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ISSREPORTERlLocalExpertiseUSADECEMBER201120www.iss-shipping.comINTHELASTfewyearstheCanadianNavyhasrampedupitsofficertrainingprogrammes.AsoneoftherequirementstraineesmustcompleteasixweekcourseonwhattheCanadianNavyreferstoasanORCA.ThesevesselsarecomparativelysmallbutallowthetraineestosimulatenavigationalandmaneuveringtrainingthatwouldbedoneonaMaritimeCoastalDefenceVesseloraFrigate.Thebridgesareequippedwithsimilarequipmentandthesimulationsthatarecreatedreplicatethedifficultiesthatwouldbeencounteredononeoftheselargerships.Aspartofthetrainingregimethesetraineesaresubmersedintothedynamicoflifeonavesselforcingthemtocooperateasaunitanddependononeanother.Thisisoneofthemostimportantpartsoftheexerciseteambuildingissomethingthatallnaviesintheworldpractice.Rightinthemiddleofthesixweektrainingcoursetheprogrammehasaweekendoflibertyataportfacilitybuiltin.Thisweekendhasoftenincorporatedaforeignportcallsothatthecrewcomesbacktothevesselandstaystogetherasaunit.OncetheHQhaddecidedthatSeattlewouldbeanidealplaceforthiscallISSwenttowork.Asthevesselshaveafreeboardofonlyafewfeetitisalmostimpossibleforthemtoberthatanyconventionaldock.LikewisewithanLOAof106ftthereareinsufficientmarinaslipstoaccommodatefouratanyonetime.WiththecriteriaandneedsestablishedISSSeattlefiguredthatthemostcostefficientoptionwastobuildtheORCAstheirveryownmarinajokinglycalledPortNickbythefolksontheSeattlewaterfrontinrecognitionofISSOperationsRepresentativeNickDobbex19scontributiontothesolution.ISSwasabletosourcefouroldnavyammobargesectionsthatwerechainwrappedtopilingsonanyofthreedifferentdocksinSeattletocreateanL-shapedfloatingdockthatagangwaycanbeattachedtoenablingtheselittleshipstoberthatdockswithLforLiberty22ftfreeboardandupto12fttidalswings.ThevesselshavenowmadeSeattlethestoppingpointfortheirweekendofffromtheirtrainingregime.CallingeverytwotofourmonthsPortNickhasbecomeafixtureofPortNicktheL-shapedfloatingdockSeattlex19swaterfront.AsISSSeattlehasprovenbeforeanylogisticalproblembecomesalogisticalopportunity.Ourstaffpridesitselfincreativeandinnovativeproblemsolving.Wheretherex19sawilltherex19sawayNickDobbeSafetyalongsideGentlydoesit...