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May 2011

Inmarsat buys Ship Equip and IN THIS ISSUE announces 55¢ voice calls satcoms In two moves that have caused real waves in the maritime satcom community, Inmarsat has announced that it has agreed a deal to acquire VSAT company Round Table Discussion Ship Equip and has also set a $0.55 suggested retail price for Satellite communications voice calling on FleetBroadband – now and into the future – 19 ot content with the shake up Broadband drives convergence of of the maritime satcom mar- satellite services – 28 NNket caused by the announce- ment of its $1.2 billion investment Computer viruses – a modern into Ka-band VSAT, Inmarsat has maritime curse? – 30 surprised the industry again with the announcement that it has agreed a deal to acquire Norwegian VSAT software provider Ship Equip. The acquisition is for a total con- sideration of $159.5 million, and will SCF Unicom – upgrading give Inmarsat immediate access to training with CBT – 49 Ship Equip’s installed base of over 900 vessels using its SEVSAT product 3-D models and condition monitoring once the deal is closed. software for hull maintenance – 50 With additional units committed Game based learning and to existing orders Ship Equip’s pene- tration in the maritime VSAT market maritime education – 52 reaches beyond 1,000 systems – a cus- Users of Ship Equip VSAT are being targeted as early adopters of Inmarsat’s tomer group that Inmarsat has target- Ka-band Global Xpress service after full availability in 2014 ed as early adopters of its Global electronics and Xpress Ka-band service after its navigation launch in 2014. (SRP) for voice calling over prices above this level, as shipping Revenues for Ship Equip for 2010 FleetBroadband. companies will now expect to pay no were approximately $56 million Speaking at the Digital Ship Cyprus more than the rate suggested by Digital Navigation (NOK 312 million), and Inmarsat says 2011 conference, Inmarsat head of Inmarsat for their voice calls. ECDIS – making the transition – 67 that it expects to finance the deal from maritime business James Collett In any case, with this new acqui- Managing integration with INS – 70 current available liquidity. introduced the new $0.55 per minute sition and change of policy with GNSS reliance and vulnerabilities – 72 In addition to this new acquisition SRP as a price that end users should regard to pricing, Inmarsat certainly Inmarsat has also caused waves in be expecting to pay for voice services seems to be making an aggressive the satcom distributor community on its flagship satcom system. strategic move to gain greater Arctic communications and after breaking from its long-standing This has certainly caused disquiet control of both its existing NAVAREA expansion – 74 policy of declining to comment on among a number of distributors of FleetBroadband market and the the particulars of service pricing to Inmarsat airtime services who may VSAT market it has targeted with Navigation and GIS – Dr Andy Norris – 78 announce a Suggested Retail Price have been charging their customers Global Xpress. continued on page 2 “One Unique Interface” - Pietro Amorusi, Chief Information Officer, d'Amico Società di Navigazione S.p.A. © 2009 DUALOG AS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ALL RIGHTS AS. © 2009 DUALOG

From its headquarters in Rome, d’Amico Società di Navigazione S.p.A. operates more than 40 cargo ships in a worldwide trade. The ships are equipped with a combination of Inmarsat Fleet, FleetBroadband and VSAT systems.

“We faced numerous challenges managing our ships due to the diversified communication structure. Dualog Connection Suite is a single and unique interfacing tool.” says Pietro Amorusi, CIO of d’Amico. “The new solution has directly improved our efficiency and, it saves us money.”

www.dualog.com (+47) 77 62 19 00 or [email protected] p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 14:18 Page 2

SATCOMS

continued from page 1 Acquisition strategy FleetBroadband on a daily basis and we Mr Collett also expects that the price The strategic reasoning that Inmarsat has expect that Ship Equip will look at ways points at which the new service will be outlined for the Ship Equip acquisition lies they can maximise L-band opportunities offered to the market will prove to be in creating a ‘fast start’ for the Global with what they currently sell,” said attractive to VSAT users, both in terms of Vol 11 No 8 Xpress programme, something which the Mr Collett. antenna pricing and monthly costs. company was very keen to achieve once “This is an ideal opportunity to be look- “From a user terminal perspective, Digital Ship Limited work on the project began, as James ing at models for such combinations.” whilst we recognise that maritime VSAT 2nd Floor, Collett, head of maritime business at antennas have been coming down in price, 8 Baltic Street East Inmarsat, explains. Ku- and C-band contracts we believe that Global Xpress will bring London EC1Y 0UP, U.K. “This is all about improving our return One interesting aspect of Inmarsat taking terminal prices to a new level and will cer- www.thedigitalship.com on Global Xpress. One thought was that over the Ship Equip business is that it will tainly provide significant advantages over having a ready-made maritime VSAT now hold contracts for Ku-band and C- what is seen at Ku-band today,” he said. business would be a good way of acceler- band services from other competing satel- “And with considerably more capacity PUBLISHER ating the Global Xpress business, as we lite operators. in the Inmarsat-5 constellation than what Stuart Fryer would have an immediate customer base However, Mr Collett notes that we believe is available in any other VSAT which we could transfer onto our Ka-band Inmarsat has no intention of continuing network today, in addition to no expected EDITOR capacity,” he told us. with Ku- or C-band services any longer substantial network investments for distri- Rob O'Dwyer: Tel: +44 (0)20 7017 3410 “We will have through Ship Equip about than is necessary under the obligations of bution partners, our expectation is that our email: [email protected] 900 customers, and increasing, who are these contracts, and that its new VSAT maritime Global Xpress service will be ready-made Global Xpress early adopters.” more competitive than what’s on offer CONFERENCE PRODUCERS The markets in which Ship Equip has from current maritime VSAT services.” Karl Jeffery: Tel: +44 (0)20 7017 3405 been successful are markets which Inmarsat When asked if Inmarsat sees Global email: [email protected] has identified as key prospect markets for Xpress as leading to the death of Ku-band Cathy Hodge: Tel +44 (0) 20 7253 2700 the new Ka-band service, including sec- VSAT in maritime, Mr Collett smiled as he email: [email protected] tors like North Sea fisheries, offshore and, responded: “We’d like to think our GX increasingly, the tanker market. (Global Xpress) service will be the solution ADVERTISING “There are areas where Ship Equip has of choice!” Ria Kontogeorgou: Tel: +44 (0)20 7017 3401 been successful where we see opportuni- email: [email protected] ties for Global Xpress, and they will bring $0.55 pricing business benefits in this respect,” said PRODUCTION Inmarsat’s other major announcement, of Vivian Chee: Tel: +44 (0)20 8995 5540 Mr Collett. its $0.55 SRP for FleetBroadband voice email: [email protected] “In terms of their business model, it’s calling, is part of a concerted strategic slightly different to some other maritime effort to stabilise and push renewed EVENTS VSAT businesses, and it’s a model they growth in the company’s maritime voice Diana Leahy Engelbrecht have been very successful at fine tuning. business, according to Mr Collett. Tel: +44 (0)118 931 3109 Their whole installation and commission- “In our publicly disclosed information email: [email protected] ing process is certainly ‘best of breed’, in and what we’ve been talking about in ana- terms of their time taken from getting an lyst briefings, it’s been clear that we’ve CONSULTANT WRITER order through to having that vessel seen a decline in maritime voice rev- Dr Andy Norris (navigation) equipped, commissioned and at sea with a ‘We have an expectation that a $0.55 enues,” he told us. retail price for FleetBroadband voice will [email protected] revenue generating terminal on it.” “This is for several reasons, not least the be offered to end users’ – James Collett, “Installing VSAT antennas means that conversion of higher-price legacy voice Inmarsat DIGITAL SHIP SUBSCRIPTIONS you’re probably talking days rather than services, on Inmarsat-B and mini-M in par- GBP £150 per year for 10 issues hours as is the case with FleetBroadband, ticular, on to lower priced voice service Subscribe online at but in terms of a speedy, customer focused customers through Ship Equip will move platforms like FleetBroadband.” www.thedigitalship.com service Ship Equip are probably closer to across to the Global Xpress service as soon “In addition to that, the market has or contact Stephan Venter on the FleetBroadband way of doing things as possible. become more competitive, to a certain [email protected], than other VSAT providers.” “This would not be the right moment to extent from VSAT offering cheap voice tel +44 (0)20 7017 3407 Once the deal is closed Inmarsat talk about the terms of those contracts, but services. So we’ve been looking at ways expects to position Ship Equip as an inde- we will be looking at opportunities for us where we can improve our maritime voice UPCOMING CONFERENCES pendent business unit, which will sit to quickly migrate customers from Ku- business, and we believe that by having DIGITAL SHIP SINGAPORE alongside the Stratos business and operate band on to Ka-band,” he said. some aggressive marketing and strong Suntec Convention Centre, Singapore with an independent management team “You would imagine that you would positioning of our new services, 18 - 19 October 2011 just as Stratos does. need a bridging period where, as we make FleetBroadband and FleetPhone, we can DIGITAL SHIP ATHENS “We will work very closely with them, Ka-band capacity available, customers return the voice business to growth Athens Metropolitan, Athens both from the perspective of the existing will be moving progressively off of Ku- again.” 22 - 23 November 2011 maritime business and from the perspec- band on to Ka-band, but we don’t antici- These new voice charges are part of a tive of the Global Xpress programme,” pate an extended period where we would service revision from 1 April 2011, and apply Printed by said Mr Collett. be requiring both Ku-band and Ka-band.” to both post-paid and pre-paid calling. The Manson Group Ltd “Ship Equip will operate independent- Mr Collett believes that such users will The company’s FleetPhone service, due Reynolds House ly, but conversely they will, through their derive a great deal of benefit from this to be launched on 30 June 2011, will be 8 Porters' Wood expertise, be able to assist us tremendous- kind of switch, as they will be operating offered with a similar price point to Valley Road Industrial Estate ly in terms of contributing market knowl- on a network built to offer bandwidth FleetBroadband with a pre-paid calling St Albans Hertz AL3 6PZ edge to the Global Xpress offer for the speeds never before seen in the maritime SRP of $0.55 per minute. U.K. maritime market.” market, available on a global basis. In addition, as part of a broader guide- “Their management team has a really “Rather than coming into this market line on pricing, Inmarsat has said that No part of this publication may be repro- strong track record in opening up markets with something that was taking a ‘me too’ existing services such as Inmarsat-B, mini- duced or stored in any form by any for maritime VSAT, and we want to har- approach, we’ve had the opportunity to M and Fleet will also have their Super mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording or other means without the ness that experience.” design a network that will be built for Quiet Time (SQT) off-peak periods extend- prior written consent of the publisher. At the moment there are no definite serving one of our key markets – maritime ed to run through the whole day 365 days Whilst the information and articles in plans for the Ship Equip business to also – and we expect therefore to eliminate a lot a year, effective 1 May 2011. Digital Ship are published in good faith act as a Distribution Partner (DP) for exist- of the disadvantages that sit with Ku-band Year-round SQT pricing was already in and every effort is made to check accura- ing Inmarsat services, though the compa- VSAT today,” he told us. place for FleetBroadband, and will similar- cy, readers should verify facts and state- ny will be expected to contribute what it “There’s been a gradual improvement ly apply to the FleetPhone. ments direct with official sources before can to overall market efforts for technolo- in the coverage of Ku-band, but it’s still Inmarsat says that these new guidelines acting on them as the publisher can accept no responsibility in this respect. gy like FleetBroadband. not global in the sense of our global capa- should see all of its maritime pre-paid Any opinions expressed in this maga- “We can’t comment at the moment bilities. However, for some users that is voice services available to end users zine should not be construed as those about where they would fit in as a DP or sufficient, and many currently take a around the clock at SRPs ranging from of the publisher. otherwise, but certainly they will be com- FleetBroadband terminal to patch up the $0.55 to $0.95 per minute, depending on ing across sales opportunities for shortfall in their VSAT coverage.” the particular maritime service used. continued on page 4 Digital Ship May 2011 page 2 p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 14:18 Page 3 p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 14:18 Page 4

SATCOMS NEWS

“We’ve worked with the DPs to devel- efit all sides if it leads to growth in the use way Inmarsat has traditionally run its tion model and, for the first time, access op new pricing, and we are keen to see of services. maritime business, it will be interesting to the end user market directly by distribut- those discounts passed into the market,” “I think that, where we see there is see what further changes the company ing its own satellite services. said Mr Collett. business benefit for us and our channel, may have in store over the next few years. Inmarsat is, of course, unable to com- “We have an expectation that, with the like in this case where we want to capture Global Xpress is expected to be global- ment on these issues so any such devel- pricing construct we’ve got now, a $0.55 the attention of end users and stimulate ly available in 2014, and that year will also, opments are a matter of speculation, and retail price for FleetBroadband voice is them to call more, being clear about a sug- coincidentally or otherwise, be the year there would presumably be a variety of something which will be offered through gested retail price is helpful,” he said. that Inmarsat’s current contracts with its significant logistical challenges in manag- our distribution channel to end users.” “In other areas the way the value chain Distribution Partners, in their present ing such a radical overhaul of its business “A take up of such a retail price still that operates today works well, we main- form, will come to an end. model. allows our distributors to enjoy a healthy tain our position as a wholesaler provid- As Digital Ship understands it, those However, the possibility of such a move business based on our wholesale pricing, ing a range of wholesale prices, and our contracts will continue to apply after that is undoubtedly food for thought for all but customers can also enjoy a very attrac- distribution channel package those offers date, however they will be open for modi- those working with satellite communica- tive rate which we hope will stimulate with their own range of value-adds.” fication by Inmarsat from that time should tions, and would surely mark the begin- consumption of more voice minutes.” “It’s a competitive market so that usu- the company wish to change the terms of ning of a new era in the way that such serv- Asked if this new policy of introducing ally makes sure that the end user gets the its agreement with the DPs. ices are used by the shipping industry. an SRP was representative of a more best deal.” Given that Inmarsat already owns the Until any firm decisions are made with aggressive marketing strategy on behalf of largest distributor of its airtime services, regard to future distribution models it is Inmarsat that would bring the company Next steps Stratos, and also owns a VSAT sales divi- an issue that is sure to keep those in the closer to the end user than the traditional Having made these bold moves in areas sion through the Ship Equip acquisition, maritime IT community intrigued – and DP route has allowed, Mr Collett suggest- like VSAT and end user suggested pricing, the potential could then exist for the com- eagerly anticipating whatever develop- ed that such a move could potentially ben- moves which are far removed from the pany to completely overhaul its distribu- ments may occur in 2014. DS Buss Shipping to install FB fleetwide

www.telemargroup.com vision of communications systems existing terminals for the new Thrane & tinues to develop advanced software prod- www.vizada.com onboard Buss vessels, with the whole Buss Thrane FleetBroadband 250 systems,” said ucts for the shipping industry which require Shipping Company fleet to be equipped Frank Schoone, technical engineer, nauti- secure bandwidths for data transfers.” Vizada and Telemar report that they have with Inmarsat FleetBroadband terminals. cal equipment, Buss Data. “Our aim is to utilise Telemar expertise signed a 3-party deal with the German IT Telemar will take care of the hardware Swen Kleinau, commercial analyst for and Vizada technology to minimise trans- company Buss Data GmbH, a part of the and technical maintenance of the termi- Buss Data, also commented; “Buss Data con- fers and reduce costs.” Hermann Buss Group, to provide nals, as well as airtime management and Inmarsat FleetBroadband 250 communica- billing, while Vizada will be the provider tions systems to the company’s fleet of of satellite communications and customer vessels. care. The Hermann Buss Group shipping Vizada’s Terralink Data Manager and company, based in Leer, Germany, spe- The Source applications will be deployed cialises in commercial shipping and runs a with the new FleetBroadband terminals in fleet of over 85 vessels. order to provide further control to the Its Buss Data business unit develops company, while SkyFile Antivirus will be customisable software systems for ship used to secure the IT systems. management, covering areas such as pur- “We have been using the chasing/ordering, maintenance, crew wel- FleetBroadband technology for over a year fare and insurance, as well as offering a now and experiencing the advantages it complete system for document filing. brings to our everyday communications – The new 2-year contract is for the pro- this helped convince us to exchange the Hermann Buss vessels will be fitted with FleetBroadband 250 terminals mini-VSAT for 125 Vroon vessels 100 VSAT for e3 www.e3s.com www.minivsat.com affordable, comprehensive solution that communications over the last several years brings together proven hardware, a are dramatic as commercial fleets like e3 Systems has announced that it has com- Netherlands-based Vroon is to install global network, and fully integrated Vroon move from basic voice and low data pleted the signing of its 100th VSAT contract. KVH's mini-VSAT Broadband service as network management and crew welfare rate applications to more demanding busi- The company, based in Spain, provides the new satellite communication solution solutions that will support our needs for ness requirements that need affordable, its eVSAT solution with antenna, below for more than 125 in-house managed ves- years to come.” reliable broadband solutions,” said Martin deck equipment, service installation, serv- sels in its fleet. Vroon vessels will be equipped with Kits van Heyningen, KVH’s chief execu- ice contracts, training and support, The deal follows a tender process a 60 cm TracPhone V7 antenna system tive officer. together with 3G and Inmarsat services, involving 22 different satellite communi- and the KVH CommBox ship/shore net- “We designed mini-VSAT Broadband all in one package. cation providers, which has resulted in work manager. to offer a unique end-to-end solution that e3 also has the distinction of having the award of a multi-year service contract The CommBox offers a range of tools meets these rapidly expanding communi- installed the first ever VSAT antenna on a covering Vroon’s vessels and its global for web compression and acceleration, cation needs.” super yacht in 2003. operations. least cost routing among multiple “Working closely with our Dutch dis- “We are delighted to have achieved our “In today’s competitive shipping mar- communication services, and manage- tributor, SAM Electronics Netherlands BV, target of 100 VSAT contracts,” said Roger ket, our ships, charterers, and fleet man- ment of pre-paid internet access and we presented this comprehensive solution Horner, managing director of e3 Systems. agers require secure and reliable IT net- remote access for Vroon’s shore-based to Vroon. We are proud to be Vroon’s “We have become synonymous with works to support critical business process- IT personnel. choice for its next-generation satellite com- VSAT communications and we are confi- es,” said Rob Frenks, Vroon’s group ICT Vroon crews, as well as crews from munication service and look forward to a dent that our eVSAT service provides the manager. contractors and third-party companies, long and fruitful collaboration.” ultimate in end to end satellite broadband “It is also equally important to improve will also be able to use KVH’s pre-paid The mini-VSAT Broadband network solutions which is guaranteed to work, crew welfare in order to attract and retain crew calling system and, depending on offers 512 kbps (ship to shore) and fits any vessel and will run a whole host of skilled seafarers. However, we realised the vessel’s activities, a GSM picocell sys- 2 Mbps (shore to ship) bandwidth best of breed proven applications.” that our existing, diverse satellite commu- tem that will enable those on board to speeds, with more than 1,000 TracPhone “As an integrator we operate with six dif- nication solutions will not meet our future make calls via their mobile phone while V7 systems having now been shipped ferent VSAT services so that coverage can be business requirements.” within KVH's coverage area. in the three years since the product’s obtained in more places with eVSAT than “By choosing KVH, we are gaining an “The changes to maritime satellite introduction. any one satellite operator can provide.”

