BMT Group has been contracted by Hong Kong Nicaragua Canal Development Group (HKND) for marine and port assessments along the planned waterway.

Through subsidiaries BMT Asia Pacific and BMT ARGOSS, the company will use its navigational simulator framework Rembrandt to recreate typical scenarios that a ship master might experience, using the results “to articulate a solution that minimises canal excavation while ensuring adequate canal capacity and safety,” according to BMT Asia Pacific md Richard Colwill.

“Through Rembrandt BMT will provide early and decisive insight on potential marine constraints, enabling us to identify appropriate mitigation and optimisation measures - be it physical or operational in nature,” explained Captain Paul Morter, business line manager of Rembrandt at BMT ARGOSS.

BMT will also update the business case for the canal’s Pacific and Caribbean ocean ports, identifying port’s potential competitive positioning along the theoretical channel. “The Nicaragua Canal system will see a large variety of vessels and wide range of vessel movements along the canal, within the inland ports, and between canal, port and ocean approaches,” said K W Pang, executive director at HKND. “These activities occur with differing metocean conditions, transit speeds and directions, and transit modes.

“Recognising this complexity,” Pang continued, “we are seeking to access BMT’s global network of subject matter experts to assemble a highly capable, technical team to address the Canal’s marine safety and traffic challenges from all angles.”