Denmark funding, training Ghana Navy with USD1.4 million simulator

Members of the Ghana Navy, seen in January 2025, training at the new simulation centre. (Ghana Navy)

Denmark is helping the Ghana Navy prepare for self-sufficient training by 2026 with a USD1.4 million bridge simulator, Lieutenant Colonel Lasse Sand, Denmark's defence attaché in Ghana confirmed to Janes on 29 January.

Finnish company Wärtsilä Voyage Limited confirmed to Janes on 31 January that it supplied its navigational technology as part of the project, which includes a full-sized Class A Full Mission 360 Bridge, three Class B Part Task 120 Bridges, two instructor stations, and a debriefing station. The company also said it supplied its “naval software package, which is a naval version of navigational simulator software with specific functionalities for naval customers”, without providing further specifications, citing client confidentiality. 

The Full Mission Bridge simulator, based at Ghana's Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC) in Nutekpor-Sogakope, offers a realistic environment where search-and-rescue, anti-piracy, and anti-smuggling operations as well as other scenarios can be carried out in a training environment, said Lt Col Sand.

“The advantage is that no ships need to be taken out of operations for training, which gives the Ghana Navy a larger degree of availability of their actual platforms,” he added.

The Royal Danish Navy (RDN), in collaboration with the Svendborg International Maritime Academy (SIMAC), will be involved in the teaching of Ghanaian trainers over the next two years. “After 2026 the Ghanaian trainers will be self-sustained within maritime simulation,” said Lt Col Sand. SIMAC is a civilian maritime education centre in Denmark that specialises in maritime simulation.