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SATCOMS NEWS 100th Briese vessel installs se@COMM Orbit hits 1,000

www.globecommsystems.com/maritime www.orbit-cs.com

Telaurus Communications, a Globecomm Orbit Communication Systems has Maritime company, has completed the announced that it has recently shipped its installation of its 100th se@COMM system 1,000th OrSat maritime VSAT system. for customer Briese Schiffahrts. Originally introduced to the market in se@COMM manages communication 2007, the OrSat system has been delivered to via e-mail, fax, telex and SMS, as well as various segments of the maritime industry permitting controlled web browsing. The including oil and gas, navies, commercial application features real-time e-mail deliv- shipping, mega yachts and fishing boats. ery capabilities and pre-pricing by the Speaking about reaching the milestone, kilobit, enabling users to see how much Orbit CEO and president Avi Cohen said their connectivity is costing as they work. that this achievement was a testament to The se@COMM system and Satlink the quality of the satellite hardware. Inmarsat FleetBroadband 250 terminal for “In this very competitive market, major the 100th installation were supplied by maritime IT integrators require proven sys- Telaurus to the 2008-built combination tems that mitigate project risk and reduce carrier BBC Jade in March 2011, two years ongoing maintenance costs,” he said. after Briese became the first company in “OrSat's unprecedented track record is Europe to fit FleetBroadband 150 on its a testament to its technological superiori- coastal vessel Saxum. ty, operational performance and reliability The contract was managed by Telaurus' over time.” German sales and support office in “Our customers expect immediate and Hamburg, and the achievement marked effective support for both deployment and during the recent Digital Ship Hamburg operations. To this end, we back up our conference by a presentation of a plaque to OrSat products with a network of hun- Holger Boerchers, Briese Schiffahrts IT Malcolm McMaster, Telaurus; Holger Boerchers, Briese Schiffahrts; dreds of trained technicians worldwide to and Heiko Hoefer, Telaurus, mark the 100th vessel installation manager. assist customers with any support issues The migration to FleetBroadband using that may arise.” the se@COMM system involved the subscription fee. Telaurus Communications. replacement of Briese’s legacy communica- se@WEATHER is an icon-driven, "se@WEATHER offers the benefits of tions and e-mail messaging system, to cope graphical marine weather analysis system allowing the vessel’s master to view high with an increasing volume of data traffic providing instant access to current global quality analyses of current global weather and the need for transparency in managing weather with sea condition data, includ- and sea conditions at any time. We want- the cost of ship-shore messaging. ing surface pressure, wind direction, sig- ed to make se@WEATHER a free of charge "The fleetwide transition towards nificant wave heights, fronts, and tropical option to enable owners to see for them- se@COMM and FleetBroadband has been storms. selves the increases in productivity that a long process that needed great commit- Powered by Applied Weather are possible when used with broadband." ment and professionalism from all those Technology (AWT), se@WEATHER utilis- The data is delivered in a compressed involved," said Mr Boerchers. es the same interface found in AWT’s format to minimise communication "We are pleased to have achieved the BonVoyage System marine voyage opti- costs and generates colour-enhanced 100th installation after working so closely misation software. graphics which allow the ship’s master or with Telaurus and look forward to a con- "The introduction of Inmarsat navigation officer to view weather and tinuing collaboration with them." FleetBroadband and other higher band- sea conditions. In other news, Globecomm Maritime width technologies allows ship operators Customers who were previously pay- has also announced that the Telaurus to make use of powerful data applications ing a monthly fee will now be able to use se@WEATHER application, part of that can improve vessel safety and pro- the service free of charge, while new cus- the Telaurus se@COMM package, is now ductivity," said Malcolm McMaster, VP tomers who register for a subscription will The 1,000th OrSat maritime antenna to be made available with no monthly Globecomm Maritime and president not be subject to any fees. has been shipped

ST-1, ST-2 will help increase our capacity to Free broadband from SingTel meet growing customer demand for fixed and mobile satellite services.” www.singtel.com tions onboard vessels at sea. munity network, which it envisages being ST-2 will have a footprint of C-band and “SingTel is committed to transforming accessed by seafarers logging onto the Ku-band coverage that will cover the Middle Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel) and enhancing the way the maritime sea- portal from their own laptops or devices East, Central Asia, the Indian sub-continent has announced a new initiative whereby it farers work, live, learn and play,” said Bill while on the vessels. and South East Asia, with built-in switching will offer free 128 kbps satcom services to Chang, executive vice president of In related news, SingTel has also capabilities among different regions. customers who purchase a C-band antenna. SingTel’s Business Group. announced that its new ST-2 satellite has “ST-2 is almost twice as powerful as This free service will last for two years, “crewXchange@singtel will provide a completed assembly and integration, and our first satellite, which means our cus- and applies to those who sign up for the bandwidth-optimised networking plat- successfully passed all major tests. The tomers' antennas don’t have to work as system between now and 30 June 2011. form where the seafarer community can satellite is currently being shipped to its hard to pick up signals. This translates In addition to this VSAT offer SingTel is communicate with their headquarters launch site, and is scheduled for launch in into greater energy efficiency and cost sav- also launching a new web portal for crew more efficiently, get connected with their mid-May 2011. ings for them,” added Mr Chang. members, to distribute news and help loved ones, be updated with the latest A joint venture with Chunghwa SingTel says that, with its expanded them manage their communications with knowledge through e-learning content Telecom, the satellite has been put footprint allowing customers in the mar- friends and family ashore. and get access to entertainment content through a series of acoustic, vibration and itime industry to access satellite communi- The crewXchange@singtel portal, based more cost-effectively.” thermal-vacuum tests to ensure its robust- cations over larger areas while out at sea, at the website crew.singtel.com, allows “It is a service that will be very valuable ness ahead of its journey into space. demand for ST-2 services has been strong, users to subscribe to news feeds, access e- for the welfare and upgrading of maritime “SingTel is the only home-grown com- with over 70 per cent of capacity already mails, and chat with their friends using crew members.” pany in Singapore to own commercial signed up by customers (though this also various messenger platforms. To facilitate better communication satellites and we are very excited about includes land-based business). This ‘lightweight’ portal is available among their own crews, companies can the launch of ST-2, our second satellite,” ST-2 will be launched by an Ariane-5 free of charge to all SingTel maritime also set up their own private chat rooms. said Mr Chang. rocket from the Guiana Space Centre in broadband customers, and has been opti- SingTel estimates that almost 10,000 “With 20 per cent more transponder Kourou, French Guiana, with ST-1, mised to cater for the bandwidth limita- crew members will benefit from this com- capacity and a wider coverage footprint than launched in 1998, to go into inclined orbit.

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SATCOMS NEWS Satellite parks the Alphabus Globalstar satellite launch delayed

www.inmarsat.com The Alphabus technology completed www.globalstar.com Tony Navarra, president of global opera- qualification at the end of 2010 and is now tions, Globalstar. Alphasat, the largest satellite to be built in available to accommodate missions up to Globalstar has announced that the manu- "We have accepted the recommenda- Europe, is beginning to take shape and 18 kW of payload power, with ongoing facturer of its second generation satellites, tion but do not anticipate a lengthy delay. enter its final assembly and test phase developments to extend the range up to Thales Alenia Space, has determined dur- We are working closely with Thales Alenia after the Alphabus Service Module was 22 kW. ing pre-launch activities that the second Space to provide additional information successfully mated with the Alphasat "The mating successfully took place as launch of six of its satellites will need to regarding the timing of our next launch, as Communications Module. planned (ahead of) the upcoming satellite be delayed. it becomes available." The Alphasat satellite will help to aug- test campaign," said Stéphane Lascar, Thales explained that additional techni- Globalstar signed a contract with ment Inmarsat's BGAN / FleetBroadband Alphabus / Alphasat programme manag- cal checks to the satellites were necessary Thales Alenia Space in late 2006 for the satellite network, with capacity to handle er at ESA. in order to respect the quality process and design, manufacture and delivery of its more than 750 channels in L-band. Weighing more than 6,000kg, Alphasat secure the mission. The launch was previ- second-generation satellites. The telecommunications platform is is planned for launch at the end of 2012 on ously scheduled for mid-May. In 2007 Globalstar contracted with being jointly developed by Astrium and the Ariane 5 launch system. "Thales Alenia Space has notified us of a Arianespace for multiple launches of six Thales Alenia Space in partnership "The Alphabus/Alphasat Programme launch delay and we regret that Thales will satellites, each using the Soyuz launch with Inmarsat, under a joint ESA and is a prime example of a public–private not adhere to their previous schedule," said vehicle. Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales partnership, our new way of working that (CNES) contract. ESA is pursuing in telecoms," said Magali Inmarsat's investment in the project, Vaissiere, ESA director of telecommunica- Data services for IsatPhone Pro excluding insurance, is approximately tions and integrated applications. €260 million. "Such initiatives in partnership with Alphasat is the first satellite to be satellite operators will foster the develop- www.inmarsat.com required, v. 4.0.0, and Vizada’s SkyFile launched using the new European high- ment of state-of-the-art technologies to Mail software v. 8.03 are downloadable power Alphabus telecommunications serve the new needs of the worldwide Inmarsat has announced the availability of via PartnerLink, Vizada’s service provider platform. market and Europe’s citizens." data services on its global handheld satel- portal, as well as the Vizada web site. lite phone, IsatPhone Pro. Stratos data services available over the The new circuit-switched data capabili- IsatPhone Pro will operate over its recent- ty, offering an effective data rate of up to ly released AmosConnect 8.2 communica- 20 kbps, was provided in the most recent tions application. firmware upgrade to the handset. The compression capability built in to "IsatPhone Pro is ideally suited for use AmosConnect 8.2 will also enable the as a data service," said Drew Brandy, phone to reach relative transmission director of land services at Inmarsat. speeds of approximately 20 kbps for cer- "The handset design means the tain file types. IsatPhone Pro can be simply placed on its Stratos says it has activated more side with the antenna deployed for con- than 4,000 units of the handheld phone nection to the satellite while a micro USB worldwide. cable connects it to a laptop. And the In addition to IsatPhone Pro, Inmarsat-4 satellites on which the service AmosConnect 8.2 can also be used with runs are, of course, designed specifically IP-based maritime satellite services to handle data communications.” including FleetBroadband, Iridium "In testing we have actually exceeded OpenPort and VSAT. 20kbps throughput with plain text e-mail The application provides all ship-rele- on several occasions. It's ideal for those vant data on one central information page, people wanting to access e-mails, jpegs, with all service settings remotely config- documents or PDFs." urable from a central office. Alphasat is scheduled to be launched in 2012 Following the launch of the data service Also new in AmosConnect 8.2 is the Global Marine Networks, Vizada and ability to automatically register a Basic Stratos have all announced their own soft- licence, which features one free mailbox. SCPC and TDMA together on iDirect ware enhancements to take advantage of Stratos says that this feature is particu- the new capabilities. larly useful in combination with the www.idirect.net Service Level Agreements that allow for Global Marine Networks has intro- IsatPhone Pro data service, for the easy temporary bursts in traffic. duced its XGate 3.61 software application deployment of voice, SMS and e-mail VT iDirect reports that it has added SCPC By integrating SCPC onto iDirect's for use with the handheld satellite phone, capabilities. Return Channel technology to its IP satel- shared TDMA platform, service providers to manage data services such as e-mail lite communications system, to enable can also pool total capacity and distribute and web acceleration. service providers to manage TDMA and it more cost-effectively across their cus- “XGate provides up to 15 times faster e- SCPC networks on the same platform. tomer base. mail transfers and up to 85 per cent air- iDirect says it is the first technology Untapped SCPC bandwidth can be re- time savings compared with uncom- manufacturer to bring TDMA and SCPC allocated instead of being wasted, and pressed IsatPhone Pro data speeds, help- technology together in this way, with this service providers can expand the size of ing users stay in touch with the people capability available through its new iDX an SCPC link by sourcing bandwidth from and information that matters most,” said 3.0 software package. the overall bandwidth pool. Dr Luis Soltero, founder and CTO of Following this launch iDirect cus- "Bringing TDMA and SCPC together is Global Marine Networks. tomers will be able to remotely upgrade an industry breakthrough that, for the first “It is the benchmark for speed that any Evolution router to operate in TDMA time ever, enables service providers to Inmarsat itself used for development and or SCPC on the return channel. offer both dedicated and shared service on testing of data over the IsatPhone Pro.” For example, SCPC Return could be a single intelligent platform," said Dave Vizada meanwhile has reported that it activated to support temporary heavy Bettinger, chief technology officer and has already begun the roll out of traffic conditions, or turned on perma- senior vice president of engineering, IsatPhone Pro e-mail and data transfer nently once traffic reaches a threshold iDirect. capabilities to its network of more than where a dedicated SCPC connection is the "This will improve the profitability and 400 service provider partners. most economical choice. relevance of their offerings and enable The company says it has adapted It also allows service providers to them to optimise the efficiency of their its SkyFile Mail messaging and compres- adjust service levels to changing band- operations. We're excited to roll out this sion system to optimise the phone’s data The IsatPhone Pro can be connected to a PC via a USB cable, width requirements and evolving traffic innovation, which is much needed in the capability. and used to transmit data patterns, to potentially create premium satellite industry." The IsatPhone Pro firmware upgrade

Digital Ship May 2011 page 8 p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 14:19 Page 9

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SATCOMS

Comtech EF Data Corporation Marlink agrees two 5-year VSAT deals has appointed John Baddick to the post of vice president, VSAT System Engineering. www.marlink.com Bellusci, general manager, Scorpio Ship are very satisfied with the level of service In this newly created position Mr Baddick Management. provided by Marlink and are glad to be will direct hardware design, software Marlink reports that it has signed two new "Marlink has proven to offer exception- extending our agreement with the compa- development and product engineering for VSAT contracts, with shipping companies al flexibility, with a full portfolio of VSAT, ny further." the company's VSAT solutions. He has Scorpio Ship Management and Fugro- FleetBroadband and Iridium satellite com- This latest contract follows a new glob- previously worked at Intelsat and Geoteam munications solutions which have been al agreement with Fugro Marine Services Verestar. Scorpio Ship Management has agreed a packaged together to satisfy our specific BV, which has established Marlink as a Maritime GSM provider Vobal new 5-year deal, to install the WaveCall requirements." preferred supplier of VSAT communica- Technologies has appointed Walter VSAT system on 17 vessels. Seismic vessel operator Fugro- tions to Fugro vessels worldwide. Kane as VP of sales. Mr Kane has previous- Each Scorpio vessel will be provided Geoteam’s deal with Marlink is an exten- "Marlink has been providing services to ly worked with GSM/satellite service with 128 kbps to 1024 kbps for shore-to- sion of an existing satellite communications several Fugro Group divisions for a number providers like Blue Ocean Wireless vessel communications, and 128 kbps to contract, and will also last for five years. of years and the new global pricing agree- and Globe Wireless, and also served as 256 kbps for vessel-to-shore communica- As part of the latest agreement, Fugro ment has enabled us to maintain a very a Radio Electronics Officer in the US tions. Each tanker will have access to one seismic vessels will be supplied with strong relationship with the company," said Merchant Marine and US Coast Guard. data and two voice lines for business Sealink VSAT services via Marlink's Eik Tore Morten Olsen, CEO, Marlink. TrustComm and MVS USA have administration and crew use. teleport in Norway, providing 512 kbps of "Our latest agreement with Fugro- expanded their relationship, to provide In addition, Marlink will also supply bandwidth and 10-15 telephone lines to Geoteam proves our commitment to offer- combined communication solutions for FleetBroadband 250 and Iridium services each ship. ing unmatched global support to our cus- the maritime sector. An alliance will be to Scorpio to ensure redundancy for the "For safe, efficient and reliable operation tomers, as well as our capability to provide formed between TrustComm’s subsidiary communications services aboard. of our vessels worldwide, it's important to flexible and reliable satellite communica- SkyPort Maritime and MVS to create a "Our vessels often operate in remote have satellite communications solutions tion services within the demanding seis- unified distribution channel for the com- locations around the world so the integra- that we can trust," said Øyvind Haddal, mic sector." panies' range of services. tion of Marlink's WaveCall solution is crit- ICT-manager, Fugro-Geoteam AS. In other news, Marlink has announced Orbit Communication Systems ical to ensure the provision of reliable and "Marlink has proven to supply us with that it is to launch a new 'Local Numbers' has appointed new regional sales directors high quality bandwidth aboard for contin- high quality services and bandwidth, reli- service to VSAT customers this summer. for its satellite communications business uous communication between our vessels able connectivity and great flexibility to This new service will combine Direct unit, with Michel Rieken becoming direc- and offices ashore," said Francesco tailor solutions to our specific needs. We Inward Dialling (DID) with the local tele- tor of sales and business development in phone number of the vessel operator's Europe and Silene Alcoba taking a similar office location to help manage costs for role for Latin America. shore-to-vessel voice calls. KVH has appointed Vivian Quenet as Telephone numbers from more than 50 its new vice president of sales, Asia- countries and 4,000 cities worldwide are Pacific. Mr Quenet has spent 11 years in part of the programme, which features the maritime satellite communications fixed monthly costs and no additional per- industry, having previously worked with minute fees. Vizada. The service is fully maintained by Marlink's customer support team, so no user administration is required. www.comtechefdata.com www.vobal.com "With the introduction of this new www.trustcomm.com Value Added Service, office-based staff www.themvsgroup.com can telephone the vessel using an allocated www.orbit-cs.com local number which is charged at the local www.kvh.com tariff, no matter where in the world the www.vizada.com vessel is operating," said Mr Olsen. "By eliminating the often high cost of international calling, Local Numbers ensures calling from shore-to-vessel QoS guarantee from remains cost-effective." Scorpio Ship Management will install Marlink VSAT on 17 vessels SeaVsat

www.seavsat.com

Ship’s $436,000 satcom bill provokes warning SeaVsat has announced that it has launched a guaranteed Quality of Service www.itic-insure.com throughout the fleet. future internet access for all its vessels, for offshore customers, for when multiple When the existing communications wrongly assumed that the new unit had users are on a network at the same time The International Transport unit on board one ship (which did not been provided for their unlimited use, and but performing different actions. Intermediaries Club (ITIC) has explained include internet access) failed during the proceeded to download at will. The QoS will guarantee priorities to how a ship manager was recently asked first few months of 2009, it was replaced The usual cost of communications different applications, users, or data to pay $436,000 in communication costs by a modern broadband unit, but not by under the old system was no more than flows, or a certain level of performance of as a result of an error which unwittingly the new system being introduced general- $1,800 per month. Had the intended a data flow. allowed the crew of a ship unrestricted ly to the company’s ships. upgraded system, including limited inter- The company says this could represent, access to the internet over a three-month This unit was intended to replace the net access, been in place, the monthly cost for example, a required bit rate for a certain period. existing e-mail and voice communications would have been $3,800. group of users of its SatLink product line. In the latest issue of its Claims Review, only, however the broadband set-up that However, during the three-month peri- QoS Groups can be defined, each with ITIC notes that the situation came about as was installed was also capable of internet od before the error was discovered, the their own bandwidth allocation and the particular shipping company in ques- access via the satellite link. crew had open access to the internet and dynamic capacity sharing rules, to opti- tion was pursuing a policy of upgrading The vessel superintendent employed managed to run up an enormous airtime mise bandwidth distribution according to the communications packages on all its by the ship manager inadvertently failed charge of $436,000. user needs. time-chartered and owned vessels. to exclude internet access when he com- The resulting claim that brought the This new guarantee has been launched The company had decided to move pleted the activation form. During the matter to ITIC's attention came from the as SeaVsat opens a new head-office on the from systems which provided e-mail installation and activation he also failed to shipping company, which said that as it Caribbean Island of Curacao. and satellite telephone communications notify the crew of its intended use or had never agreed to this free-for-all use of The new head-office at the Dutch over- only, to systems that also included limit- advise on any tariff rates, which were in the internet by the crew, the ship manager seas island will be used to deliver service ed onboard internet access at fixed his possession. was liable for the difference between what and support to what the company says is monthly rate payments. These new The crew, who had already been noti- it would have paid ($5,400) and the actual an increasing number of offshore cus- systems were gradually being fitted fied of the company’s intentions regarding amount charged. tomers in the Caribbean.

