Maritime as well as skills development and training. We are intrusted with the duty of leading KwaZulu-Natal province in maritime related matters, that was the reason why we supported this initiative,” said Mapipa.
In closing, Head of Department (HOD) in the DUT Maritime Studies Department, Dr Ayanda Meyiwa shared words of appreciation to all the attendees and acknowledged the late Mr Leon Govender for his contribution in the maritime industry.
Pictured: CEO of Moses Kotane Research Institute, Advocate Thembelihle Mapipa with the Executive Dean: Faculty of Applied Sciences at DUT, Professor Surrey Singh.
Photographer: Mnqobi Ngobese
Thubelihle Dumakude/Simangele Zuma
