A recent cooperation agreement between Damen and VSTEP has been established for the delivery of a NAUTIS Full Mission Bridge Simulator with Alphatron Marine equipment to the Royal Bahamas Defence Force. The delivery is part of the Sandy Bottom Project, which sees the Defence Force acquire a range of Damen patrol vessels, upgrade its existing fleet and develop its port and base infrastructure.
VSTEP, with input from Damen, will develop four simulated vessels for use in its custom simulator. Pushing the boundaries of maritime simulation, the results of this collaboration will involve the seamless digital recreation of the whole of the Bahamas, an area of 13,878 km2, including nine detailed ports.
The project will see VSTEP deliver the latest version 3.0 of NAUTIS featuring improved graphics, advanced ship dynamics and increased accuracy and visual fidelity of the sea, allowing for the most realistic training possible.
“The incorporation of the simulator package was an instrumental part of the overall Sandy Bottom agreement. It will give the RBDF the ability to recruit and train new cadets annually in a professional manner. The synergy between the simulator training, the familiarisation training we have already completed and the general commonalities between the different classes of vessel and the bridge systems will provide longevity and increase the patrol capabilities of the RBDF.” – Alan Borde, Damen Sales Manager
Our CEO Pjotr van Schothorst is looking forward to the collaboration between VSTEP and Damen. He believes that in the future this will be an interesting way to prepare crews for new vessels before the naming ceremony. He underlined this with the following words: “The crews of these new vessels will be trained on the simulator for situations which are difficult or dangerous in real life, which makes them well prepared. They can train for ship handling & manoeuvring, and prepare for various operations relevant in their area.”
About VSTEP
VSTEP creates innovative simulation software for professional organizations worldwide. We are a team of 60 explorers who are always up for challenges. We are not constrained by standards and are flexible in our approach to fulfilling the mission: enable learning by simulation.
We are all dedicated to the same vision: ensure that at least one-third of the maritime industry has obtained their skills through our simulation technology. Hence, we strive to make a great contribution to creating a more sustainable world. We invest in continuous R&D of our software and work passionately as a team to get there.
Updated on 09-08-2026.
What simulator class says about a naval specification
Full mission is a specification level rather than marketing shorthand. DNV grades maritime simulator systems from Class A, full mission, through multi-task and limited-task classes down to special-task systems, with criteria for the simulated functions, the equipment and the environment (DNV). For a defence force taking delivery of new patrol vessels, the class decides whether a complete bridge team can be trained together or only individual skills can be practised.
That is why a Royal Bahamas Defence Force simulator appears inside a fleet renewal programme rather than after it. Crews for vessels still being built cannot develop watchkeeping routine on board, so the simulated bridge is where the operating procedures for a new class of vessel are worked out first.
| Project summary | |
|---|---|
| Customer | Royal Bahamas Defence Force |
| Partner | Damen Shipyards Group |
| Programme | Sandy Bottom Project |
| Delivery | NAUTIS Full Mission Bridge Simulator with Alphatron Marine equipment |
| Training scope | Bridge team training for the patrol vessel fleet |
Frequently asked questions
What was delivered to the Royal Bahamas Defence Force?
A NAUTIS Full Mission Bridge Simulator combined with Alphatron Marine equipment, delivered through a cooperation between Damen and VSTEP. The simulator supports the Defence Force in training crews for its expanding fleet of Damen patrol vessels under the Sandy Bottom Project, so watchkeeping teams are prepared before the vessels enter service.
What is the Sandy Bottom Project?
Sandy Bottom is the Royal Bahamas Defence Force programme that combines the acquisition of Damen patrol vessels, the upgrade of the existing fleet and the development of port and base infrastructure. Crew training is a core element of the programme, which is where the NAUTIS full mission simulator comes in alongside the vessel and infrastructure work.
Why do navies choose full mission simulation?
New vessels demand trained crews before they arrive. A full mission bridge simulator lets a navy build watchkeeping and team competence in advance, rehearse procedures for the specific vessel types entering service and assess crews objectively, all without taking an operational vessel off task or waiting for a suitable sea window.
What does full mission mean in a simulator specification?
Full mission is the most complete of the simulator classes described in DNV’s standard for maritime simulator systems, above the multi-task and limited-task classes. In practice it means the bridge layout, visual field and equipment reproduce a whole operational environment, so an entire bridge team can train together instead of one officer at a time.
Naval training with NAUTIS
Explore the NAUTIS naval simulator and the full mission bridge simulator, or book a demo to discuss your fleet training programme.
