01-07-2024 – VSTEP has installed a CESNI certified NAUTIS Inland Simulator at TMLG, aiming to enhance simulation-based learning not only in Slovakia but throughout the entire region.
At the Maritime Industry 2023 in The Netherlands, TMLG, a reputable fleet owner and shipping company based in Slovakia, signed a letter of intent to purchase the NAUTIS Inland Simulator from VSTEP.
This strategic collaboration is of significant importance not only for TMLG but also for its neighboring countries, as they too will benefit from the advanced capabilities of the NAUTIS simulator. For VSTEP, this partnership holds strategic value too as TMLG is our first inland client focusing on the Danube region.
In May 2024, we successfully installed our inland simulator at TMLG which later got CESNI certified by the Slovakian ministry of transport. The simulator’s cutting-edge technology and immersive training environment will undoubtedly enhance the skills and expertise of maritime professionals across the region. This investment marks an expansion of VSTEP’s reach, enabling us to bring the power of simulation-based learning to an even wider audience.
“I’m proud of the potential of our products to enable simulation-based learning throughout the region. It’s incredibly satisfying to see us extend our leadership in inland navigation and support more companies in enhancing their maritime training capabilities.”
– Luuk ten Bergen, Business Developer at VSTEP
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.
About TMLG
TMLG (Technology and Management Leadership Group) specializes in innovative technology solutions and strategic management consulting. They help businesses optimize operations and drive growth through IT infrastructure management, digital transformation and strategic planning, empowering clients to achieve long-term success.
Updated on 09-08-2026.
What certification changes about an inland simulator
A CESNI certified simulator is not simply a better teaching aid, it is an instrument that counts inside the qualification route. Under Directive (EU) 2017/2397 on the recognition of professional qualifications in inland navigation, the technical standards for practical examinations and for the approval of vessel-handling and radar simulators are drawn up by CESNI. Approval itself is granted by the competent authority of a member state.
For the Danube region that distinction is the point of the project. Training capacity without recognition still means crews travelling abroad for the examinable part of their qualification. A certified installation keeps both the practice and the recognised assessment in the region where those crews actually work.
| Project summary | |
|---|---|
| Customer | TMLG, fleet owner and shipping company, Slovakia |
| Delivery | CESNI certified NAUTIS Inland Simulator |
| Region | Danube region, serving neighbouring countries as well |
| Signed | Letter of intent at Maritime Industry 2023, installed 2024 |
| Framework | European inland navigation qualification standards |
Frequently asked questions
What is CESNI certification and why does it matter?
CESNI is the European committee that draws up standards for inland navigation, including the technical requirements a vessel-handling simulator must meet before an administration can approve it. Approval is what allows a simulator to be used inside the formal qualification route rather than only as a teaching aid alongside it.
Why is the TMLG installation strategically important?
TMLG is VSTEP’s first inland client focused on the Danube region. The Slovak fleet owner’s certified NAUTIS Inland Simulator serves its own crews as well as training demand in neighbouring countries, which expands simulation-based inland education across a region where that capacity was previously scarce. It also gives VSTEP a reference installation in that market.
What can crews train on the NAUTIS Inland Simulator?
The inland simulator recreates the specific challenges of river navigation: confined fairways, currents, bridge passages and dense traffic. Crews train manoeuvring and watchkeeping in the vessel types and waterway conditions of their own routes, in line with the European standards for inland navigation qualifications. Scenarios can be built around named stretches of waterway.
Can a certified simulator replace time on a real craft?
Not entirely. European rules recognise approved simulators for parts of training and practical examination, while sailing time remains part of the qualification route. In practice the two are combined: the simulator covers rare and high-risk situations on demand, and the craft provides the routine operational hours. Administrations set the balance between the two.
Inland navigation training
Discover the NAUTIS inland simulator, see how simulator classes and certification work on our certified simulator page, or book a demo.