Digital May 2011 page 10 p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 14:19 Page 11 3HWL[P[LHNLUJLKHUZSHWYHPYPL7OV[VZ!(U[VPUL2YHSPR

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ͻ'^DΘDZŽĂŵŝŶŐ ͻƌĞǁWƌĞͲWĂŝĚƐŽůƵƟŽŶƐ ͻ^D^ƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ ͻtŝͲ&ŝ/ŶƚĞƌŶĞƚ ͻDĂƌŬĞƟŶŐƚŽŽůƐ ͻsŝĚĞŽŽŶĞŵĂŶĚ where to next? /ŶƋƵŝƌŝĞƐ͗ŝŶĨŽΛŽŶͲǁĂǀĞƐ͘ĐŽŵǁǁǁ͘ŽŶͲǁĂǀĞƐ͘ĐŽŵ p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 14:19 Page 12

SATCOMS Norwegian VSAT deals for Ship Equip Harris Schlumberger acquisition complete www.harris.com ident and chief executive officer of Harris. www.ship-equip.com upgrade to broadband will prove benefi- "Harris CapRock Communications will cial to the operation of our vessels." Harris Corporation has completed its pre- use its capabilities and expertise to offer Ship Equip, recently acquired by The contract with Deep Sea Supply will viously announced acquisition of the customers the most secure, reliable and Inmarsat for $159.5 million (see front see the company extend an existing VSAT Global Connectivity Services (GCS) busi- efficient communications solutions in the page), has announced the agreement of agreement covering 23 vessels, while also ness from Schlumberger, which is being industry." new VSAT deals with two Norwegian including the addition four new SEVSATs, combined with its existing maritime com- Harris CapRock Communications has shipping companies, Ro/Ro operator meaning Ship Equip will now be provid- munications business and other earlier more than 1,400 employees, a local presence Höegh Autoliners and offshore supply ing VSAT services to the entire Deep Sea acquisition CapRock Communications. in 23 countries and a self-owned and oper- company Deep Sea Supply. Supply fleet. With the addition of further infrastruc- ated infrastructure that includes teleports Höegh Autoliners has signed a con- The 23 vessel contract for ships already ture assets from Core180’s government on six continents, six Network Operation tract to install the VSAT communications equipped with SEVSAT has been extend- business, these different units will now Centres and a terrestrial network. service on 26 of its car carriers, as well as ed for another three years, while the four operate together as Harris CapRock Harris purchased the Schlumberger two newbuilds, which will form part of a new ships, all new buildings, will be Communications. GCS business for $397.5 million in cash, general fleet communications upgrade, installed with the satcom service as they "Integrating these businesses into a sin- subject to post-closing adjustments. The moving away from what Ship Equip are launched in 2011 and 2012. gle enterprise creates an organisation with purchase price was paid from cash on describes as ‘pay by the megabyte and "We are very satisfied with the overall unsurpassed satellite and terrestrial net- hand. dial-up solutions’. performance of the SEVSAT system from works capabilities, end-to-end service Harris says that the goodwill arising Autoliners will now pay a fixed Ship Equip," said Deep Sea Supply techni- offerings, and an experienced service team from the acquisition will be an allowable monthly contracted rate for the VSAT cal director, Espen Sorensen. that will provide customers with unsur- tax expense with an estimated net present broadband service, and low per-minute "We have used the system since 2006 passed in-the-field support on a global value of $50 million, resulting in an effec- rates for voice calls. and find it very reliable with a good scale," said Howard Lance, chairman, pres- tive purchase price of $347.5 million. One of Höegh's biggest motivations for uptime and otherwise performing to installing the system was to provide serv- expectations. Ship Equip also has a net- ices to crew, to help with crew retention. work of service engineers that in our expe- Service Programme begins on OpenPort "In today's competitive shipping mar- rience do a good job." ket we wanted to make sure we retain our Ship Equip says that its maritime VSAT www.iridium.com a five-year standard warranty for all new highly valued and competent crew," says system is now currently in use on over www.radioholland.nl and existing Iridium OpenPort units. Terje Lorentzen, senior manager fleet per- 1,100 vessels, with each vessel passing "The establishment of the Global sonnel at Höegh. traffic averaging at 650 MB per day. Iridium has announced the introduction of Service Programme is driven largely by "To achieve that goal there was no way "As more and more shipping compa- its Global Service Programme, first the success of Iridium OpenPort in the around providing state of the art commu- nies introduce VSAT into their fleet it launched at the beginning of 2011, which maritime market," said John Roddy, exec- nication for staying in touch." will not be long before it is established as offers support services for all customers of utive vice president, global operations and "In addition we see it as an important a standard requirement, and operating the Iridium OpenPort satellite communi- product development, Iridium. advantage when recruiting, especially the without SEVSAT or a similar technology cation service, in conjunction with Radio "This programme now ensures our younger generation of seamen look for will be more and more challenging," said Holland. growing Iridium OpenPort customer base this kind of capability to use both on and ShipEquip chief sales officer, Gilles Effective as of April 1, this programme will continue to receive maximum value off duty. We are also positive that the Gillesen. offers shipboard technical support at more from their investment. With this pro- than 50 ports around the world. gramme and new standard five-year war- Imtech Marine, parent company of ranty, Iridium customers can be confident Radio Holland, is the first service partner they are receiving consistent, reliable com- for this programme. Radio Holland will munications.” manage the programme’s three regional Iridium says it has shipped more than service centres and technical support at 3,500 Iridium OpenPort terminals to a global ports. range of different vessels throughout As of 2011 Iridium has also introduced the world. Meeting to discuss Iridium NEXT hosted payloads

www.iridium.com before possible," said Dr Lars Dyrud, a senior scientist at Johns Hopkins A recent GEOScan workshop in University Applied Physics Laboratory, 26 Höegh Autoliners car carriers will have VSAT services installed Annapolis, US, has brought together rep- the hosts of the meeting. resentatives from the geosciences commu- "The Iridium NEXT satellite replenish- nity to form plans for a potential global ment programme is an unprecedented Canadian Coast Guard agrees Frequentis deal Earth-observation network in space, using opportunity to create a canopy of intercon- hosted payloads on Iridium's next-genera- nected sensors covering the entire globe." www.frequentis.com the system load. tion satellite constellation, Iridium NEXT. Dr Om Gupta, director of strategic mar- Frequentis notes that this new order Iridium has said that it expects hosted ket development for Iridium NEXT, is Frequentis has announced that it has been from the Canadian Coast Guard repre- payload programmes to contribute hopeful that the inclusion of hosted pay- awarded a contract by the Canadian Coast sents the biggest system that the between $200 and $300 million to the cost loads on the new satellites can create a Guard for the supply of a voice and data Frequentis Maritime Business Unit will of constructing its next generation satellite range of benefits for both Iridium and the communication system. have supplied in its history. network. scientific community in general. The contract will include 24 Command The company's Canadian subsidiary, This GEOScan programme is examin- "Iridium NEXT is not only our compa- and Control Centres, 198 Coastal Stations Frequentis Canada Limited, will provide ing the potential of hosting an integrated ny's vehicle to the future, but for other and 100 working positions in Canada´s the main point of contact for the imple- array of scientific sensor suites as small organisations as well," he said. five maritime regions: Newfoundland and mentation phase. payloads (up to 4 kilograms), known as "Reduced government funding for Labrador, Maritimes, Quebec, Central and “The key to this success comes from the 'SensorPODs', on Iridium NEXT. space programmes will create a 'data gap' Arctic, and Pacific. solid technological base of our products "Placing SensorPODs on Iridium NEXT in Earth-observation programmes that are Maritime Communication System and from our well established position in is an innovative concept that would critically important for the study of the MCS3020 provides integrated voice com- the global maritime market,” says Jim enable unparalleled visibility into Earth's Earth's atmosphere." munication for radio, telephone, maritime Hall, president of Frequentis Canada. atmosphere and space, providing an "Hosting scientific payloads as applications, and sensor information in “We are looking forward to making assessment of the impact of pressing sci- SensorPODs on Iridium NEXT offers a one system. Any operator can access all this large project the biggest success in the entific challenges, such as climate and cost-effective choice for the scientific com- communication channels, regardless of Frequentis maritime sector.” atmospheric changes, that was never munity to obtain a ride into space."

Digital Ship May 2011 page 12 p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 14:19 Page 13

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[email protected] www.gesatcom.com p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 14:19 Page 14

SATCOMS Fairplay to FleetBroadband 60 vessel satcom deal for Station 711

www.stratosglobal.com mail and SMS, with flat global rates and a www.station711.com of seven PCs and three VoIP phones for separate account for each crewmember. pre-paid and post-paid use, and WAN Stratos has announced that it has begun Fairplay Towage expects to deploy the Station711 has signed a contract for the support for the FleetBroadband 500. the deployment of the Inmarsat 'internet café' functionality of the latest provision of Inmarsat FleetBroadband The agreement, for a minimum of three FleetBroadband satellite communications version of the Crew CommCenter later services to Swire Pacific Offshore (SPO), in years, comprises the smart@sea communi- service on six deep-sea tugboats in this year. collaboration with service provider SMTS. cation gateway, SAILOR FB500 terminals, Fairplay Towage’s fleet, with installations "FleetBroadband enables us to achieve Singapore-based SPO, a service a fleet-wide Shared Corporate Allowance on four of the vessels already complete. faster data transmission and better voice provider to the offshore oil and gas indus- Package (SCAP) pricing structure from Based in Hamburg, Fairplay Towage quality than the legacy systems we previ- try, is set to install the new broadband sat- Inmarsat, and ongoing maintenance and operates a fleet of 27 vessels for harbour, ously used – at a lower cost," said Fairplay com service on 60 vessels and intends to support services from SMTS and coastal and deep-sea towage, and will use Towage’s information technology manag- use it for operations, logistics, navigation Station711. the new satellite system to optimise vessel er Thomas Wesselski. and crew welfare services. SMTS will manage the installation of the performance, improve business opera- "The system helps us improve business Prior to signing the agreement, RRsat, terminals and onboard LANs on SPO's ves- tions and increase crew productivity. management by increasing the perform- SMTS and SPO conducted over 3 months of sels, while Station711 will provide satcom The system will also be integrated ance of many of the IP-based applications testing of the solution on one of SPO's new management applications from its own with AmosConnect 8 – Stratos’ maritime we already deploy." vessels to verify that it would meet the com- range of communications technologies. communications application – to "Also, the wide range of Stratos value- pany's current and future requirements. This includes the smart@sea gateway improve management of all interoffice added services – including onboard fire- Station 711's smart@sea gateway tech- for UTM security, a crew welfare voice communications. wall and online invoicing – help ensure nology is integrated into the set-up, to man- and data module, IP traffic compression, This will include the AmosConnect high security and strict cost control." age and control the LANs used on the ves- acceleration, caching and filtering, a VoIP Crew CommCenter solution to assist sea- Stratos has now activated more than sel for both operations and crew welfare. platform, and a shore-side unified POP farers in managing their calling, private e- 6,700 FleetBroadband terminals. Onboard networks will include a total facility providing a centralised manage- ment interface. "Along with daily business communi- cations, we are also excited about Reederei Claus-Peter Offen moves to FB smart@sea's unique features for onboard crew welfare," said Colin Payne, human www.eurosatlink.com Reederei Claus-Peter Offen’s strategy has "We are proud to get this contract, as it resources director, Swire Pacific Offshore. been clear from the beginning and is a clear evidence that the shipping com- "By using the dedicated onboard inter- German shipping company Reederei through close dialogue and testing we pany trust us to handle this important net cafe, in combination with solutions Claus-Peter Offen is to exchange all of its found the right solution that will meet project for them and appreciate the long such as the VoIP scratch cards, crew mem- existing Inmarsat-B and Fleet 77 terminals their objectives and support their strategy relationship and strong solution we have bers can keep in touch with loved ones at on more than 80 vessels for Thrane & today and in the future." offered them." home, and enjoy the world wide web on Thrane SAILOR 500 FleetBroadband sys- their off-duty time." tems, courtesy of a deal with ESL GmbH. Reederei Claus-Peter Offen had already begun to exchange some Satcom terminal Inmarsat-B systems, a service which will be terminated at the end of 2014, for launched by Thuraya FleetBroadband over the course of the last year, but has now extended this to agree a www.thuraya.com fleetwide deal. The implementation of the Thuraya has launched its new Seagull FleetBroadband systems on board the 5000i maritime communications system, other vessels has already started and is in partnership with Addvalue expected to continue over the next 24 Communications, a specialised marine ter- months, bringing the major part of the minal designed for small vessels and pro- fleet online. viding voice, data, SMS and fax services "It has been an extremely interesting over Thuraya’s satellite network. process and project to work on," said The company says that the Seagull Zbigniew Perka, director of sales with 5000i’s data capabilities are well suited to ESL, the sole supplier on the project. the transmission of information such as "The good thing with the project is that ESL will manage the installation of FleetBroadband on more than 80 vessels ship’s identity, position, and other Long for Reederei Claus-Peter Offen Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) requirements. A customised FaxConnect interface Intellian antennas add Uplogix functionality device also allows the user to send G3 faxes from anywhere within the Thuraya www.intelliantech.com via narrowband networks, where the com- gence to automate management, whether coverage area to other G3 fax machines www.uplogix.com pany suggests Iridium terminals can be the network is up or down. across the globe. particularly useful. A rules-engine makes it possible to Thuraya’s satellite network covers Uplogix and Intellian have announced This allows for troubleshooting and customise specialist operations, such as Europe, the Middle East, Asia and new compatibility between their respec- configuration access to the Intellian VSAT generating an SMS message when an Australia. The company launched its third tive products, that should help to increase antenna at a level that previously could antenna is in a blockage zone, or loading satellite in January 2008, which brought uptime of the antenna manufacturer's sys- only be attained with a site visit. a satellite modem's configuration when the Asia-Pacific region into its footprint. tems while reducing service costs. "Intellian has deployed over 15,000 predefined conditions exist. An out- “The Seagull 5000i terminal is an excit- The Uplogix platform supports marine stabilised satellite antenna systems of-band connection then allows for ing addition to our maritime portfolio,” Intellian satellite antenna control units since 2005," said Eric Sung, president and management control when the main sys- said Thuraya’s CEO, Samer Halawi. and arbitrators, including v-Series models, CEO of Intellian. tem is offline. “The combination of the Seagull 5000i’s and can recognise operational states in an "We are pleased to announce our part- "Uplogix has developed core function- innovative technology and the expansion antenna and take pre-determined actions nership with Uplogix which brings remote ality for the maritime VSAT industry," of our satellite network coverage ensure such as notifying service providers with access and control of these systems to said James Dollar, Uplogix chief architect that regional operators of sea-vessels have status information, switching to an alter- satellite operators for even greater service and founder. an advanced, yet affordable communica- nate communication method, or targeting quality and lower cost of ownership." "Now users of Intellian antennas can tion solution.” another satellite. The Uplogix platform combines use our product to make connectivity at “This new terminal further demon- Uplogix can also provide remote access localised management of the antennas and sea as reliable as connecting from a branch strates Thuraya’s commitment to provide to the v-Series PC Controller application IP networking gear with onboard intelli- office on land." effective satellite communications at sea.”

Digital Ship May 2011 page 14 p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 14:19 Page 15

GE Satcom

Triple Play the perfect mix

Good fleet performance comes in threes with GE Satcom’s Satlynx Maritime solution. Our triple-play satellite network solution easily multiplexes internet access, TV entertainment and an integrated low-priced telephony system into any cabin, technical or recreation room. The Automated Beam Switching (ABS) feature opts for the least-cost route between three options: flat-rate Ku-band satellites, or Inmarsat or Iridium. You can control the system from land, monitoring your entire fleet worldwide - from fuel efficiency to positioning at sea - while keeping ship operations streamlined and crew morale high.

Visit us at Nor-Shipping 2011, in Oslo — Hall B, Stand B05-14

[email protected] www.gesatcom.com p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 14:19 Page 16

SATCOMS NEWS Inmarsat low data rate service announced

www.inmarsat.com an increasing demand for higher data ware and new infrastructure, that signifi- effective too." speeds in machine-to-machine (M2M) cantly expands the applications that the IsatData Pro could be used for time- Inmarsat is working with SkyWave solutions. Inmarsat system supports," said Drew critical applications, or for receiving error Mobile Communications to develop a new The new service will support a Brandy, director of land services at logs from remote equipment or sensors, low data rate tracking, monitoring and range of security and location- Inmarsat. for example. messaging service, planned for launch in based services, with the companies "We see lots of untapped opportunity The IsatData Pro hardware portfolio Q3 2011. targeting regions like the US and Latin in the M2M market for a reliable global manufactured by SkyWave will include IsatData Pro will deliver near real-time America, as well as looking at China service that can offer more: more data, complete terminals for both land and mar- messages of up to 10,000 bytes to the and Russia as expanding markets for more flexibility and a more reliable net- itime environments. A modem-only ver- device, and up to 6,400 bytes from the M2M services. work. And, as people will see when we sion for OEMs and systems integrators device, to meet what the companies see as "This is a new service, with new hard- launch the service, it will be highly cost- will also be available.

Ocean Star agrees VSAT deal Grieg installs SeaSecure for crews

www.mtnsat.com guest experience." www.seasecure.net clients and optimised secured web MTN will provide a range of satellite browsing depending on the satellite com- MTN Satellite Communications has communication services for guests and Grieg Shipping Group has agreed a deal to munications set-up onboard. agreed a deal to provide VSAT services, crew, including an onboard cellular install the CrewCommCenter software Interestingly, SeaSecure notes that in including crew calling and internet serv- phone service, inbound and outbound system from SeaSecure on all of its vessels, its experience when crew have access to ices, aboard Ocean Star Cruises' first voice dialling and internet services, as to support crew welfare. the free SMS service and free e-mail, SMS ship, the MV Ocean Star Pacific. well as complete Wi-Fi coverage. Having used a prepaid service for crew has been the preferred messaging The ship started service in the "This is the first national cruise line e-mail for a number of years, Grieg method to communicate with loved ones Mexican Riviera, sailing itineraries based in Mexico and Ocean Star Cruises Shipping Group decided to implement the onshore. from Manzanillo and Acapulco, from understands that first impressions are new system on the entire fleet after com- This ratio is typically 25 per cent e- April 10. everything," said Brent Horwitz, senior pleting testing of the system during mail to 75 per cent SMS messages. "We elected to partner with MTN vice president of MTN. November and December 2010. Grieg Shipping Group is also based on their track record of technology "This means delivering a world- Grieg maritime ICT manager Øystein installing SeaSecure's Courier Antivirus innovation and best-in-class support class environment, outstanding enter- Sivertsen says that the upgrade has been system, having previously had mixed that is proven throughout the cruise tainment as well as state-of-the- highly automated and trouble free. experiences with antivirus solutions on industry," said Diderik Van Regemorter, art technology services. Passengers The CrewCommCenter solution pro- its vessels. COO at Ocean Star Cruises. demand that their communications vides a number of free services to crews, No CDs are required to provide the "Today, customers expect to have needs are as reliable and accessible at with the shipping company paying a fixed virus signature updates to this system on 24/7 connectivity, and through this part- sea as they are on land. We have monthly fee to have the service onboard. the ships, and an automatic weekly nership with MTN, we will be able to the technology services that will not Free e-mail and worldwide SMS are reporting feature is included which deliver quality services and secure com- only meet, but exceed, crew and passen- included in all cases, both incoming and shows the status of every PC on board munications to enhance our crew and ger expectations." outgoing, as well as specialised 'thin' chat the fleet.

Radio Holland to introduce new VHF unit

www.imtechmarine.com the older system have been sold, but that it LAN option for ThraneLINK, a uniform is now reaching the end of its life cycle. communication protocol that connects all Radio Holland has announced the avail- The replacement Sailor RT-6248 VHF Sailor equipment in a network. ability of the Thrane & Thrane Sailor 6248 will become available in the second half Radio Holland notes that it will provide VHF unit, as a successor to its Sailor RT- of this year. support for the original Sailor RT-2048 for 2048 VHF system which has been in the The new VHF will unit will include all another six years, which means that spare The Sailor RT-2048, with more than market since 1987. of the features of the Sailor RT-2048, as parts will be available and repairs offered 100,000 sold, will be replaced by The company says that 100,000 units of well as a Sailor Replay function and a until April 2017. the new unit when it is launched

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RADIO HOLLAND CONNECT: AIRTIME ANYWHERE

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AN IMTECH MARINE COMPANY p1-27:p1-14.qxd 04/05/2011 15:20 Page 18

Considering FleetBroadband or VSAT? Look at Globe iFusionTM Maritime Communications Reinvented

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www.globewireless.com Phone: +1 (321) 308-0112 [email protected] p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 14:20 Page 19

Digital Ship Satellite Communications - now and into the future

Digital Ship recently organised a round table discussion session in Sweden, bringing together a panel of five vessel operators and two communications suppliers to discuss the impact of satellite communications technology in the maritime industry, now and in the future. Amongst a wide range of subjects the debate covered VSAT, FleetBroadband – and the potential of Ka-band and Global Xpress

he Digital Ship round table titled 'Satellite Communications - now TTand into the future', hosted by Inmarsat in Gothenburg, Sweden, brought together a panel of eight experts with decades of experience in the field of vessel connectivity and managing the link between ship and shore. The goal of the discussion was to exam- ine some of the current, emerging and planned future technologies influencing the maritime market, and to gather opin- ions on how these systems might con- tribute to improvements in vessel opera- tions and increased efficiency, as well as contributing to the safety and wellbeing of future generations of mariners. Digital Ship posed a number of specific questions to the panel (identified in the table below), starting with a look at the how well the industry is taking advantage of the latest current available technology in maritime communications.

