12 May 2021, Rotterdam, Netherlands & Fort Lauderdale, Florida USA: Simwave—a recognized global leader in maritime training and assessment offering a highly specialized knowledge center for the maritime industry—has teamed up with VIKAND—a global leader in maritime and remote medical operations and healthcare solutions—to create the world’s first Maritime School of Medicine & Public Health. Wide reaching, it includes a customized Infectious Diseases Control Officer Training Program to meet the industry demand for enhanced onboard safety due to the COVID pandemic.
“COVID-19 has underscored the vital role of public health, medical experience and knowledge to ensure a safe maritime work environment. Together with Simwave, VIKAND is launching a purpose- built educational curriculum that delivers the latest evidence-based knowledge in infection prevention and control,” says Peter Hult, VIKAND CEO. “We believe a rigorous maritime-adapted curriculum will prepare cruise, yacht, commercial shipping, river and off-shore energy sectors for future and ongoing public health challenges,” he continues.
Marcel Kind, Simwave CEO, comments, “This partnership brings medical and public health training to shipping operators everywhere. The objective of the curriculum is to familiarize participants with medical and public health challenges and provide them with the right knowledge, skills and attitude.”
“Simwave’s initiative with VIKAND builds upon their medical and public health experience and expertise; together we’re building a state of the art medical and public health training module which will offer on-line and in-person curriculums,” Marcel continues.
“During 2021, The Vikand School of Maritime Medicine & Public Health, powered by Simwave, launches. Our corresponding goals are to provide guidance and expertise to help maritime industries prevent the transmission of diseases, including COVID-19, to develop and to enhance training to re-focus protocols and programs, and, above all, to foster leadership through expertise in infection prevention and control. We are excited and privileged to work together with Marcel and his team to offer this program, and for all of us, together, to be better prepared for future challenges,” concludes Peter Hult.
About Simwave
Simwave acts as a highly specialized and multi-disciplinary knowledge center for the maritime industry, using state-of-the-art simulators, works with the best professionals, and all our services meet the highest standards. Simwave is making the maritime industry safer by developing, delivering, and supporting (outsourced) solutions with maritime (simulator) training and assessment, allowing companies of all sizes to use simulators for training, assessment, and applied research, whenever needed and to customers’ needs.
Simwave operates over 59 connected simulators in Rotterdam and operates an extensive Learning/Competency Management System (LMS/CMS) to support world-wide hybrid training solutions.
About VIKAND
VIKAND provides global medical and public health service solutions to the entire maritime industry, including cruise, yacht, superyacht, commercial shipping, fishing, and energy sectors. VIKAND works with more than 200 cruise ship clients—spread over 23 cruise lines—supporting 120,000 crew with medical and mental wellness needs supported by experienced onboard and onshore medical staffs. VIKAND’s proven medical and public health expertise and experience is demonstrated through a proactive and evidence-based healthcare approach, the VIKAND Total Healthcare Solution and is coordinated with global regulatory agencies and industry associations. Solutions encompass 24/7 medical management, public health, and COVID-19 consulting, biomedical equipment maintenance and products, and leading air and surface decontamination solutions. VIKAND recently celebrated its 10th anniversary and was awarded the Seatrade Cruise Awards Supplier of the Year 2020 in October. VIKAND has offices in Fort Lauderdale, Hamburg and soon Monaco in addition to having staff located throughout the world.
