The Seamen's Church Institute opened its maritime training center in Paducah, Kentucky in 1997. The Institute's instructors provide practical and relevant training specifically for inland mariners. The training utilizes a computer-based simulation system. Instructors use this tool to improve a mariner's navigational and bridge-management skills in a risk-free environment. Consistent and regular training creates a safer workplace and a greater environmental awareness of America's wondrous waterways system.