Digital Ship: Is the shipping industry fully exploiting the potential of the com- Clockwise from left: Kevin Stoneman, Northern Marine Management; Martin Malmborg, DonsöData; Peter Faurhøj, Maersk Supply munications technology which is avail- Service; Kyle Hurst, Inmarsat; Rob O’Dwyer, Digital Ship; Lars Brödje, Telemar Scandinavia (obscured); Börje Silverfjall, able today? Or do you think that satellite Maersk Tankers; Thomas Andersson, Rederi AB Transatlantic; Svante Johansson, MMT technology is not backed up by the kind of applications that might allow compa- ment in conjunction with the capability of have on land today, you will not normally KH: When I first started four years ago nies to really take advantage of what the IT people. see them on ships today. We have a ten- at Inmarsat, when we wanted to talk to is there? If you transfer that over to the modern dency to be five or ten years behind a lot of someone about communications we were KH: The shipping industry has still not shipping industry the drive of manage- the different services. They do not see the normally introduced to the superinten- taken up a lot of the capability both in the ment is one thing, but the other thing is maritime industry as big enough to invest dent. However, just in the last year I did a communications side and in the applica- the detachment of the IT element from the in platforms. number of end user visits and it was more tions side, but I don’t believe that is a actual assets that they are working on. Today we have systems that have than likely, probably 50 per cent of the crime because I know a lot of businesses If you have got a LAN onboard a vessel, already been out in other industries for a time, to be the chief IT guy. So the deci- on land who have not improved their the IT people won’t often get a chance to long time – for instance, remote monitor- sion, to me, is now more IT-led. communications technology or other get onboard that vessel and inspect every- ing; they have used remote monitoring in TA: I think it is very important to get it application technology. thing, so it is highly probable that things the windmill industry and in power plants business driven. You cannot let all the So the idea that shipping may be a little are going to take a lot longer to advance in for years. And our suppliers say ‘we have decisions go to the IT guy or the IT depart- bit behind is not that much outside the this kind of scenario. So I think it is a new thing here coming up, we could ment, because it’s important to your busi- realm of possibility – in fact it is highly inevitable, right now at this early stage, that remotely monitor your systems’. For ness development. likely when you consider that corporate there is still so much more potential. everybody on the land side this was stan- For us, for example, in the supply mar- development of terrestrial IT capability is PF: The industry has a tendency to be a dard 15 years ago. ket we are driven by the customers, by basically made up of the drive of manage- little bit conservative, and the things you I believe many of the suppliers are not which I mean the oil companies. We have aware that it is possible today, if we have to follow what they want to do with our the internet aboard the vessel, that it is vessels, and the communication they want possible to do the monitoring. And I hope between the vessel and the rig and the Who’s who: The Panel that the maritime suppliers will speed up office and things like that. I think that is a little, because it is not only the shipping very important. The panel consisted of (abbreviations in brackets): owners who are causing this, it is the sup- MM: I think the companies take all the (KH) - Kyle Hurst, maritime marketing team, Inmarsat pliers as well. advantage they can get from the comm (PF) - Peter Faurhøj, asst gen manager navigation & communication systems, The mentality has been for many years systems, with the low speed that’s offered Maersk Supply Service that you can send a mail and you can get a along with the rather high price. (MM) - Martin Malmborg, MD/IT manager, DonsöData (IT support for mail back and that is it, but now we have KS: I don’t know what it is like with the Furetank, Tärntank and Sirius) the internet on many vessels and we just other companies but with Northern (KS) - Kevin Stoneman, ship support and installation team lead, Northern need the suppliers to speed up with all the Marine Management we have endeav- Marine Management nice gadgets. oured to supply as much technology as is (SJ) - Svante Johansson, chief vessel strategy officer, MMT BS: This is one of the questions, who is sensible considering functionality, busi- (TA) - Thomas Andersson, VP supply management, Rederi AB Transatlantic the driver of this? Should the IT depart- ness requirements and cost control focus. (BS) - Börje Silverfjäll, vessel IT manager, Maersk Tankers ment be the driver, or is it the business? We first installed VSAT onboard one (LB) - Lars Brödje, managing director, Telemar Scandinavia Who is the driver in this? of the vessels as a pilot in 2007 and today

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we have VSAT onboard more than sixty shall we put the radar? You have lots of BS: I have always been trying to avoid is just longer. per cent of our managed fleet. For the things all the time, and you want the best the ‘GMDSS’ view of communications KS: We work for a number of different Stena vessels the project is nearly com- spot, you want the best place. Everybody while putting IT on board, but trying to owners, and we have been having discus- plete. This encompasses both C-band and wants to sit on top of the mast. talk to people about how dependent we sions with the owners for years on the Ku-band antennas. SJ: But that is the problem with some are on IT in our operations. benefits of VSAT and the cost savings of During 2010 we also were able to ship owners; they prioritise the TV satel- But I have never had that aspect in my VSAT. Only now, where the data volumes demonstrate the additional benefits of fit- lite antenna. They put that on top, and that work, like you said, that it is as important that they want to push through the e-mail ting VSAT to our other clients but this was really annoys me because that is not where as the main engine to have the communi- is higher, are they noting that this is actu- only made possible after a number of you make the money. That is the mindset. cations. That brings it to a new level which ally a benefit for communication costs. years experience. There has always been a I personally had never considered. As noted earlier, crew welfare is a sig- fear that the costs could exceed projec- Digital Ship: Lars, how do you deal with LB: I was at a seminar for tanker com- nificant issue. With the lower prices avail- tions. This we have not found. some of these problems when doing panies five or six years ago, with the peo- able through using VOIP systems over We also develop a lot of in-house appli- installations? ple who Martin is working with, and one VSAT, seafarers don’t seem to make the cations which are used within the office LB: Obviously we check the vessel, we of the well known owners stood up in the same connection between the length of the and onboard the vessels. This technology check with the superintendents exactly seminar and he said; ‘you must under- call and the price now. cannot always be utilised onboard the ves- like Thomas is saying, and we make rec- stand, if there is a hole in the bottom of the They stay on the phone for an hour, sels because they do not have the commu- ommendations and inform people that if boat, we have a problem. If the internet is rather than just saying ‘hi, how are you? nications capability to use certain online they put the antennae there these are the down it is catastrophe’. Thanks very much, I will speak to you applications. Our in house software sup- blind sectors they would get. next week’. A telephone call home is not ports offline applications for ships not BS (to SJ): Do you have big volumes (of Digital Ship: In the last few years there seen as something precious any more, it’s having VSAT. data) that you need to work with or is it has been an economic downturn global- just something to use. There is a technology gap between what just the access that you need? ly, not just in shipping, and this obvious- PF: It seems to be that there is a tenden- seafarers use at home and whilst at sea and SJ: It’s big volumes, we often have ly puts pressure on budgets. How do cy for the first priority to be the internet, as such it is difficult to manage expecta- client reps onboard the vessel and 30/40 your companies find the balance the second priority is satellite television, tions. Whilst there are ongoing projects to people onboard the vessel. If the internet between using technology to save costs then there is the food, and then you have update vessel’s IT systems they will always starts to go down it goes very quickly, and but having to invest in it to get those cost the main engine! lag behind shore based networks. for us, they can kick us out of the project. savings in the first place? And how does People were sitting around in corners SJ: Well, I cannot agree with the ‘con- That is the same for our competitors in this crew welfare fit into this process? for many years, just doing the radios and servative’ view, the type of business that I business as well. For us it’s as important as PF: We did our internet project purely GMDSS and so on. Then suddenly the am in, the offshore business, we are if the engine is running. for crew retention, we didn’t even talk focus had moved towards ‘Why can’t I screaming for more capacity. But of course BS: For us it is totally different. We about business at that time. We had the watch the Danish television in Alaska? I we want it cheaper. need to be always on, but we don’t have FleetBroadband installed or VSAT am paying the licence fee’. The bottleneck for us is that we would the big volumes you have. installed, but we still used the Fleet 77 for I remember trying to move a Canadian like to see more quality assured installa- business traffic because we need the inter- vessel from Canada to Aberdeen in the tions. That is the major problem we see. Digital Ship: So would you prefer to net fast for the crew. middle of the ice hockey season. I had to We can live with two (Mbps) up and two work with a lower bandwidth with 100 Now we are moving everything over to send a guy around Aberdeen trying to (Mbps) down, that is okay for us. But per cent reliability, or something that FleetBroadband and to VSAT, but the find a satellite television card with this when the installation is not good enough was very fast but not available all of the commercial and business side was not an special Canadian ice hockey channel on. sometimes I get very annoyed at the time? What would suit your business issue at the time we started, it was purely LB: Almost 45 years ago when I was providers that sell us the systems. better? for the crew. We wanted to give them sailing along the Australian coast, up and Of course on our own vessels we have a SJ: We want both in fact, why should internet and cheap calls. down between Cairns and Adelaide, we bigger possibility to quality assure the we take just one? In our business we must It is a matter of keeping the crews, for were always amazed that some of the installations, but when we are going build in those installations so we get both. sure. Before we started up our internet proj- Australian vessels had enormously tall TV onboard the chartered vessels I see so We cannot compromise on that one. ect I had a lot of complaints from a lot of crew antennas, it was like a base station for cel- many bad installations. You cannot rely I think that ship owners in our business members, saying ‘Oh, we have heard that the lular; standing next to the funnel. on the system, you cannot say that you have had to adapt to this and do very cost- Norwegians, they are installing these satel- So why was this? Well, according to the have 100 per cent availability. ly rearrangements and things like that, lite systems, and they have 10 Megabits unions, in the agreement between the That is the key thing for us for the near because the company’s clients will not and they have free telephone calls’. unions and the ship owners, the vessel future, to really put some pressure on the accept that you do not have verified relia- TA: We were more cost driven actually. would never sail so far out that they providers and the ship owners on that side bility on a VSAT. When we would go out to the vessel we wouldn’t have full TV reception. that they do quality assured installations. used to say to the crew ‘we have this MM: Our companies are cost driven; We cannot live with a vessel that has a because of you’, but that’s another story. the main focuses are about lowering the blind sector of more than 100 degrees. If But you can say that we increase the call bills and providing business. we were working two weeks on DP, we costs about 25 per cent maybe, something My feeling is that crew welfare is less have one heading all the time, if you are in like that, but then we haven’t had IT guys prioritised due to the high communication a blind sector they’ll kick your vessel out on the vessel, they don’t have one vessel rates, but nonetheless the crew is demand- of their project. visit per year. Maybe one vessel visit per ing more – they need faster internet, and three years, something like that – mostly to always be connected to their families on Digital Ship: So what kind of uptime do they can do things remotely from the office. shore. I guess the vessels without internet you see as unacceptable? What are you That is the most cost effective way of have a hard time to employ crew. looking for in terms of quality assurance? doing it actually, and even in the future you KS: I know one example we’ve had of a SJ: For us it is important that if we pay will see that you can do lots of remote mon- Chief Engineer who was to sign onto a for a certain speed on a VSAT system we itoring of engines and all the maintenance ship but was not keen because it had no need to have it 100 per cent. We under- work and all of that. That is a big, big issue. internet whereby his previous ship did. stand that we are working with satellites We had quite high communications Internet provision is something we and sometimes things happen, but it costs before the VSAT so it was quite easy advertise when recruiting seafarers. should not be down to physical problems, for us to show the figures of how we could ‘Internet access available’ is a major point that should be obvious to everyone. save to the business. And then of course for recruitment and retention. In the last year I have seen 10 vessels you get a lot more things, you are getting BS: That is happening already, whoev- where the installations are not acceptable. a chance for the crew to stay in touch with er you are employing, whichever national- The responsibilities are, of course, with the home and have a telephone, and things ity, the first question they have for the HR ship owner that buys the system but also like that. But that is more ‘nice to have’ for department is, ‘do they have internet with the provider. They should really us than necessary. onboard?’ make it clear; ‘you will have blind sectors, PF: I have noticed with the broadband, KS: Having said that, I think putting you will not get what you pay for’. before the crews made a telephone call these systems onboard is largely deter- TA: I think you have that on every ves- that was two or three minutes to their wife mined on the business case. This is no dif- sel with VSAT, you have the VSAT anten- ‘We did our internet project purely for and the cost was £5. Now they phone their ferent than other forms of investment. na and try to put it in the right position on crew retention, we didn’t even talk about wife for half an hour, or three quarters of There is a lot of pressure from the per- board, but then you change the radar sys- business at that time’ – Peter Faurhøj, an hour. So even though it is cheaper to sonnel department, from feedback they Maersk Supply Service tem and have the same problem - where make the phone calls, now the phone call receive from the seafarers saying that crew

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welfare is such an important subject. With times don’t really see an obvious benefit of usage, if there is only one ship using the it cost money. But after a while, after see- greater restriction on life at sea internet is having internet access on the ship because pool they will get 1 Megabit, but that ing the remote access, remote control, cost seen as such an advantage. they never had it before. This feeling can won’t happen that often, it’s not very often control, the mix of Inmarsat communica- BS: We made some calculations to see rapidly change after sailing with internet. that a ship gets up to 500 kbps. tions – they saw the possibilities, and it how much traffic is from the crew and how KH: Something we have observed is turned into the opportunity of doing this much is from business. In our case, which Digital Ship: How do you manage this that companies seem to be either from the business case that we have successfully I’m sure might be different in other indus- mixture of business and crew traffic, by ‘black list’ side or the ‘white list’ side. been driving through management. tries, but in our case business traffic is about prioritising certain communications or Blacklisting things when you find them We are running a project on the remote 5 per cent of the available bandwidth. splitting different usage into different is probably quite onerous for the IT guys to signing of the Bills of Lading, for example. File exchange, the e-mail system, networks? actually crack down on, especially if they They save a couple of hours in port by just remote support, remote connecting, KS: There are two separate networks; are going through the normal internet port. signing on the way out, using a bank secu- remote fixing, Windows updates, we have an admin network and a crew The white listing side is also another rity key like you use when you do bank- antivirus updates and all those things – network, and so we can shut one or the method of attacking the same problem, but ing, they can sign it remotely. that is approximately 5 per cent of the other off and we can prioritise traffic on probably not as popular with the crew Captains are using instant messaging. available bandwidth. one or the other if we want to. because there are obvious limitations. Small questions that would usually gener- ate an e-mail and need an hour or so for a reply, we can actually contact the captain on Yahoo messenger and ask him. We can have a yes or no answer immediately. Making the business case isn’t easy, it is very difficult to get a price tag on all of these tools, but it does show that it is possible. LB: I think this underlines what we talked about in the first question, that the ship owners are still generally quite con- servative. The means are there but we are not using them properly and this has been a constant struggle all the time – to get people to take charge of the situation and to utilise what is available with programs, with remote monitoring. I had one good example from a Ro-Ro vessel, the captain said ‘ we paid for the system a long time ago because the chief engineer and I have been provided with a company credit card, so we do all the pur- chasing’. They search on the internet, find what they need and they order and they pay by card and they get it delivered onboard. That is one simple application, The panel discusses some of the onboard activities before the advent of maritime broadband but they use it properly. MM: There are many areas (to add to a KS: We did calculations and we looked We may prioritise the admin network BS: I have been working the whole of business case) – lowering the call bills and at the data throughput on the e-mail on but we also prioritise the traffic that comes my career to free the limitations. I mean all always being connected, being able to one of the ships before we made the choice out of the PC we use for e-mail, it has a around the Inmarsat technology; it is a meet the demands from business regard- to put the FleetBroadband 500 on, and higher priority over everything else high cost that needs to be governed. ing all applications that are needed to there was approximately 100 MB of e-mail onboard. Naturally, you need to be in control of exchange information between the vessels traffic per month to and from the vessels. The crew VoIP phones do have their your costs and you should be! But it feeds and shore, constantly having or getting Now we look at the VSAT systems we own priority, but it is not as high as the busi- a whole branch of people living off con- the latest information. have and we can see traffic throughput of ness communications. The Operations trolling your bandwidth. It can allow the crew to be able to make 30 GB a month, and again 100 MB of that Department value the business needs greater orders direct from suppliers, and intro- is business traffic. So it shows you how than welfare, which is understandable. Digital Ship: Apart from the crew, what duces the possibility to do online drug much the crew use it, or how little, in some BS: We have a priority on things like other areas can you base an IT invest- testing, or take live photos from ship to respects, that the business uses it! Skype, it is still possible but it is at the bot- ment business case on? send to shore for security reasons. BS: We offer the crews broadband, tom of the chain. If you got up at two BS: We have put together a serious busi- every brochure is saying we have ‘broad- o’clock in the morning you will be able to ness case over the last month and it has just Digital Ship: Beyond the areas that we band at sea’. But if the guys sit down in do a Skype call. But if you try it at four been approved for a project at Maersk have looked at, with things like remote their cabin and they try to launch their thirty or five o’clock in the afternoon, it is Tankers. Nothing will ever be approved access and maintenance for example, are laptop like they think they are at home, already crowded, everybody is going on unless you have a solid business case. there other particular operational areas they are not going to get anywhere. the internet. Looking at the performance of the where you see communication systems It is the same argument that you would We have four audio streams available tanker industry, they are all in the red and possibly being used to drive efficiency? have with the television set not working. We for the whole ship, for crew, but no video doing poorly, but if you have a solid busi- TA: Something like CCTV can be used to are getting to that point because they think streaming. Additionally, for all the crew ness case, as we have, you can do it. offer medical assistance, you can have a they have the broadband, so they should be there is no Windows updates allowed, Moving away from dialling up the e-mail, remote link to a hospital. If something hap- able to do whatever they do at home. they must come with a fresh computer dialling up the file transfers – the amount pens onboard you have to deal with it, but KS: Seafarers are used to having 50 Mb when they sign on onboard. that can be saved relative to the invest- with the video if someone gets ill or some- speed of connection at home and then they KS: We have banned things like exe- ment of rolling out a new platform can let thing like that you can connect yourself go onboard and they get 1 Mb. We have cutable files from being downloaded. We you build a solid business case. Then there directly to a doctor. You could do surgery had complaints because it takes longer to noticed a massive amount of traffic from are no options for management but to onboard with the help of this guy in the hos- open up a feature on a website onboard Windows updates on personal laptops, approve this. pital, having maybe four cameras onboard. when compared to home. As previously because everybody onboard had their lap- But the big challenge I think is to con- You can diagnose him for example, ask noted, it is difficult to manage expectations. tops set to auto-update. If you have a vince the management to spend one buck him this and that, look for that, whatever. MM: I guess when the younger crew Service Pack update for Windows XP it to save two. That is a challenge in a poor It is very challenging, but we need to have start to be employed by the ships it is can be a couple of hundred MB, easily. market, but having a solid business case is this, actually it is a customer driven thing. expected to have internet. I think it is the BS: We use Vipersat technology, and the way to do this. I have learned through BS: The IT challenge is that business older ones who maybe don’t think about it we’re connected to a fixed shared pool of my short time in Maersk that we don’t does not really know what we can offer quite as much. bandwidth, which is shared between spend one buck if we don’t need to. them sometimes, I think. When I see the KS: I agree, I think it will be for the eight, nine or ten ships. A pool is typically When Maersk Tankers came into challenges like populating databases on younger crew looking ahead to encourage 1 Megabit. Broström and they saw our IT set-up, they the shoreside and for our operators and them to come to sea. Older people some- Depending on the availability and the wanted to close everything down because freight department, there is so much more

