Rotterdam, 01-02-2021 – The relationship between VSTEP and ROC Kop van Noord-Holland (now Vonk) continues to flourish, as ROC Kop van Noord-Holland signed a new deal to upgrade their maritime simulators to NAUTIS 3.
ROC Kop van Noord Holland (now Vonk) is one of the leading training institutes of the Netherlands that offers vocational training to thousands of students and participants each year. Their maritime training center has signed a deal with VSTEP to upgrade their existing NAUTIS 2 maritime simulators to NAUTIS 3.
The current set up at ROC Kop van Noord Holland located at Den Helder, consists of six NAUTIS navigation simulators out of which three are Class B simulators and the remaining are desktop versions. The new deal entails: upgrading all six of their NAUTIS simulators, which would include software upgrades, specialized hardware replacements, upgrade of ship console plates and instructor station; as well as a renewed partnership to collaborate for the next 5 years.
NAUTIS 3 offers highly realistic hydrodynamics and visuals, improved communication and communication radars, new features and fixes and many more functionalities related to maritime training, all of which make training smoother, more interactive and immersive.
The NAUTIS team at VSTEP aims to continuously develop the most efficient, innovative and user-focused maritime simulators that are not only compliant to industry standards but can also be adapted to comply with local rules and regulations.
The business development director at VSTEP, Tije Vos says: “we are always committed to ensuring that our customers have the highest-fidelity training options and the best maritime simulation experience, so that they are prepared for all sorts of situation onboard”.
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.
A maritime simulator upgrade is mostly an instructor decision
Simulator time is not an informal extra in a maritime curriculum. The STCW Convention sets out standards governing the use of simulators, including requirements to brief trainees on the objectives beforehand, monitor the exercise while it runs and debrief afterwards (IMO). Those requirements sit with the instructor rather than with the hardware.
Read against that, an upgrade buys instructor capability first. Newer software widens the range of scenarios that can be set, observed and replayed with a class, and keeps the vessel models close to the ships students will actually join. The projection systems and bridge consoles in Den Helder did not need replacing to achieve that.
| Project summary | |
|---|---|
| Customer | Vonk (formerly ROC Kop van Noord-Holland) |
| Location | Den Helder, the Netherlands |
| Setup | Six NAUTIS navigation simulators, including three Class B systems |
| Upgrade | NAUTIS 2 to NAUTIS 3 |
| Hardware | Existing installation retained |
Frequently asked questions
What did the upgrade to NAUTIS 3 involve?
Vonk (formerly ROC Kop van Noord-Holland) upgraded its existing NAUTIS 2 maritime simulators in Den Helder to NAUTIS 3. The setup consists of six NAUTIS navigation simulators, three of which are Class B systems, giving students the latest generation of the platform on the bridge hardware the school already had in place.
Why do maritime schools upgrade instead of replace?
An upgrade carries the existing hardware investment forward while bringing simulation software, vessel models and instructor tools to the current standard. For a vocational institute training large student groups that means better training quality per euro, no disruption of the running curriculum and no year without simulator capacity.
What does a Class B simulator mean for students?
Class B multi-task simulators cover officer skill training: navigation instruments, watchkeeping routines and manoeuvring exercises. Combined with desktop stations, they let a school spread hands-on simulator time across large student groups instead of reserving the bridge for a small number of trainees at a time. That capacity effect is usually what decides the class mix a school buys.
Does simulator training count towards a formal maritime qualification?
It can. The STCW Convention sets standards governing the use of simulators in training and in the assessment of competence, and the national administration decides how simulator hours are recognised within a given programme. Schools therefore select and configure simulators with their own examination requirements in mind. The recognition question is answered nationally, not by the supplier.
Training solutions for maritime education
See how NAUTIS supports bridge simulation for academies and what a full mission bridge simulator adds, or book a demo for your institute.
