The mini-mega-tanker: Trainee ships' captains practise their moves in miniature with scaled-down models of some of the world's biggest boats 

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These captains are proving it’s not the size of the boat that matters – or body of water – as they learn how to navigate the high seas with scaled-down versions of large vessels.

This is the training centre where ship captains and maritime pilots practise their driving skills in small models of real ships on a 10-acre lake near Romsey, Hampshire.

Part of Southampton Solent University, the Warsash Maritime Academy’s Ship Handling Centre is the only training centre of its kind in the UK, drawing seafarers from around the world.

Set on a 10-acre lake in Hampshire, the Warsash Maritime Academy’s Ship Handling Centre is the only training centre of its kind in the UK

Part of Southampton Solent University, the training academy, at the town of Romsey, draws seafarers from around the world

The base at Timsbury Lake provides training for captains, senior deck officers and mooring masters serving on board ships and yachts

The lake is purpose-built to allow an extensive range of ship handling scenarios and manoeuvres using a variety of models

The base at Timsbury Lake provides training for captains, senior deck officers and mooring masters serving on board ships, ferries and multimillion-pound superyachts.

Under the watchful eyes of instructors, trainees are able to get behind the controls of accurately scaled-down models of real ships to simulate the handling characteristics of actual vessels, enabling mariners to practise and progress their ship handling skills.

The lake is purpose-built to allow an extensive range of ship handling scenarios and manoeuvres to be performed using a variety of models, berths, canals, channel, jetties and basin.

Trainees learn essential skills on nine ship models, including a container vessel, tanker, ro-ro ferry, crude carriers and Panamax vessels.

Under the watchful eyes of instructors, trainees are able to get behind the controls of accurately scaled-down models of real ships

The models are used to simulate the handling characteristics of actual vessels, enabling mariners to practise and progress their skills

Trainees learn essential skills on nine ship models, including a container vessel, tanker, ro-ro ferry, crude carriers and Panamax vessels

Suzanne Galloway, from Southampton Solent University, said: ‘With superyachts getting larger there are increasing numbers of officers and pilots from these vessels using the centre.

‘The manned models are about upskilling experienced pilots and captains.

‘Around 75 per cent of the people using the facility are pilots - they come to Timsbury from all over the world.

‘In the last 10 years almost 1,000 professionals from 24 countries have used the centre’s facilities.’

 In addition to container vessels, captains learn how to navigate superyachts; the centre is training a growing number of yacht pilots

Suzanne Galloway, from Southampton Solent University, said about 75 per cent of the people using the facility are pilots

In the last 10 years almost 1,000 professionals from 24 countries have been trained at the Ship Handling Centre, said Ms Galloway

The scaled-down models look somewhat comical on the lake, but the centre provides world-renowned training for masters and officers