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there is a problem. Digital Ship: Training is one of the major Now people are asking, ‘how about if issues for vessel operators in the current we could monitor all these things continu- market, and looking ahead over the next ally? We could have sensors onboard the few years – can communications technol- vessel generating alerts so someone back ogy have an impact on training provi- on shore could go, oh that is a bit strange’ sion, particularly with regard to comput- before someone hits the big red button. It’s er based and multimedia training? not a safety service but it feeds into the PF: It is still a matter bandwidth. Some general visibility of the vessel, which has of these applications are not made for low safety benefits. bandwidth, you need an awful lot of KS: I had a discussion with one of the bandwidth in order to participate in any of Superintendents where he said that there these online education systems, or video is more IT equipment on the bridge than conferences. there is anything else onboard now. And if There is a bouquet of demands there you look at it you have got ECDIS, you’ve where we could use a little bit more band- got all the integrated management, you width, and of course education, crew have got potentially the ship LAN – there retention and office training is in there. is so much IT on a ship now. You have all these applications which If you can monitor the majority of it the have a high demand on the bandwidth. cost savings that you could have in the In the beginning everyone was very long term could be significant. happy with our bandwidth, but it was new. BS: But who is the driver in this again? Then they were all using internet aboard Is it our business, or is it MAN B&W or the vessel so it got slower and slower. And Wärtsilä or any other engine maker? Or is now they want more bandwidth. it the IT side that should be able to offer LB: I think that training will become these possibilities? more and more important. We can see I have had several calls from MAN around the world that all the maritime col- B&W and Wärtsilä to ask to be allowed to leges are lagging behind. go onboard using the IT systems to take The industry is moving very fast, the different readings and technical data from legislation is moving very fast, the classifi- ‘The IT challenge is that business does not really know what we can offer them the systems onboard. cations societies are demanding more and sometimes’ – Börje Silverfjall, Maersk Tankers We have two networks, a crew-net, more, the vetting inspectors are coming which is wireless, and a wired business- aboard every other vessel, especially if that we can do together. So I think we thinking ‘okay, I need to get this part, this net for the e-mail, remote support file you are onboard tankers. have a challenge of informing our own part and this part, I will need to go away transfer etc. I don’t want them on any of And you also have a situation where organisation and finding what they want and come back in two weeks’. those systems basically, so in a future set- the crew members are distributed virtual- to do with the IT. If you have got the ability to do the kind up I am going to need a third net onboard. ly all over the world today; you take from Many, I am sure, do not even know that of remote management we’re talking about I will need my business net, securely Croatia, you take from Ukraine, you take we are always on, that the vessel is a remote for those systems it allows you to potential- protected, and then the crew Wi-Fi net from Belorussia, you take from the office, it is not a ship any longer, it is a remote ly save a fair amount of money when they where the crew are running their data, and Philippines and so forth. So it is very diffi- office. It is a mind set, you have to accept actually turn up to resolve an issue. I will need a suppliers-net where I can let cult for all the training institutions in dif- that the ship is now connected to the office. KH: There are the two sides, through them do whatever they like. ferent ports in the world to have the stan- We were talking about conservative remote management you can have a tran- SJ: When it comes to cost savings, there dard that is required. attitudes – this is still an important thing sition of responsibility, as Peter men- are some of the tasks in offshore opera- I think it is more a matter of time before and we have not developed answers to all tioned, but then on the other side if you tions where these young guys, RV opera- more and more people realise that this is the challenges. There are so many more don’t have remote management you may tors etc, they’re very well paid so some- extremely important. And you also have possibilities in assisting and using ‘type be missing out on cost savings. If some- times you can make a very positive cost the training situation where in the new once’ technology that we are not using thing goes wrong with the large power saving to keep one of the shits ashore. STCW convention, it is not enough that today. We still type a lot onboard and the plants that we are talking about, for exam- That is actually being done in the you just have the certificate, you must same again in the office. ple, as a guide for cost you just write a Mexican Gulf right now and is something prove to the inspection, to the surveyors, PF: There was a very interesting com- number and keep adding zeros. we look very closely at. Some of the tasks, that you also have the required ability. ment at the Digital Ship conference in So I guess we are seeing a trade off with good ship to shore communication, So when a US coastguard inspector is Hamburg, from a German ship owner. here, you may see someone onshore inher- can be done from shore and we can actual- coming on board he is taking you up on the They had introduced remote monitoring iting more responsibility, but you might ly have less people onboard. That is some- bridge or he is taking you down to the and the superintendent could watch actually find a dollar value in the failsafe thing that, for us, can be very cost effective. engine room and saying ‘show me how you everything on his screen in the office. But mechanism. It can generate a higher cost for commu- are doing this and this and that’. It is not just this only caused the superintendent to be When we first started the new DTS nication but we can save money by having show me your certificate; show me you can overworked and the engineer onboard the service (Dynamic Telemetry Service) for less people onboard, and that is something do it. And that is where training and remote ship, his focus on the engines was long FleetBroadband we were very encouraged you will see a lot of in the future because it training is coming in so quickly now. gone – ‘if something is wrong the superin- that we got, from end users and applica- is expensive to keep people onboard a ves- KH: I think we should also ask what tendent will probably tell me’. tion providers, a lot of ideas on the possi- sel instead of having them on the same sys- training is best? Because you can get train- It is dangerous to remove too much bilities. We had thought about remote tem in your office remotely controlling the ing systems which are very glitzy and information or responsibility away from engine and systems management, but we system on the ship. That is already happen- glamorous, and they are of course going to the vessel. The superintendent was very then had people talking about remote ing but it will be developed more and more require a lot of bandwidth. Then you have overworked with information from this medical and biometrics coming across this across our business. very simple systems like when I was at vessel, what to do with all this information. telemetry system. PF: In many cases in the offshore indus- school which is: ‘here is the book, read it, KS: We have got a remote link with We had our ideas, and obviously we try, they don’t even go for 2 megabit any- then here is your test, complete it’. That is Valmarine. We set up a test VSAT vessel see things through Inmarsat glasses, but more. I know one ship where they have 70 not very intensive on bandwidth. to alert Valmarine and give them access to we are just very surprised at number one; people onboard and they want to be on You could do training with video and so their integrated management systems the response from the industry and num- the internet, all of them at the same time, on, but whom among you is the one saying onboard. This allows them to look at the ber two; the diversity – people have said and the challenge is that they are com- ‘yes, we want training, and we want it in problem and potentially diagnose it before ‘if we have got a telemetry link onboard plaining ‘it is too slow’. this particular format’? The cost/benefit they spend thousands of dollars going to the vessel, then we want to monitor our Of course it is too slow – when I am at needs to be worked out based on not only the ship to actually diagnose the problem. LAN onboard the vessel, we want to have home, I have a 2 megabit line at home and the cost of supplying it, as in buying the If Valmarine can diagnose the problem real-time network management systems when my son is playing one of these training materials, not only the cost of get- remotely and provide a solution, this coming across the link’. shooting games on the internet, my inter- ting it communicated, as in getting the link greatly reduces cost. Unnecessary techni- Another part that is very interesting is net radio is dropping out all the time. up and pulling it across, but also the cost of cian travel is something we try and avoid. safety. GMDSS was created so that if When there are 70 people onboard the ves- the time of the seamen themselves. They can turn up on the ship knowing there is a problem on the boat you hit the sel and they are on the internet at the same You could have them sitting there watch- very little about the problem and then big red button and shore can be told that time it is going to be slow. ing days and days of video content, would

Digital Ship May 2011 page 22 p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 13:50 Page 23

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SATCOMS

they learn anymore than reading a book? that they are online. It is something which Xpress – perhaps Kyle could share some put GMDSS on Global Xpress. They will probably learn less as they tune is unbelievable to be confronted with. of the latest details with us? BS: Of course it doesn’t have the same out. What is the best strategy for training? LB: And also in case of emergencies, KH: The group here today has very reliability in heavy rain as L-band, which KS: I think it is a combination of both. let’s say a grounding or whatever, they aptly described how the demands of the would be needed for GMDSS. We have got about half a dozen fleet train- can also call for video footage and all that. maritime industry, the merchant maritime KH: Yes, that’s an issue but in saying ers who basically go around every single If they know that you have the facilities industry, are not static, they are growing – things like that about those environmental ship in our fleet and do safety training. onboard they will definitely require it. sometimes more exponentially that any of factors; there is considerable work from With greater focus coming for ECDIS us would like, but they are growing and both our side, from all parts of the compa- etc, the training needs will significantly Digital Ship: Could that then be used as they are not likely to slow down. They nies involved in the delivery of this proj- increase. Whilst we do not envisage full an argument from shipping company might go through ebbs and flows as in the ect, to combat those known factors with onboard training replacing shore training management as a reason then to not put pitch of the rise changes, but it is still a rise. this kind of technology. there is scope for a significant increase. these technologies onboard? That is what we have been looking at This technology is used by the US mili- One to one training with a personal LB: There are pros and cons in every- and I think that everyone would believe at tary; they are not going to use it if it is not interface is very beneficial but refresher thing as you know. I have been discussing this table that if Inmarsat is doing any- up to scratch. They use this kind of tech- courses may not be required to be deliv- this with large tanker companies and they thing in the future we would be doing it nology in serious situations, as you would ered in the same way. have standing orders to follow. right, and that is what our plan is with imagine, they use Ka-band satellites, high BS: It needs to be interactive, so you With one large tanker company for Global Xpress. We have taken the demand bandwidth, very similar to what we are could be sharing a desktop or something. instance, the first thing, if they have an as we see it, we have taken the require- using, the Boeing satellites. We should make it happen, we should accident, the captain’s standing order is to ments of industry and we have put those So in capability, in quality and in cov- make it possible. From our point of view, call the office, usually from the Inmarsat things together with the technology we erage, it will be well above what you see all of us sitting here, we should be able to terminal, and let the line stay open think is future proof. today with VSAT and will fit very well make it possible. because they don’t want anyone else to be There is a lot of capacity in the Ka-band with our existing L-band and its multiple It is up to the business and we should able to call in. and that combined with the platforms that capabilities. be able to tell the business what we can do. TA: You can imagine that if you have we are launching, the three Boeing satel- FleetBroadband will continue to devel- What can we offer? Can we share a desk- some type of accident and you need to lites which are tried and proven satellites, op, we have just announced the DTS as I top, can we do real remote training? What dump all data from the VDR directly to which give us a monumental capacity, have spoken about today, and we have a can we offer our business? Then it is up to the office and things like that, just to be combined with a global reach means GX is commitment for non-SOLAS GMDSS by the business to do it. sure that you are the first to get the infor- very much a step up in what is currently the end of this year. We have a commit- KS: It goes back to the driving issue mation on what has happened. available in the maritime satellite commu- ment for full SOLAS GMDSS by 2014 that, as the IT part of the company, we are KS: Obviously it is legislated that every nications network. before the Inmarsat-B service closes, and only the facilitators. If the business end of ship has to have VDR or S-VDR depend- I will say it because it is obviously one there are another number of extensions to the company doesn’t want to do it all, ing on what kind of ship it is, and right on the main points; 60 centimetre dome the FleetBroadband product that we will what we can do is give them the ability to now it is only microphones and data with a capacity of up to 50 Megabits is an be announcing by the end of this year. do some of it. It is their choice at the end of recorders. What could potentially happen impressive capability, and also looking at So as we move ahead with the future of the day whether they want it or not. in the foreseeable future is that there will the price per terminal, around about the those higher bandwidth services, L-band be two cameras on the bridge, a camera in price of FleetBroadband 500. So basically it is also definitely moving forward as well. Digital Ship: The ability to demonstrate the engine room, and they’ll need to be is faster, it’s smaller than what you would So it is a very interesting future for skills and competences was mentioned part of the VDR record. This would give generally see on the VSAT market for any- Inmarsat as well as the industry. as a driver of better training – are there further information for investigations. where near this capacity, although noth- other regulatory demands that you see as The important point is that the respon- ing really comes near it, and it’s cheaper. Digital Ship: Do you see this develop- also driving the demand for vessel con- sibility and accountability for such actions It’s a tracking antenna, so it is basically ment as a real ‘game changer’, and what nectivity? remain clearly defined. It is not possible to a similar technology to what we have kind of impact would you expect on the TA: Absolutely. You can see it now, remotely control or monitor vessel opera- been talking about here today, whether it market for both L-band and Ku-/C-band when you do a rig move for an oil compa- tion in such a way. is a FleetBroadband or a VSAT, but there services between now and the 2014 com- ny for example; they are telling you to go TA: Exactly, because the coastguard is a level of complexity above an L-band mercial launch? to their home pages and download the will pick it up immediately when they antenna. PF: Of course, it always has a big procedures and everything and you can’t arrive, they will pick out all the data. So But that is what the industry needs, we impact when Inmarsat throws something find it anywhere else. you need some sort of portal to dump it require something to look for in the future. into the arena, there’s always an impact on You have the Coast Guard in the States directly into the office. So basically starting in 2013, and then with your decisions. The last time, with who want you to provide them with all full commercial availability in 2014, FleetBroadband, we were almost closing a types of papers and documentations, and Digital Ship: Probably the biggest satcom Global Xpress will be a reality. It will be deal for VSAT when Inmarsat came by they can only be submitted electronically. story in the last 12 months has been cheaper than any like for like Ku-proposi- with a cliff-hanger! BS: There have been captains in our Inmarsat’s announcement that it is to tion, and can be combined with L-band, Every time the focus is moving away fleet who have been threatened with a fine invest $1.2 billion in the development of the blue ribbon service with very reliable from Inmarsat they have a tendency to if they don’t do it, because people think a Ka-band VSAT system called Global GMDSS – there are currently no plans to throw in a new offering – maybe a price plan, or something. I think it is interesting, we have an area here with some large players and of course it is divided with Inmarsat and VSAT. Inmarsat is the only player on one part of the fence and on the other part of the fence we have a lot of players in the VSAT mar- ket, some big but a lot of smaller but very strong players also. What I am waiting for if the next step from the VSAT suppliers, because they need to have something just as good, or even better, than what Inmarsat have thrown into the ring with the announce- ment of Global Xpress. If we can have 50 Megabits for a low, low price and small antennas then it could very easily be the death of the VSAT if they don’t come up with something better. I think the VSAT industry has to come up with some- thing now or otherwise there will be very few new contracts in the coming years. I could see at the Digital Ship conference Lars Brödje, Telemar Scandinavia; Börje Silverfjall, Maersk Tankers; Thomas Andersson, Rederi AB Transatlantic; in Hamburg there are still a lot of compa- and Svante Johansson, MMT, discuss the merits of Ka-band nies still in the test phase with VSAT. And

Digital Ship May 2011 page 24 p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 13:50 Page 25

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SATCOMS

that is in Germany, so there must be a big topping up with a dial-up function over BS: Sometimes when you look at how Citrix, and those technologies that you market for this in the Mediterranean or the Fleet 77 or some other back up today, but much they are downloading and how have in the head office. Far East area where they have not yet in the future, with the Sat-Bs being discon- much they are sitting in front of a comput- decided what to do. tinued and off market, we would have a er, I wonder who is washing the white Digital Ship: So 5, 10 or 15 years into the They will have heard about Global FleetBroadband 500 or another new termi- paint? I mean, who is doing the work actu- future, when all of these ships are float- Xpress now, so they may even wait a couple nal beside VSAT. ally onboard? ing around with 50 Megabit connections of years more until they decide what to do KS: If you turn around and put VSAT KS: You have got to wonder what it and are able to access everything you are with this. So I think it is now up to the VSAT on the ship and it is not a fixed fee and does for the relationships between the talking about – where does this leave the companies to find some cliff-hangers. expect it will only be used for business crew members as well, because if they are industry? BS (to KH): You mentioned something traffic, the people on board won’t look at it sitting in their cabin at night on the inter- PF: As I said before, the industry is a little on the cost of the terminals, but what will that way, they will say ‘okay, we have net, talking to whoever or playing games bit conservative, so what you see today you be the way you go on the usage? Would it VSAT, where is the internet?’ or whatever, how much interaction is might see on the ships in five or ten years, be flat rate packages or will you use Then you start to get problems with there between the crew other than when but like everything else if it goes up to a cer- straight usage on the system? What is the crew onboard complaining that they don’t they are working or when they are eating? tain level it might not be an issue anymore. basic intention? have this or that, and that could cause you That said, the life at sea continues to Nobody speaks about the speed of a KH: Well the easiest guide, as I can’t more problems than the extra cost of VSAT. evolve over generations. computer anymore, it us just there, it is really tell you anything at this early stage, just running. I don’t care if it has yester- is to look at what the market is doing. We day’s or tomorrow’s CPU, nobody cares cannot spend $1.2 billion dollars and price anymore. I remember five years or ten ourselves out of the market. years ago everyone was saying; I have a We will be setting an aggressive price, 186, or 286. But I think the capacity will go and we have to because of the competition up and then we will just stay up there. in the market. This theory doesn’t change, We’ll have the applications, we’ll have it is always about the price and that is the services, the ship will be part of the what we will be looking at. office and for the crew members it will I don’t see a downside for the industry almost be like sitting at home – and that’s in this. It is basically a recognition that this it. I don’t think we would see that much in is what the industry needs and we will the coming years after we have the capac- have the capacity to supply it. ity that we need, it will just stay there. BS: I think reliability is the key in this, Digital Ship: As we have a number of that we are at 100 per cent or as close as we potential customers here, is a flat fee for can get to 100 per cent always on. Then the this Global Xpress service something ship server can be standing in the office, or that is an absolute must for you? in some mountain hall somewhere. All the BS: You want to know what your costs maintenance of systems, would be done in will be, every manager wants to know that. the office. KS: When it comes to budgets the per- Citrix is already working, with the sonnel involved want to know exactly latency problem of connecting a remote how much per month they are going to be desktop over satellite, and I think they will paying for their communications. They solve these issues also – with them we are want a flat fee for the rental and then they talking about a year ahead. can make adjustments, but they want to be Redundancy then becomes a big issue of able to turn around and say ‘our basic data course. It will always require an antenna on cost will be three thousand dollars a mon- the starboard side and on the port side. th’, then they can budget for that. KS: If you lose your signal, with a 50 If you are saying it is potentially going Mbps connection, from any sort of fault to be a price per MB or whatever it is like a mechanical fault, maybe a drive belt going to be, they cannot turn around and snapping; there is nothing you can do to say ‘we will put a budget in for this’ and fix that quickly unless you have a some- then two months later, the first time they The sun shines in Gothenburg as the panel members conclude the meeting what trained VSAT technician onboard, or use it it’s twice that. it turns out the ETO onboard has been on If it was the case that it was not a flat KH: We are acutely aware that it is a PF: I think that went down the drain training courses for all these systems. rate, would it be taken up for anything but requirement - it is a requirement in this many years ago, on the supply vessels There is always going to be downtime of a business tool? Would they use it for crew room let’s say and pretty much a require- where we have satellite television and we some sort, and we need to have systems internet? Because if it is not – as in the ment throughout the industry for that cost started to provide crew members with tel- onboard that can cope with any eventuality. example I gave earlier, 100 MB of business predictability. We recognise that, and we evision in their cabin, they all ran out of With the amount of IT onboard some ships traffic for 100 dollars is great, but 35 GB of are recognising that even with the television room. will end up with a dedicated IT person. crew data and there goes the budget for FleetBroadband, where we are creating So the social part of being onboard a ves- KH: In previous years the buck stopped the year. new price plans all the time – we have to. sel I think it is more confined to the restau- with the chief engineer; if something was If it’s a flat fee you can have a fair usage But one of the things that I hope people rant now when they eat. They don’t sit in broken it had got to be fixed or nothing policy of ‘X’, and if you go over you get also recognise is that we offer the highest the television room playing cards anymore. was going to happen. He was expected to charged extra for it. But to be honest, from quality service. We have to have the blue LB: I think the main change that 50 know every single thing; everything was what I have heard from our ribbon service, as it also includes GMDSS. Megabit would bring to the industry meant to be between his two ears. Superintendents and ship managers, they We are not making knee jerk reactions, we would be that there would be several Now there is a whole heap of people want flat fees. are doing things in a clear considered and providers of TV packages through the sys- back on land who are probably second PF: When you have to take the decision reliable fashion, and hopefully you will tem; television would be the most impor- guessing him to a great degree. So that to go for VSAT or FleetBroadband, it is a see that in 2014. tant thing here, the biggest improvement. guy’s position as the chief engineer, or big advantage for VSAT that you know MM: Probably most of the applications someone like him, his position is going to the cost down the road, that is important. Digital Ship: If all your ships had 50 would be shore based. IP television and change from a guy who knows a lot about BS: The availability is a big issue to me, Megabit lines for a flat fee tomorrow, other high bandwidth services will be the a lot of things, to a guy who just knows Inmarsat is the peak in quality and you pay what do you think you would start doing option for every vessel. enough that he can identify one engine for quality. In our environment we use with it? As a secondary thought, I think more from another – and he may also have an IT VSAT as a bulk carrier, and then, in order KS: You would see a massive increase navigation equipment could be put degree or something like that. to achieve the very high uptime rates and in communication by the crew. They ashore, and the vessels could collect infor- He’ll basically be an extension of the in order to really achieve an always on would want to be on iTunes all day. mation from online services instead. You organism that starts in an office back on solution, we are topping up with high qual- There would be, as we’ve said, no limita- could have an online VDR which backs up land. I wonder for him if that is an out- ity bandwidth from Inmarsat. tions. If you have that speed there would be vessel info in real-time to shore. come of the kind of technology that we are This argument would change in the no limitations, you wouldn’t need to care KS: With those kinds of speeds you looking at putting onboard vessels, and new set up perhaps, but right now to keep about ‘this update is taking up to 60 per cent could look at having a real, proper net- whether it is a good thing or a bad thing. I the vessels on, that is how we do it. We are of my bandwidth today’ – who cares? work on the vessel – terminal services, think that is for the industry to decide. DS

Digital Ship May 2011 page 26 p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 13:50 Page 27

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SATCOMS Broadband drives convergence of satellite services

