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Marine Documentation and Information Services

How Orchid Can Help

Modern ships have increasingly complex and automated systems and officers and crew often join a vessel with very little time to familiarise themselves with the vessel's systems and safety procedures. They therefore have to rely on the quality of the technical manuals and training materials held on the vessel.

Orchid's team of technical writers, illustrators and production staff can originate, produce and deliver the products and service needed to meet these requirements.

Orchid’s Marine Experience

Orchid have been providing documentation and technical information services to the marine industry for over 15 years. We employ staff that have worked at sea and our past projects have included writing Deck and Engine Manuals for mid size tankers and VLCCs, and SOLAS Training Manuals for cruise ships, including Cunard’s new Queen Victoria and Princess Cruises new Ruby Princess.

Ships Engineering Manuals

Orchid typically provides, or updates, the following types of ships engineering manuals:

• Deck Officer’s Reference Manual
• Engineer Officer’s Reference Manual
• Bridge System Operating Manual
• Cargo System Operating Manual
• Deck System Operating Manual
• Machinery System Operating Manual

Orchid can deliver prepared manuals using the following methods:

• Traditional paper format, in a variety of sizes
• Simple, structured, PDF files on a CD
• Self-loading or pre-installed Integrated Electronic Technical Manual (IETM)

For further information seeTechnical Documentation.

Ships Safety Manuals

Orchid typically provides, or updates, the following types of safety manual:

• SOLAS Training Manuals

Sea Trials complete and the maiden voyage is approaching - Is the SOLAS Training Manual on board? Speak to Orchid

Orchid typically provide these as colour printed and bound manuals to the ship, prior to departure from the Yard if a New Build. Orchid can also make the documents available on our password protected download site so that PDF files are available to the ship over the Internet.

For further information seeTechnical Documentation.

Marine Training Aids and Materials

Orchid can provide custom training programmes designed to meet client requirements and demonstrate competency. Training programme development includes the following main elements:

• Definition of training objectives
• Development and structuring of courses and lesson plans
• Development of student appraisals
• Preparation of training manuals, course notes and visual aids

For further information seeTechnical Documentation.

Marine Computer Based Training

Computer Based Training (CBT) has real benefits for the training of shipboard staff, as the training can take place in the working environment and can be undertaken by individuals when they have time or during allocated time slots. CBT is particularly suited to the familiarisation of new staff with company procedures/systems. CBT can be modular in design and developed to run on industry standard multimedia computers.

With careful planning and document design it is possible to utilise material generated for engineering manuals in the preparation of the associated CBT modules. This can make the overall project more efficient and cost effective. The shared information can be supplemented in the CBT with the addition of video, animations, sound clips and exercises.

For further information see Computer Based Training.

Planned Maintenance Systems

Orchid can provide planned maintenance systems, either as a paper-based system or as data to enter in to a computer-based maintenance system.

Let Orchid Help

Orchid can help you solve your documentation issues.

To discuss your issues or requirements, just give us a call or drop us an email.