Marine Learning Systems wins Inmarsat's "Ferry Open Innovation Challenge"

E-learning technology and service provider secures £10,000 grant to implement proof of concept for end-to-end crew training solution aboard working ferry

Inmarsat announced that e-learning technology and service provider Marine Learning Systems (MLS) as the winner of the its inaugural Ferry Open Innovation Challenge, a competition inviting start-ups and SMEs to propose digital solutions that promise to enhance the working lives of ferry crews. 

Launched in January 2022 in collaboration with the largest ferry operator in Greece, Attica Group, and UK digital consultancy Thetius, the Challenge sought entries in five innovation areas: familiarization training for new crew, continuous regulations training, onboard safety training, onboard customer services training and the enrichment of crew leisure time. The winning entrant, Marine Learning Systems, has secured a £10,000 cash grant to fund a proof of concept for its end-to-end seafarer training solution on board Attica Group ferry Superfast XI.

Comprising the MarineLMS learning platform and SkillGrader assessment tool, the MLS proposal addresses four training-related challenge areas. The solution improves familiarisation for new crew members by supporting custom content and blended learning. It enables continuous regulations training by offering crew easy access to course content and on-demand reporting. It improves customer services training by providing interactive content on guidelines and procedures that can be updated at any time. Finally, MLS enhances safety with standardised exams to test crew knowledge of emergency procedures.

MLS will use its secured funding to develop Attica Group-specific training content and skill assessment forms, as well as dashboards and reports targeting knowledge gaps and training effectiveness. All content and applications will be accessible via mobile device or existing on-board computers, with Inmarsat’s Fleet Connect providing dedicated bandwidth to allow users to reach the MLS-configured remote training servers without interfering with vessel operations or crew communications.