The growing level of competition in the maritime satcom market over the last few years has led to an increasing convergence of technologies onboard modern ships, as traditional MSS technologies mix with VSAT to create hybrid offerings covering a wide range of needs, writes Wei Li, Euroconsult

istorically, the maritime industry HHhas been conservative and slow to adopt new technologies. Ship- ping companies largely relied on proven solutions, but this situation has been changing quickly. Over the last few years the maritime industry has been moving from fax, voice and distress communications to higher speed IP data networks. Broadband satellite data communica- tion services are now gaining market acceptance, with a growing number of ships adopting these new generation serv- ices to replace legacy satellite terminals. This is leading to strong growth in the maritime satellite communications market. Mobile VSAT, especially Ku-band VSAT, has been the rising star in the mar- itime satellite communications market. For a long time, the use of maritime VSAT systems was limited to high-end market segments such as oil & gas rigs, petroleum tankers and large cruise ships due to the constraints of a large antenna, high capital investment and lim- ited coverage. However, VSAT technology has advanced rapidly in the last several years, allowing for smaller, lighter, cheaper and Speed of installation was a key element of AP Moller Maersk’s satcom choice, as the company managed to install easier-to-install equipment. Other issues, 100 FleetBroadband terminals in 100 days before expanding the contract such as coverage, have also been largely overcome through joint efforts by VSAT service providers, equipment/antenna also benefiting from the trend towards some customers. terminals through 2020. While revenue is manufacturers and satellite operators. higher speed data communications. In September 2010, the Copenhagen- expected to grow more slowly, MSS will Maritime VSAT system data rates are Inmarsat reported growth of 200 per based shipping giant AP Moller-Maersk still represent over 50 per cent of the total currently available up to 5 Mbps cent in FleetBroadband terminals in 2010. agreed to install Inmarsat FleetBroadband maritime satellite communication market (although the majority of the offerings are Inmarsat’s counterpart, US-based Iridium, on 200 vessels (following 170 vessels pre- value in 2020. at 64 to 256 kbps range), and the service is also reported that its flagship maritime viously installed). One of the key reasons usually provided at a fixed monthly fee product, OpenPort, grew by over 100 per AP Moller-Maersk chose FleetBroadband, Operations and welfare typically ranging from $900 to $5,000. cent in active terminals in 2010. according to the company, was the For both MSS and VSAT services, growth Some Ku-band terminals are now even At present, despite all the improve- speed of installation. Prior to this deal, in the next 10 years will primarily comparable in size to L-band products, for ments from the VSAT side, L-band solu- Maersk had successfully installed 100 come from crew welfare communications, example KVH’s recently-introduced mini- tions still have some advantages com- FleetBroadband terminals in 100 days. and increasing data demand from ship VSAT service has a Ku-band antenna as pared to Ku-and C-band solutions. Despite success such as these, the MSS operations. small as 37cm in diameter. 60 cm VSAT is Maritime VSAT still has considerable business faces increasing pressure from Shipping companies have been facing also provided by several different compa- coverage gaps and issues with the han- the Ku-band VSAT services, affecting rev- increasing difficulties attracting qualified nies such as KVH and SpeedCast. dover between different satellite beams. In enue and ARPU (average revenue per personnel due to the rough conditions at Overall, in the maritime VSAT market particular, Ku-band coverage is largely user), which has declined significantly. sea and the fact that crew members must in 2010 Euroconsult has observed double restricted to coastal waters and the north- Indeed, a number of recently-installed live for long periods of time away from digit growth in both terminals and rev- ern parts of the Atlantic Ocean. MSS broadband terminals are intended as families and friends, opening market enues. We estimate that there are current- Additionally, MSS (Mobile Satellite backup or gap-filler solutions to the VSAT opportunities for satellite communications ly about 9,000 active maritime VSAT sys- Services) systems like those in the L-band system. for crew welfare and entertainment. tems operating globally. require less maintenance and are highly However, Euroconsult believes that Traffic for crew communications can This growth is expected to continue in resistant to environmental conditions, there is still potential for MSS services in represent as much as 80 per cent of total the next decade, and by 2020 the global such as rain fade, which cause a reliability the lower-end maritime markets (e.g. fish- data traffic onboard a ship. The maritime VSAT market will almost triple issue for Ku-band VSAT. ing), and the maritime MSS industry will Norwegian VSAT service provider, Ship in number of active terminals. MSS terminals also still have significant still grow in both revenue and terminals. Equip, recently reported that its customers’ On the MSS / L-band side, high-data- price advantages over VSAT systems. MSS broadband service (at least 128 daily traffic averages 650 MB per vessel rate systems, such as FleetBroadband from Moreover, MSS requires much less time kbps), in particular, is expected to grow at with a large percentage estimated as crew- Inmarsat, and OpenPort from Iridium, are for installation - a critical factor for almost 20 per cent annually in number of related traffic.

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Digital Ship

In this type of scenario, VSAT is defi- low connection speeds (<20 kbps) but 500 and Ku-band VSAT for a fixed ing from the competition and the conver- nitely the most cost-effective service increasing automation could require high- monthly fee with a monthly traffic ceiling gence between MSS and VSAT. because with a fixed monthly fee vessel er connection speeds (i.e. 56-128 kbps). of 25 GB. Many ship operators have reported that crew can have unlimited access (MSS That increasing automation may well Further up the value chain, we have the migration to new generation MSS services are still based on pay-as-you-go be ahead. In one example, Hyundai seen unprecedented convergence between services has helped them to reduce spend- models, except for leasing services and Heavy Industries unveiled its remote MSS and VSAT suppliers in the last ing, as service prices for new MSS prod- some special offers designed to retain monitoring and control 'smart ship sys- few months, with Inmarsat preparing its ucts are generally lower than for legacy large customers). tem’ in March of this year. Vessel opera- proprietary Ka-band VSAT service in 2013 products. Many other ship operators are One example of the relative expensive- tors can remotely control engines and / 14 to win back market share lost to enjoying the fact that with the same ness of MSS was described in the latest controllers and manage other important VSAT providers. spending, their ships now have unlimited issue of The International Transport on-board systems from offices on shore In February 2011, the leading maritime satellite usage once switched from MSS Intermediaries Club (ITIC)’s Claims using satellite links. VSAT equipment manufacturer, iDirect, to VSAT. Review. The first ship to be equipped with the was selected to provide Inmarsat with Ka- On the supplier side, VSAT operators In this example, a ship manager failed ‘smart ship system’ is a 4,500 TEU con- band network infrastructure and terminal have experienced a period of fast growth, to exclude internet access when his ship tainership, recently delivered to AP modules. In March 2011, the largest mar- and are looking forward to winning more was upgrading the satellite communica- Moller-Maersk. The Korean ship builder itime VSAT antenna supplier, Sea Tel, was customers from MSS providers. tions system. During the three-month announced that it will also install the awarded contracts to develop, manufac- Meanwhile MSS operators are forced to period before the error was discovered, ‘smart ship system’ on an additional 21 ture, test and distribute Inmarsat Ka-band cede some margins to remain competitive the crew had open access to the internet ships ordered by AP Moller, as well as on maritime satellite terminals. in the market. and ran up an enormous airtime charge two ships ordered by CMM Inc. Later in March, Ship Equip, which is For long term perspectives, competi- of $436,000 – more than 80 times the estimated by Euroconsult to be the second tion among different satellite technologies planned budget. Convergence and largest maritime VSAT provider in sub- will endure, and the convergence of MSS On the operations side, satellite competition scriber numbers, was acquired by and VSAT is expected to reshape the mar- solutions are being used by commercial The convergence of satellite technologies Inmarsat to facilitate the distribution of its itime satellite communication sector. ships for real-time meteorological infor- and hybrid L- and Ku-band terminals cur- upcoming Ka-band maritime service. The entire industry value is expected to mation updates, route planning, engine rently observed may help overcome the Shipping companies, fishing vessels grow to nearly $2 billion by 2020, com- diagnostics, and more recently electronic MSS data volume and speed issues, and and other maritime customers are benefit- pared to $1.3 billion in 2010. DS cargo declaration. coverage and reliability issues, related to Smaller fishing ships also require real- Ku-band maritime VSAT. time satellite communications to acquire Such solutions use VSAT systems as the About the author fish pricing information to choose the best backbone and the MSS services as backup, Wei Li is senior consultant at Euroconsult and editor of Maritime destination port while still in the middle of with traffic and network management Telecom Solutions by Satellite - Global Market Analysis & Forecasts, the ocean. centralised into one interface. and Mobile Satellite Communications Markets Survey – Prospects to Satellite is also used for remote man- One example of this is Stratos Global’s 2020. Euroconsult is a consulting and analyst firm specialising in satel- agement of certain operations which do early 2011 introduction of their new lite applications, communications, and digital broadcasting, providing not require permanent personnel. Remote service called FBBPlus, which offers a strategic consulting and analysis, comprehensive research reports and monitoring systems generally need only combined package of FleetBroadband forecasts. Mr Li can be reached at [email protected].

Unlock the Potential of Internet On Board with Dualog® Connection Suite™. © 2011 DUALOG AS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ALL RIGHTS AS. © 2011 DUALOG

Contact the Maritime Communications Experts today about what really concerns you. (+47) 77 62 19 00 or [email protected] | www.dualog.com www.runelarsen.biz

Digital Ship May 2011 page 29 p28-38:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 13:01 Page 3

SATCOMS

Computer viruses – a modern day maritime curse?

Greater integration of shipboard computers, with the shore and with other devices onboard, is increasing the vulnerability of those machines to infection by malicious programs. However, techniques like USB port blocking and virtual computing can provide a defence against these viruses, writes Gary McDonald, IT@Sea

ost IT technicians who attend varies enormously between vendors and devices from being used in the computer’s that replace or repair the operating system MMships would agree that the a single vendor’s update files can also USB ports – peripherals such as USB print- and applications while preserving the unexpected presence of viruses significantly vary in size from one day to ers are permitted but USB storage devices user’s data. on shipboard computers is a frustrating the next. such as USB sticks are specifically blocked. A common solution enabling network and often time-consuming problem. The When a ship, to keep its anti-virus defi- With an increasing number of ships workstation computers to be seamlessly original work schedule can be radically nitions up to date, has to download ten connected to the internet, and with the rebuilt or replaced is a network storage affected by the sudden requirement to kilobytes one day and one megabyte the ship staff being able to browse some or all policy where all users store their individ- remove viruses from infected computers next it makes accurately predicting the of the World Wide Web, there is, poten- ual data on the ship’s central file server. and repair the damage that has been cost of having the anti-virus system tially, a direct threat to the onboard IT The benefits of thin client and virtual caused by them. onboard a difficult proposition. infrastructure – viruses and trojans can be computing are also being realised by an There are numerous ways in which Many shipping companies create anti- inadvertently downloaded directly. increasing number of shipping companies. viruses reach shipboard computers – e- virus update CDs for their ships – these In such environments the ‘computer’ mail, internet downloads, CDs of ‘ques- are sent out with the ships’ mail. used by the user is a virtual representation tionable origin’ – but an increasingly com- A common problem with this approach of a computer provided via software (the mon problem is the USB Flash Drive, com- is the CDs going missing or simply not human interface components such as the monly referred to as a ‘USB stick’. being used by the ship’s staff. And, with keyboard, mouse and monitor are real – While the USB stick is very convenient new virus threats appearing all the time, but the computer itself is a virtual in terms of data portability it is also the the update CDs can be out of date before machine provided by software running on preferred media for many modern com- they have even been posted. the ship’s main server). puter viruses to propagate from one com- Additionally, with some anti-virus sys- Such environments are beneficial in puter to another. tems a missing update causes ongoing terms of virus protection because only one A lesson learned, often the hard way, is problems because subsequent sequential computer (in this case, the server) needs to removal of the viruses from all onboard updates cannot be applied without the be kept up to date and new virtual ses- USB sticks before attempting the same on missing update. Managing such methods sions can be effectively like having a the computers – and that’s after the job of becomes an administrative headache for brand new ‘virus-free’ computer each time finding them onboard. Many hours can be in-house IT staff. you switch it on. spent ‘cleaning’ a computer only for the An increasingly common method of Keeping the anti-virus systems up to virus to reappear as soon as a previously keeping the ships up to date is incremen- There are a number of ways in which an date is important but it can never be a infected USB stick is inserted. tal updates sent to ships via e-mail or onboard computer can become infected guarantee that a new virus won’t find its It is not uncommon for a shipboard automatic file transfer. way onto the ship, in which case it has to computer to be so badly affected by virus- Numerous maritime solution vendors be dealt with. es that the only viable, long term solution offer this tailored service using spe- An internet connection on the vessel In such cases users are commonly is reinstallation of the operating system. cialised knowledge of their chosen anti- can be helpful in terms of keeping the unaware that there is a new resident virus While this is normally a very effective virus solutions and techniques to ensure anti-virus system up to date but, unfortu- until the anti-virus software receives its way of eradicating viruses (and it often that the update files are as compact nately, the same pipe can become the next update and scans the computer. Anti- provides the additional benefit of restor- as possible. biggest threat. virus solutions are designed to detect and ing the computer’s performance), it is In most cases, for ships with Local Area There are numerous ways to prevent remove viruses but, at the same time, sometimes not an option because not all Networks, the anti-virus software on the particular content being downloaded by virus creators attempt to undermine or of the media required to re-install the computer running the maritime e-mail ship staff, like content filtering, and disable the anti-virus systems that could software applications can be located system is updated and other computers on numerous maritime vendors provide potentially detect them. onboard. the network automatically update them- such services. As a real example: A colleague was selves from the e-mail server. A highly effective solution is browsing recently attempting to install an anti-virus Updating shipboard This method is sometimes regarded as via shore-side proxy servers with anti- system onto an infected computer. computers too expensive for ships running older / virus solutions monitoring content in two The virus had disabled the network Why are shipboard computers so suscepti- slower data satellite communication places – shore and ship. card and CD drive (and destroyed all set- ble? The answer, in most cases, is that the systems, so the ‘CD in the mail’ contin- tings that would allow them to be reinstat- anti-virus definitions are not updated ues to be the only viable solution for Restoration and recovery ed) so the only way to add software was beyond the initial deployment. those vessels. A very effective solution for eradicating via a USB stick. Each time the USB stick Anti-virus solutions are only fully viruses and restoring full system function- was put into the computer the virus put effective when equipped with the latest Virus prevention ality is the re-installation of a computer’s itself onto the USB stick and, from it, definitions – these are the updates that the The USB stick is only one of the problems operating system and all resident applica- removed the installation image for the anti-virus system vendors distribute in – viruses can, for example, also reach ships tions from digital images (sometimes anti-virus software! response to new virus threats. via e-mail messages or on CDs of ‘ques- referred to as ‘ghosting’). It’s in situations such as these that man- These updates are issued on a daily and tionable origin’ taken onboard. The solutions are normally simple to use ual interaction is required. The benefits of sometimes hourly basis. Like other soft- However, the good news is that it is less so recovery is quick and uncomplicated. virtual computing or options for restora- ware vendors, many anti-virus system common for virus-laden e-mail messages A computer restored in such a way will tion of computers from digital images are vendors take it for granted that a comput- to reach ships because the shore compo- no longer contain the user’s data (docu- a welcome solution to a problem that er will be connected to the internet. nents of the e-mail systems check mes- ments, spreadsheets etc.), so some prefer might otherwise take many frustrating For an increasing number of shipping sages for viruses using definitions that are similar, but often less effective, solutions hours to resolve. DS companies ‘fixed price’ maritime data automatically and frequently updated via communication solutions like VSAT are the internet. About the author the answer – anti-virus software on ship- The importance of having anti-virus Gary McDonald is technical director of IT@Sea UK, a company special- board computers updates itself automati- software on all shipboard computers and ising in all aspects of IT and Communications for the shipping and off- cally at no extra cost. keeping the anti-virus definitions up to shore sectors. Mr McDonald has worked with a number of major shipping For many others however, without date cannot be understated. companies during his 15 years in the industry, including BP Shipping, such ‘fixed price’ solutions, the problem To deal with the ongoing threat from Chevron, BG Energy, Andrew Weir and Bibby Ship Management. continues to be the ‘pay as you go’ cost of USB sticks there are software utilities (and Mr McDonald can be reached at [email protected], or via data communication and the variable size often equivalent features in the anti-virus the website www.itatsea.net of the update files. The size of update files solutions) that prevent data storage

Digital Ship May 2011 page 30 p28-38:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 13:01 Page 4

Loud and Clear

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SATCOMS After the downturn – IT investments and returns

The global economic downturn placed a great strain on IT budgets and saw many projects scrapped or postponed. However, if ship owners and IT managers can collaborate in examining their needs, implementing a new system can help to keep satcoms costs down and crew morale high, writes Reinhold Lueppen, Vizada Solutions

he global financial crisis forced data or airtime used, and FleetBroadband flat rate for internet use. solutions from one provider who assem- TTfleet managers to cut costs in all offers ‘bundles’ which also represent bet- If you want to prioritise your crew’s bles the different pieces, and with an inte- aspects of their operations. New IT ter value for money. These allow compa- needs and give them reasonable access to grated system you have the security of ventures came under particular scrutiny nies to control and predict their spending the internet, including checking e-mail knowing that if you want to upgrade you as IT managers struggled to justify the far more easily. and sites such as Facebook, flat rates are don’t have to start again from scratch. return gained from investing in new sys- The benefits of broadband are better often the best option as they absorb peaks One way of cutting costs is through air- tems and applications. appreciated by the industry than they once in usage and prevent you from facing time reduction on pay-per-use services; IT projects were cancelled or placed on were and it is possible to demonstrate the unexpected costs at the end of the month. reducing the amount of time crew spend hold as fleet managers channelled their long-term savings that can be made by Some providers also offer ‘bundles’ on the telephone, e-mail and online, and shrinking budgets into areas they felt more using a broadband terminal. As a result, we which enable you to lease equipment and therefore the amount of data they use. directly affected the running of their fleet. are seeing more and more companies opt- purchase set amounts of airtime for voice One of the most effective and consistent IT budgets are very gradually increas- ing to install broadband terminals. and data along with value-added solu- ways of keeping airtime to a minimum is ing as the global financial situation If, as an IT manager, you are struggling tions, at a fixed monthly fee. by using web compression software. This improves, nevertheless, both ship owners to persuade your fleet manager that This again allows communications is a tool which allows the user to compress and IT managers have continued to exam- costs to be regulated and at the end of the the size of any internet files downloaded, ine the return on investment prospects lease you are able to keep the equipment. including via e-mail, to lessen the cost, with rigorous attention to detail. In terms of cost it may not be the cheapest whether by restricting access to websites Efficiency and cost reduction are still option every month compared to low-use laden with multimedia, or by automatical- paramount, and IT managers are often months on a dial-up service, but it will ly reducing large file sizes. under huge budget pressure to prove the allow you to predict your cost and set a This helps IT managers to avoid access- value of every penny they invest in IT maximum limit. ing unnecessary content, lessen download infrastructure for their fleets. times and ultimately reduce their costs. Today, IT managers must still perform a Reducing costs Another way of reducing costs is high-wire balancing act, with the need to However, despite the benefits of broad- through requesting your network procure the right products to support crews band, the majority of fleets still only provider to use a split billing system. This on the one hand, and the need to balance require the more basic use of telephone enables IT managers to re-invoice any con- budgets on the other. Those in charge of and e-mail onboard. tractor, or member of crew who may be procurement are acutely aware that inade- Whether or not a broadband terminal using a large slice of airtime. quate IT systems will negatively affect the has been installed, IT managers often ask Split billing can lead to huge cost fleet, especially at a time when there may “How can we still implement the IT sys- reductions, so ask your existing network also be reductions in staffing levels. tem we want, but with a smaller budget?” provider whether this is an option under A good IT system should optimise ves- In comparison to just one year ago, there your current plan. sel operations, boost safety onboard, keep are many more ‘off-the-shelf’ tailored IT Even during the peak of the financial cri- you connected to your corporate network solutions for maritime communications. sis, we saw a consistently high demand for and enhance crew welfare. But in some cases these may be incom- broadband with remote access capability. This last point is crucial; without the patible with one another – for example, If you are encountering an issue connection to other ships in the fleet and your web compression system may not be onboard a vessel, you won’t always have also to the outside world, fleets may find it compatible with your crew welfare sys- the right member of staff present to fix the difficult to recruit the best crew for the job tem, due to data encryption. For this rea- problem. This is true of a number of areas, as they increasingly demand access to son, integrated packages are worth con- from IT equipment to engine monitoring high quality communications equipment. sidering, both in terms of the overall cost and even HR issues. We have seen numerous examples and the ease of which they can be used by If an expert on land can monitor the where the quality of the IT system has the crew. issue remotely and advise onboard crew been sacrificed in order to reduce costs. The benefits of broadband are better Integrated systems ensure that your IT how to fix the problem, it will save pre- Services are outsourced to companies appreciated than they once were programs and solutions are compatible cious time, resources and is more cost- offering a cheaper rate who are not capa- with one another, and included all in one effective. ble of managing tailor-made, onboard sys- package. Similar interfaces mean they will Ultimately, providing the right combi- tems, resulting in IT chaos for the crew. installing a broadband terminal is a also be easier to install, upgrade and easi- nation of IT and communications equip- We have also seen an alarming lack of worthwhile investment, speak to your net- er to train staff to use. ment for a fleet of any size will pose a chal- investment in virus protection and abuse work provider and ask for their advice. I know of one company with more than lenge for the fleet managers, IT depart- of administration rights by crew leading to For example, for FleetBroadband there 80 vessels in their fleet who, when setting ment and network providers. brand new systems being brought down is a simple formula they will be able to use up a new IT project, used a series of dif- No matter what solution is best for by harmful malware just after installation. to demonstrate the saving to the fleet ferent providers for their onboard IT your fleet, all parties need to work togeth- which plots the time and data the fleet cur- equipment. This was overly complicated, er to reduce costs and guarantee return on Satcom choice rently uses against potential long-term with every system needing completely dif- investment. Installing a broadband terminal, through savings. ferent installation procedures, training for If used to its full capability, the right FleetBroadband or VSAT for example, is Do work out how much your IT systems crew and different ways of using the sys- satcoms package can optimise vessel oper- one option which will ensure your crew cost in terms of the fleet’s overall budget, tems from day-to-day. ations, boost safety onboard, keep you are always connected and offers far more and how much installation of a broadband The project took two and a half years in connected to your corporate network and, flexibility of usage than previous genera- terminal would increase this by. total to get up and running. After one year perhaps most crucially, attract the best tions of technology. Usually, the costs for the communica- they decided to outsource the installation crew to your fleet. DS A broadband terminal does require a tions systems comprise less than 1 per cent to a company specialising in maritime certain initial level of investment as it of the cost structure for each fleet. They electronics – which drove up the cost fur- must be either bought outright or leased are comparatively minimal costs which ther. The whole process was frustrating About the author and installed. However, it also gives you have the ability to dramatically influence for both their IT department and crews. Reinhold Lueppen is direc- excellent value from your onboard IT the efficiency of systems across the fleet. If you need an IT project that will be up tor of value-added Vizada Solutions, for satellite operations. In our experience, larger fleets feel they and running quickly, integrated systems communications provider For example, VSAT services charge a greatly benefit from the predictability can be very convenient. There is a lot of Vizada flat fee, rather than having to pay for the which comes with opting for a monthly flexibility and simplicity in buying IT

Digital Ship May 2011 page 32 p28-38:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 13:01 Page 6

Tailor-made maritime communication

We offer several different communication carriers, such as VSAT and Inmarsat. Combined with SmartBox from Telenor, this results in effective compression and automatic alternation between the different carriers. For vessels, this means more secure communication and lower costs. That’s what we call tailor-made maritime communication!

Contact us on tel. (+47) 800 888 77 or send an email to [email protected] www.maritimradio.no p28-38:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 13:01 Page 7

SATCOMS Storm Offshore – 50% comms cost reduction with mini-VSAT

Norwegian seismic operator Storm Offshore cut its satellite communications costs in half after installing mini-VSAT systems onboard two of its ships – a figure impressive enough to prompt a third installation in 2011

torm Offshore, a shipping compa- the support vessels are required to file on or surf the internet while off duty. much larger files than they did with their SSny based in Lyngdal, Norway, esti- behalf of the ‘mother’ ship can be sizeable, Requirements such as these are what previous pay-per-use system, and Storm mates that it has saved approxi- and must often be filed electronically prior drew Storm Offshore towards a VSAT Offshore has been able to provide crew mately 50 per cent on its satellite commu- to the fleet reaching a given port or mar- solution, a decision which Karstein access for the first time, all while reducing nications costs since introducing mini- itime region. Rasmussen, general manager of Storm their costs significantly. VSAT services from KVH to two of its Failure to comply with the varying Offshore, says has proven to be very suc- “The expensive, pay-per-Megabyte seismic support vessels at the end of 2009. requirements of international maritime cessful in supporting both crew communi- plans that we had with our old solution Impressed with these results the com- authorities can cause costly delays and cations and operational duties. made it necessary to restrict crew mem- pany has now added to this with the significantly hinder the research mission. “The vessels send daily reports to the bers’ use of the communications system,” installation of the satcom service aboard a As such, communications understand- client (the charterer) as an electronic log, Mr Rasmussen explained. third vessel this year. ably forms a large part of the success of including details about the vessel’s activi- “With mini-VSAT Broadband’s month- The company installed KVH’s these support vessels’ mission. The vessel ties, information about the itinerary, and ly rate plan, they can make much more use TracPhone V7 system to support crew must remain in contact with the mother speed,” he explains. of the system, even for personal activities morale and business operations aboard vessel at all times, and it must also be able “Furthermore, the vessel is sending that would not have been feasible with the the seismic support vessels, which have a to transmit and receive the necessary mandatory, monthly QHSE reports to the old system.” primary function of ‘guarding’ a larger forms for travel and research activities Storm Offshore office, supporting our “There are operational benefits to the ‘mother’ research vessel as it conducts among international ports. dedication to outstanding QHSE monitor- airtime structure, as well. We can now research of the ocean floor using sound In addition to this, the company was ing and consistent results.” send large files without trying to calculate waves. anxious to make sure that its crew mem- “Our crew would definitely recom- how many megabytes they will use. For Storm Offshore’s seismic support ves- bers aboard such vessels were as produc- mend this solution to their peers! They are example, we can now send a manual that sels are responsible for keeping up with tive as possible, and it was felt that allow- most happy to have free access to call and is 10 MB, which would not have been fea- maritime regulations in regions around ing access to telephone and internet serv- e-mail home.” sible with the old system because it would the globe, and filing appropriate docu- ices to stay in touch with loved ones However, since each seismic research have cost a fortune.” ments to comply with those regulations as would be a key element in maintaining operation has a specific budget which the fleet traverses different research areas. high performance levels. must be adhered to, Mr Rasmussen has Price reductions They are responsible for monitoring the Operating a support vessel also been particularly pleased to see that KVH has recently announced an initiative mother vessel’s operating area, bunkering requires several crew members to serve on increasing the vessels’ communications which may allow users of its mini-VSAT fuel, and maintaining contact with local the ship at any one time, seafarers whose capabilities has not led to a greater spend service to reduce their costs even further, authorities as the fleet travels among har- morale, productivity, and job satisfaction – with monthly costs actually falling after with the addition of a new metered pric- bours around the globe. can be significantly improved just by hav- the introduction of the new system. ing programme and packages for different The various types of documents that ing the opportunity to call or e-mail home, He notes that crew members can send degrees of data usage. The pricing programme will apply to new users of the mini-VSAT service using the TracPhone V7 60cm unit or the compa- ny’s latest antenna the TracPhone V3, a 37cm VSAT system weighing just 11kg. Users of the satcom system will now be able to make voice calls at a rate of $0.49 per minute, worldwide, and will pay $0.99 per megabyte for data transmissions. These data rates will apply on a 2 Mbps down / 128 kbps up satellite link on the V3 and a 2 Mbps down / 512 kbps up link on the V7, under specific packages. 50 MB, 250 MB and 500 MB monthly packages are available, costing approxi- mately $1 per megabyte in the package, with additional megabytes $1.99 after that limit is reached. With a 1 GB package additional megabytes after the first thousand will continue to be priced at $0.99. Voice calls are $0.49 per minute on all packages. These new packages are in addition to KVH’s existing fixed monthly airtime plans, which are available at various bandwidth speeds and pricing levels. “Our pricing options, the fastest net- work speeds available, and two excellent choices for hardware, make mini-VSAT Broadband an economical option for just about any mariner seeking outstanding satellite communications for their vessel or fleet,” said Brent Bruun, KVH's senior Three Storm Offshore vessels are now installed with KVH’s mini-VSAT system vice president for global sales and busi- ness development. DS

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Digital Ship Broström -VSAT choice and quality of service In a competitive market, with dozens of potential suppliers, IT managers face a difficult task in evaluating all the options and choosing a new partner. Borje Silverfjall, Broström and Maersk Tankers, told Digital Ship how his company made its VSAT choice

hese days choosing a maritime broad- structure, including an overhaul of the IT, proved successful enough that the cations backbone, which prevents compa- TTband supplier is not an easy job. communications and carrier platform. Broström team was convinced to move ny IP-addresses from appearing on Every airtime supplier will be more This new standard is to be rolled out to forward with further installations of the unwanted websites. than happy to supply a broadband terminal 122 vessels over a number of years, during services as part of its vessel IT standard on This was something that was not offered to shipping lines, and the variety available in which time the vessels will be installed Broström managed vessels. by other VSAT suppliers investigated the VSAT market can make this task harder. with VSAT terminals, mainly during dry- One of the key aspects of the service which under the project, with some providing raw One company that knows this all to well, docking periods. persuaded Broström to go forward with this internet access over the satellite that could and has recently navigated the satcom selec- The aim of introducing this new envi- supplier was the provision of a ‘Quality of create security issues and an unnecessarily tion process is Swedish operator Broström. ronment is to create more available band- Service’ agreement, a prerequisite for the high usage of the bandwidth as a result. Broström has been an important part of width, for both business requirements and company in its consideration of terminal Installation of the service is now well the Swedish maritime cluster for more to allow internet access as part of the com- services data traffic used on the vessels. underway. Since the beginning of this year than a century, and is today an integral pany’s crew retention strategy. According to Mr Silverfjall it was also Broström vessels sailing on European routes part of Maersk Tankers and the AP Moller- The company also envisages imple- particularly important that Elektrikom man- are operating with the satcom service bun- Maersk Group, operating one of the largest menting remote IT support systems ages 19 satellites providing global coverage dled into pools shared among a maximum product tanker fleets in the world. onboard the VSAT-equipped vessels. and operates its own teleport, which means of 10 vessels, allowing the ships to share the Servicing all major regions around the Broström vessels had already been fit- that Broström only needs to call one number bandwidth capacity between them. globe, this young and modern fleet includes ted with existing systems from a number if an issue arises with a terminal or a service. Reports of the performance of the sys- ice classed, double hulled and chemical of VSAT suppliers prior to the introduction A ‘Satroaming’ software system, devel- tem in this configuration have so far been capable vessels, all operating according to of this new infrastructure, however, in oped by Elektrikom, maps the footprints encouraging, the company says. the highest international standards. many cases, these were not entirely com- of the satellites on a Google map and Vessels on other routes, mainly Since the AP Moller-Maersk Group took patible with the proposed new standard. shows configuration details and the ships’ Transatlantic and Caribbean/Latin America control of Broström, all tankers under And so, as part of its evaluation process position relative to the satellites. routes, use dedicated spot beams in their 25,000 dwt, whether Broström or Maersk for the upgrade programme Broström pro- Vessel support is further enhanced by sailing area, all with a committed rate. Tankers, now trade under the Broström ceeded to conduct a test installation and globally available static IP-addresses, which Mr Silverfjall notes that he was pleasantly brand from its headquarters in Gothenburg evaluation of a communications package allow the maintenance burden on the crew surprised to find that even vessels in remote and a branch office in Singapore. from Netherlands-based company to be reduced as the complete VSAT link is locations using this VSAT service enjoy a Following the revised management sit- Elektrikom, founded in 1985 as a radio com- monitored and managed by one provider. good communications link – his team is now uation for this fleet of tankers, vessel IT munication supplier to the marine industry Elektrikom is also providing Broström running 38 vessels managed through manager Borje Silverfjall and his team but now offering maritime VSAT services. with Websense browsing filters for inter- Elektrikom, providing an effective part of the developed a new vessel standard infra- The results of this test installation net access and a firewall on the communi- Broström standardised infrastructure. DS

Digital Ship May 2011 page 37 p28-38:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 13:02 Page 11

SATCOMS New rules for DSC radios come into force

The first tranche of a range of new FCC rules covering the specifications required for digital selective calling (DSC) equipped marine radios have come into force as of the end of March – with the aim of eliminating potential hazards flagged by the US Coast Guard

SC-Equipped Marine Radios continue to process then-pending applica- recommends disabling the automatic DDmust now meet more rigorous tions) for certification of handheld, channel switching feature when maintain- Technical Standards following portable DSC-equipped radios that do not ing a listening watch or communicating on the introduction of new requirements meet the requirements of ITU–R the designated bridge-to-bridge radiotele- from the US Federal Communications Recommendation M.493–11 or higher, and phone, or while monitoring the vessel traf- Commission (FCC). IEC 62238. fic services (VTS) channel.” As of March 25th, the FCC is prohibit- This will be followed by final rules “Radios that lack the disabling feature ing the manufacture, importation, sale and enforceable from March 25th 2015, under should not be used for bridge-to-bridge or installation of fixed mounted (non- which the FCC will prohibit the manufac- Adherence to the latest standards should VTS communications.” portable) digital selective calling (DSC) ture, importation, and sale of portable help to ensure that operators are aware of “The Coast Guard strongly reminds equipped marine radios that do not meet DSC-equipped radios that do not comply the channel their radio is using radio operators and other users to always the requirements of International with the above standards. ensure they are on the proper operating Telecommunications Union (ITU-R) switching from a working channel that channel when communicating or maintain- Recommendation M.493–11 or higher. Channel switching might be in use at the time to Channel 16 ing watch, particularly with DSC-equipped In the case of Class D VHF DSC equip- Compliance with these new international when the VHF marine radio receives a radios capable of channel auto-switching.” ment only, the rules state that the require- technical standards ensures that DSC- DSC distress alert, distress alert acknowl- Features incorporated into the new ments of International Electrotechnical equipped radios will incorporate a num- edgment or other DSC call where a VHF requirements include provisions for mak- Commission (IEC) International Standard ber of new safety functions, including fea- channel number has been designated.” ing test calls, dual receiver functionality to 62238 must be met. tures that should help to eliminate dan- “This could happen without a ves- improve operation, and Global Positioning With the introduction of these new rules gers associated with automatic channel sel/radio operator’s immediate knowl- System (GPS) interconnection alarms radios built to RTCM Standard SC-101 can switching, as addressed in US Coast edge and could initiate an unsafe condi- designed to ensure that distress alerts no longer be manufactured, imported, sold Guard Safety Alert 02-10 of April 13, 2010. tion by which the vessel/radio operators include a valid and accurate position. or installed; however, FCC will permit pre- In this Alert the Coast Guard noted that: would believe they were communicating The new requirements should also viously-installed radios meeting the older “an automatic channel switching feature on a working channel such as Channel 13 ensure improved detection of distress standard to continue to be used. found on certain models of Digital Selective when, in fact, they were actually on alerts, a reduction in the rate of false On March 25th 2012 another deadline Calling (DSC) equipped VHF marine Channel 16.” alarms, and reduced incessant alarming will come into effect, after which the FCC radios may create an unintended hazard.” “Since this unsafe condition can hap- caused by DSC-equipped radios con- will not accept new applications (but will “(This can happen) by automatically pen at any time, the Coast Guard strongly structed to the older standards. DS

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Digital Ship May 2011 page 38 p39-57:p15-25.qxd 03/05/2011 13:11 Page 1

SOFTWARE NEWS Digital Ship Project Manager software for Tallink-Silja Line UBL implements electronic forms www.marinesoftware.co.uk it is compiled. download is available with the invitation The final Master Specification is used to to tender to enable shipyards to enter www.boatracs.com Tallink-Silja Line has installed the Marine produce tenders and receive returns from prices electronically directly into the spec- Project Manager software system from all shipyards invited to tender. ification which can then be imported Boatracs has completed the installation of Marine Software on the vessels Galaxy, Silja As part of the implementation, a Master directly back into the Master Specification BT Forms, its electronic forms product, on Serenade, Silja Symphony and Silja Europa. Tallink Specification was created by for tender evaluation. 14 vessels for United Barge Lines (UBL), The UK-based software company says Marine Software for the Silja Europa from The installation of the Marine Project the inland transportation division of that the application will facilitate the pro- an existing Microsoft Word Specification. Manager means that the Tallink-Silja ves- United Maritime Group. duction of drydock specifications and ten- This will be used as a template to create sels have now installed the entire range of BT Forms is used to convert paper ders, assist with final contractor selection, future docking specifications. software modules currently offered by forms to electronic versions, for internal control repair works whilst in dock and A free contractor software version Marine Software. reporting and record keeping for regulato- produce docking reports (both historical ry compliance, allowing the vessel and and financial). shore to see the exact same information. An office based system was also On the vessel the software uses 'smart installed for the head office in Tallinn, as forms' that verify and validate complete well as four Superintendent laptop sys- information before transmission, to reduce tems. A two day training course was pro- manual errors at the point of data collec- vided in Tallinn by Marine Software for tion. The hosted BT Forms web application the ships’ senior officers and technical on the shore-side can then compile the data superintendents. into a variety of reports for managers. The ship system enables planning spec- The project for UBL included the con- ifications to be produced on board, which version of UBL’s Master’s Daily Log into are then sent to the Superintendent sys- an electronic form that captains can com- tems to be incorporated into the final plete with their on-board PC. Master Specification. “Feedback from the captains has been The existing Marine Planned excellent,” said Rocky Gunter, director of Maintenance system on board the vessel profitability and financial analysis for UBL. can send details of scheduled maintenance “We now have consistent and accurate and defects to the planning specification vessel information and the ability to gen- as well as incorporating directly entered erate valuable shore-side reports for oper- dry dock jobs requested by the crew. ational analytics. BT Forms is a big win for During the production process the a maritime operation like ours – ease of Superintendent is able to send copies of use for our captains, streamlined opera- the Master Specification to both the vessel tions for management and better customer and to head office, to enable oversight as Four Tallink-Silja Line vessels have implemented the application service for our clients.”

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Digital Ship May 2011 page 39 p39-57:p15-25.qxd 03/05/2011 14:01 Page 2

SOFTWARE NEWS SIS adds electronic Maritime purchasing portal purchasing sees 3,000 vessels join trial

www.sismarine.com facilitate the management of receipt of www.onemaritime.com goods by an agent or warehouse, the pack- Norwegian software provider Star ing and re-distribution of those goods, and Trials of a new online catalogue for ship Information Systems (SIS) has introduced the return of goods from vessels. owners, ship managers and ship suppliers to its new Star Fleet Supply Management "With automated purchasing, extensive select and order their onboard and onshore system (Star FSM), with new electronic use of e-commerce, and functionality for stores have seen more than 3,000 vessels tak- purchasing functionality for the shipping contract management and transportation, ing part, according to the company. industry. we believe Star FSM will revolutionise the The One Maritime system was made Star FSM can be customised to company- way purchasers in the maritime sector do available to the shipping industry from specific policies using the system’s business business," said SIS marketing manager, January 1st 2011, and has been involved in rules engine, and offers contract manage- Pia Solheim. live trials with companies from 85 coun- ment capabilities to allow for the automa- "By speaking to purchasing personnel tries worldwide since its launch. tion of standardised purchasing tasks. in shipping and offshore companies, we Torben Brammer, One Maritime co- For example, if the requested materials learned that with the systems available on founder and CEO, says he is delighted that are covered by a contract and the cost is the market today purchasers spend too so many companies and vessels have within the budget limit, the process of much time 'moving paper' and hence lack joined the trial. issuing a purchase order can be undertak- time to negotiate good framework agree- “We believe One Maritime represents en automatically. ments and build strategic partnerships the next step in the development of online ‘We look forward to its use becoming The new system also allows for quote with suppliers and freight forwarders." platforms and we look forward to its use widespread’ – Torben Brammer, comparisons, so that where a contract "With this in mind we found that becoming widespread throughout the One Maritime does not exist quotes from several suppli- adding new functionality to an ageing sys- industry during the coming year,” he said. ers can be compared to find the best deliv- tem would not be sufficient. Instead we “Our technology products have example, will be used by suppliers, manu- ery option. decided to start from scratch with new allowed us to think of data sources and the facturers and purchasers in the future, SIS notes that a number of its customers technology that allows for more flexible use of data in a much different way than resulting in efficiency and time saving had requested functionality for tracking systems and enables automation of ever before. With its unique search benefits.” deliveries to agents and warehouses, in processes in order to make purchasing engines and data migration technology, The new ship stores catalogues portal addition to receiving goods on board their more efficient." One Maritime has managed to build an can be accessed online or by CD, offering vessels, and that this is being added to the The Star FSM system additionally pro- online platform that gives its users access purchasing managers and shipboard per- software. vides KPIs for purchasing to the user, and to a mix of data from multiple data sonnel access to the ISSA Ship Stores This will be achieved through the cre- can be integrated with SIS’ other online sources at the same time.” Catalogue as well as a wide range of other ation of a 'transportation module' that will tools for KPI and trend monitoring. “It changes the way that catalogues, for industry purchasing information sources.

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Digital Ship May 2011 page 40 p39-57:p15-25.qxd 03/05/2011 14:35 Page 3 p39-57:p15-25.qxd 03/05/2011 14:35 Page 4

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SeaCall Duetto gives you global VSAT integrated with Global Support – Installation, Service and SeaCall Duetto™ in brief: FleetBroadband in one system. Maintenance Office Connect is at the heart of SeaCall and manages • Global coverage* - 24/7/365 with VSAT and Telemar, a global player established in 1947, is present marine broadband communications using a variety of smart FleetBroadband in all key ports and has companies in Italy, UK, Germany, e-mail and web applications. It gives you the opportunity to • Automatic switchover between the satellites, from USA, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sweden, Norway, extend your company’s IT system to every vessel in your VSAT and FleetBroadband systems Finland, Russia and the Caribbean. fleet. • Protection against over-usage of FleetBroadband Telemar is the world’s only VSAT operator to also When using FleetBroadband, customer controlled provide a complete range of Satcoms, GMDSS systems, • VSAT standard bandwidth packages up to 3072/512 Kbps restrictions apply, protecting users from excess airtime Navigational equipment, IP-TV solutions and fixed price • Fully managed installations worldwide consumption. service & maintenance contracts. • Maintenance and technical support worldwide SeaCall Duetto’s standard bandwidth packages range Telemar gives you access to a global organisation and its from 512/128 up to 3072/512 Kbps, delivering a wide • 24/7 global customer support and help-desk partners in all key ports worldwide. Installation, service and choice of services such as: Internet access, incl. VPN, VoIP, • Fixed, competitively priced monthly fee spares are available at short notice at minimum of cost. crew calling and more. • Antenna and below deck equipment rental also available Telemar is the world leader in service & maintenance Every SeaCall solution from Telemar is ready to go with contracts, with over 2500 vessels with onboard, fixed price, • Guaranteed data volumes and additional Committed state-of-the-art features. No additional boxes or software service contracts. Information Rate (CIR) for voice are needed to achieve optimal performance. Working with Telemar means integrated solutions, from • Web-based access for customer management SeaCall and SeaCall Duetto are both available at highly pre-sales, consultancy and project planning through to of ship’s usage competitive prices, for outright purchase or a choice of installation, service and maintenance, as well as worldwide rental options. technical support.

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For equipment, which gets total global support talk to Telemar - The Telemar Group Phone: +46 31 89 28 10 e-mail: [email protected] p39-57:p15-25.qxd 03/05/2011 14:35 Page 5

Digital Ship ABS and LR release joint software Digital regulations product for Panama

www.eagle.org The release of the joint software package www.regs4ships.com linking between related documents, and www.lr.org will be followed by the provision of training includes a search engine and subject sessions in a variety of maritime locations. Regs4ships has announced the launch of indexes. Class societies ABS and Lloyd’s Register "Harmonised CSR presents an ideal its digital maritime regulations product for “We are extremely happy to be able to (LR) have announced the release of a joint- opportunity to establish usage of common Panama flagged vessels. offer the new Panama digital regulations ly-developed software system, used to software in support of the new Rules," This new offering, available via the to new and existing customers,” said assess the compliance of bulk carrier and said CSR Software managing director internet or DVD-ROM, includes a combi- David Clayden, sales and marketing man- oil tanker designs with IACS Common Aidan O’Donnell, who has been with this nation of documents that must be carried ager, Regs4ships. Structural Rules (CSR). project since its inception. for mandatory compliance with the flag of “The creation of a regulatory product A joint company with offices in "Establishing consistent application registry, as well as a number of best prac- for vessels belonging to the Panama Flag Houston and London, Common Structural from the outset will be easier through our tice guides. Registry has long been an objective of Rules Software LLC, has been also been joint development." The digital regulations product covers Regs4ships.” formed to maintain the application and The common software is now Panama Maritime Laws, Resolutions, “We recognised that the Panamanian develop new common software which will available for download at Marine Notices, Merchant Marine Registry has consistently maintained its assess vessels designed to comply with the www.CommonStructuralRulesSoftware.com, Circulars and Forms; amended digital status as the largest flag of registration, harmonised CSR that will be submitted for and will be backed by anytime technical SOLAS, MARPOL and STCW regulations; currently possessing a massive 22.6 per industry review in 2012. software support. and guidance and best practice from a cent of the world fleet by DWT, far ahead complete archive of UK M Notices (for of its nearest competitors Liberia (11.1 per merchant ships). cent), the Marshall Islands (6.1 per cent) Subscribers receive monthly e-mail and Hong Kong (5.8 per cent) - all of updates on changes in legislation. which are already provided for with The electronic format also allows for Digital Maritime Regulation products.”

SpecTec has opened its newest office and South American countries situated in in Rio de Janeiro. AMOS Brasil Sistemas the north of the region, and as a regional de Gestão de Recursos e Consultoria de sales and support centre for the AVEVA Software Ltda, or SpecTec Brazil, will Plant and Marine products, as well as serve as headquarters for the region. A providing a range of integration and con- new local team has been formed to be sulting services for AVEVA’s Enterprise managed by David Reyes, managing Solutions. director, Latin America.

AVEVA has opened a new office in www.aveva.com www.spectec.net Lloyd's Register chief executive Richard Sadler signs the agreement Bogotá, Colombia. The office will act as with ABS chairman and CEO Robert Somerville the main AVEVA hub for the Caribbean

Digital Ship May 2011 page 43 p39-57:p15-25.qxd 03/05/2011 14:35 Page 6

SOFTWARE NEWS

aggregates bunker data, allowing opera- Stenersen Chartering goes for Veson tors and charterers visibility across the entire fleet. www.veson.com which vary in size from 13,000-19,000 dwt tems, which will dramatically improve our It supports bunker testing processes for and carry refined oil products such as organisation’s ability to work effectively both pre-test and post delivery tests, with Oslo-based Stenersen Chartering AS, the gasoline, jet fuel, naphtha and diesel oil. across departments.” a work list tracking the status of all out- commercial arm of Rederiet Stenersen AS Stenersen Chartering manages tanker “With the installation of IMOS, we will standing tests. Test results are captured in of Bergen, Norway, has agreed a deal to chartering and operations. increase overall efficiencies through its the system, along with operational details implement Veson Nautical’s IMOS “We selected Veson Nautical over the optimised business processes.” for each bunker lifting. (Integrated Maritime Operations System). competition because IMOS most effective- In addition to the announcement of this Bunker requests can be received directly The IMOS6 software will now be used ly fulfilled our requirements for a config- new contract Veson Nautical also reports from the vessel or a voyage operator, with to manage chartering, operations, and urable, flexible commercial marine sys- that it has launched Phase II of its IMOS6 automatic alerting of these requests built into voyage accounting related functions for tem,” remarked Lars Rinde, managing Bunker Management Module, to be used in the the system and providing colour-coded noti- Stenersen Chartering’s fleet. director for Stenersen Chartering. management of overall bunker operations. fications of approaching purchase deadlines. Stenersen Chartering’s product tanker “Further, IMOS6 is designed to connect The module provides workflow sup- An in-line purchase viewer provides fleet numbers approximately 17 vessels, seamlessly with our existing software sys- port for bunker estimates, bunker access order status and all lifting details, requests, price inquiries and purchases, with user-tailored views for bunker increasing access to information and per- requests, alerts, purchases, and liftings. formance analysis to support strategic “It is not unusual for bunker specialists decision making. to negotiate the purchase of thousands of “Bunker management professionals can metric tons of fuel every day, and manage work with yearly budgets in excess of $300 monthly budgets of $25 million or more,” million, which can represent half of the remarked Jamie Sheldon, IMOS product cost of all voyages, so good bunker man- director for Veson Nautical. agement can make or break not only a voy- “When companies monitor bunker age, but a company’s profitability,” said usage by vessel, instead of at the fleet John Veson, president of Veson Nautical. level, they risk missing valuable informa- “We developed IMOS6 Bunker tion. They miss the opportunity to aggre- Management Phase II after collaborating gate bunker purchases and increase their directly with our customers and users, and purchasing leverage.” incorporated their input into the product.” “Phase II ensures those opportunities “We are pleased to offer our customers for competitive negotiation are not lost; it a new module that will provide bunker also promotes better evaluation of negoti- management professionals with the data ating results by allowing the specialist to they need to make the best possible deci- capture market benchmarks along with sions as they interact with charterers, voy- each purchase. Purchase reporting tools Veson Nautical has extended its software package with the addition of age operators, and vessel crews.” compare prices paid to market bench- a new Bunker Management module IMOS6 Bunker Management Phase II marks by port, vessel, operator, and fleet.” CONVERTING MULTIPLE CHALLENGES INTO A SINGLE SOLUTION

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Digital Ship May 2011 page 44 p39-57:p15-25.qxd 03/05/2011 14:35 Page 7

Digital Ship Greek and German operators implement trim optimisation

www.eniram.fi worldwide spot basis; long voyage legs monitoring, training of seafarers and additional installations and will deploy the typically involve loading in the Persian office personnel on best operational, envi- technology on all of its post-Panamax con- Greek tanker operator Maran Tankers Gulf, discharging in the Gulf of Mexico, ronmental and energy management prac- tainer vessels by the end of Q3 this year. Management and German container line ballast to West Africa and then loading for tices, and the deployment of other tech- Hamburg Süd was the first container Hamburg Süd have both agreed new con- discharge in India followed by ballast con- nologies and solutions on new vessels for line to install the DTA system. Since late tracts to install Eniram’s Dynamic ditions back to the Persian Gulf. improvement of energy efficiency and 2008, the vessel operator says it has seen Trimming Assistant (DTA), used to opti- The company has previously proven to reduction of environmental impact. an average 3 per cent reduction in the mise trim and to consequently reduce fuel be an early adopter of energy efficiency ini- "We hope that the Eniram system will bunker consumption of vessels equipped and emissions. tiatives and allocates significant resources prove to be a useful tool for further voyage with DTA, in comparison with non-DTA DTA provides the bridge with a visual to the continual improvement of the envi- performance optimisation," said Mr equipped sister ships. display of the optimum trim of the vessel, ronmental performance of vessel operation. Sfantsikopoulos. The wider installation of DTA is also calculated in real-time and taking into Programmes the company have been Meanwhile, Hamburg Süd, an existing expected to save over 50,000 tons of CO2 account a range of affecting variables. involved with include vessel performance user of the DTA system, has ordered 12 every year across the post-Panamax fleet. As affecting factors like weather, sea Hamburg Süd will take delivery of five state, draft, speed and bunker levels new 7,100 TEU ‘Santa’ Class vessels this change, so does the vessel's optimum trim. year, and three more in 2012. All of these Using this dynamic optimum trim meas- ships will be equipped with DTA once urement the bridge can make adjustments they are launched. to the vessel in order to stay within the “Over the past 12 months, we have con- optimum trim. sistently seen significant fuel savings on all Staying within the optimum trim vessels on which we have installed DTA,” parameters can help the vessel to reduce said Fred Deichmann, managing director, bunker consumption for a given speed. Columbus Shipmanagement, Hamburg Maran Tankers Management began Süd’s vessel management division. with its first installation of the DTA tech- “As we have sister vessels sailing on nology on the VLCC vessel Maran the same routes, it is possible to see the Canopus. reduction in bunker consumption that "With the installation of DTA onboard dynamic trimming has made on those ves- Maran Canopus we hope to achieve a fuel sels equipped with the Eniram system.” saving of between 2 and 4 per cent," said “We see this system as a ‘must-have’ on Miltiades Sfantsikopoulos, superintendent any new vessels entering our fleet to engineer at Maran Tankers. ensure that they are as efficient and envi- "This could translate into US$200-400K ronmentally friendly as possible. As a savings in fuel per calendar year, as well result, all of the new 7,100 TEUs vessels, as a significant reduction in air emissions." Hamburg Süd has seen an average 3 per cent reduction in the biggest in our fleet, will be fitted with Maran Canopus currently operates on a bunker consumption through the use of the technology DTA as they enter service.” BIMCO and Videotel launch e-learning system

www.bimco.org the diploma course being aimed at students out to Videotel client vessels via its increased professional competencies and www.videotel.co.uk and young people entering trainee or onboard computer training system ongoing personal development at their internship programmes and wishing to Videotel on Demand (VOD), to prepare own time and place," said Torben BIMCO (the Baltic and International learn more about the shipping industry. students for enrolment in the BDP once Skaanild, BIMCO secretary general. Maritime Council) has linked up with Online course meetings are held at des- the seafarer disembarks his or her vessel. "It is a new and exciting educational maritime multi-media training provider ignated times with tutors providing tar- The partners say that it will be offered tool which will deliver the best possible Videotel Marine International to produce geted guidance and instruction. at "competitive" prices, with discounts lectures, covering all aspects of the con- a new BIMCO eLearning Diploma Each training module represents being applied to employees of BIMCO temporary maritime industry." Programme (BeDP). approximately three months’ training – member companies. "The BeDP marks a new and exciting The new Learning Management System about 30-40 study hours – followed by a The programme will be backed-up by development in BIMCO’s training and comprises a web-based e-learning package final, written examination leading to the online forums and workshops, which it is educational mission, offering the most up- to deliver the new diploma programme. award of a BIMCO Certificate. Four cer- hoped will also provide networking oppor- to-date technology to members’ employ- Maritime students will be able to access tificates can be combined to achieve the tunities for young shipping professionals. ees and facilitating the transfer of knowl- training provided by online specialist BIMCO Diploma. "The new programme will enable stu- edge to all corners of the planet without experts and tutors selected by BIMCO, with The BeDP course work will be rolled dents to build on their knowledge, acquire costly and extensive travelling."

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Q l Rl bl KDigital ld Ship May 2011 I page 45 p39-57:p15-25.qxd 03/05/2011 14:35 Page 8

SOFTWARE NEWS SINANJU to implement AMOS2 Eidsvaag AS upgrades to TM Master V2

www.spectec.net of steel bunker tankers. www.teromarine.no Following Eidsvaag’s decision to move It currently operates a total of nine to the new version of its software Tero SINANJU has become the latest new tankers and is now largely focused on Norwegian shipping company Eidsvaag AS Marine has also announced a further SpecTec customer after agreeing a deal to barging and shipping services as its core is to upgrade its software system from Tero upgrade of its fleet management package, implement the company’s AMOS2 business. Marine, moving to Version 2 of the product as it plans the introduction of Version 2.6. Enterprise Suite. The AMOS2 project at the company having used TM Master Version 1 since 2005. This release introduces a number of SINANJU is a provider of barging and will include the creation of an interface to TM Master V2 is a fleet management new modules and functionalities, which shipping services in Singaporean waters, SINANJU’s third party accounting sys- solution, with two-way replication Tero says makes it the most comprehen- having expanded since starting operations tem, as well as database construction and between the office and the vessels. sive upgrade since the launch of TM in 1992 to become an owner and operator training. The system was developed on the Master Version 2 in 2007. Microsoft .Net platform, and uses a ‘com- “The new modules and improved func- ponent organisation’ structure based on the tionalities will strengthen the first-hand international standard SFI Group System. information about the fleet’s condition Aker to add 3D technology “When TM Master V2 was presented to and maximise the financial results in the us, it opened a brand new user interface company,” said Inghild Arnesen, market- www.intergraph.com "In order to be successful, we need tools and it simplified the day to day operation ing coordinator at Tero Marine. that enable us to benefit from lessons and building of the databases,” said To reduce time spent on manual report- Aker Solutions has agreed a multi-year learned and best practices, while increas- Johnny Bremnes, technical manager at ing a Voyage e-log has been introduced, contract with Intergraph to implement ing our overall engineering capacity Eidsvaag AS. which manages access to updated infor- Intergraph’s Smart 3D technology, includ- through automation. The objective is to “The decision to upgrade to TM Master mation relating to vessel voyages. ing its SmartMarine 3D system. deliver better products to our customers." V2 was therefore easy. A big advantage A new module for purchasing, TM The first project deployment is expect- Gerhard Sallinger, Intergraph Process, with TM Master V2 is that the database Procurement, has also been added, which ed during the second half of 2011. Power & Marine president, also com- construction and changes can easily be integrates with other modules in the soft- SmartMarine 3D is used for offshore mented: "Aker Solutions is among a done from the office and be transferred to ware, such as maintenance and docking. and ship design. Based on rules and growing number of industry leaders that the vessels immediately.” “The module is tailored to the needs of automation, the system assists in optimis- are adopting Intergraph Smart 3D tech- Mr Bremnes says that the company has the maritime industry, and streamlines the ing design and productivity while short- nology as its next-generation engineering particularly benefitted from the daily entire procurement process from requisi- ening project schedules. platform, because of the unique abilities operational information presented by the tion to delivery and payment. Now the "Intergraph’s Smart 3D Technology it provides." system, arranged in areas like mainte- entire procurement process can be man- will help Aker Solutions to continuously "Intergraph is looking forward to nance, certificates and history on compo- aged from the vessels as well as from the work to improve productivity and quali- working with Aker Solutions and their nents, or technical information. office,” said Ms Arnesen. ty through standardization and knowl- input to future product direction. This creates an overview, based on A module to manage registration of edge-based engineering," said Jann Intergraph believes that Aker Solutions’ first-hand information, of the condition of crew details such as hours of rest, work Kåre Slettebakk, chief information officer industry knowledge will help to drive the fleet. permit, safe job analysis and risk/ conse- in Aker Solutions’ field development further productivity improvements in “Since the system is based on the SFI quence analysis has been introduced, as businesses. Smart 3D technology." structure, it will make it easier for the has a module for measurement and analy- users to use the system across the fleet and sis of trends and consumption to monitor standardise jobs and descriptions,” Mr on board equipment. Bremnes said. “The development towards condition “(And) the possibility to mark class relat- based maintenance is evolving rapidly, ed jobs on components is highly appreciat- and this module is a powerful tool to reg- ed by the class societies during surveys.” ister consumption and trends and cut “We also use the Crew and Certificates down on unnecessary maintenance,” said modules, and find these very useful to Ms Arnesen. keep track of expiry dates etc. The system “Tero Marine is continuously working is always under improvement and adap- on innovative improvements of TM Master, tion to our vessels.” it’s all about staying one step ahead.”

Eidsvaag vessels use the software to replicate data to shore offices Greenwave contract for Maritime Associates

www.ma.com.sg The software system to be delivered to Greenwave will include modules for Maritime Associates reports that it has Document Management, HSSEQA, PMS, signed a contract with Greenwave Shipping Requisition & Purchasing, and Crewing. Pte Ltd, for the supply of its VMOSnet Fleet Maritime Associates says that it has Management software package. also been contracted to develop an inter- Greenwave Shipping is a subsidiary of face between the VMOSnet purchasing Japanese shipping company m/s Koyo module and Koyo Kaiun’s accounting sys- Kaiun, an owner and operater of chemi- tem, to assist in integration of the software cal tankers. packages.

Digital Ship May 2011 page 46 p39-57:p15-25.qxd 03/05/2011 14:35 Page 9

Digital Ship Software donated to Mercy Ships Boatracs to develop web-based software

www.spectec.net of International Business Rules developed www.boatracs.com Computing Platform (MCP) satellite solu- to standardise the production and the tions. Boatracs has been a strategic mar- SpecTec has donated an AMOS Shipdex exchange of technical and logistic data Boatracs reports that it has partnered with itime distributor for Qualcomm since Interface (ASI) software system to the within the shipping community. TransIT Solutions, a software provider for 1990. Mercy Ships Organisation. ASI is capable of reading and importing the transportation and logistics industry, This new product will allow access to This donation is the latest development Shipdex datasets into an AMOS Business to accelerate the development of a new data across multiple devices, as well as in a 15-year partnership between the soft- Suite Database, without the need for web-based software solution for the mar- integrating other maritime information ware provider and the charity, which has retyping of the manufacturer’s technical itime industry. systems such as AIS (Automatic operated hospital ships in developing information. Boatracs will build on the core architec- Identification System). nations since 1978. As such, Mercy Ships will use ASI ture of TransIT Solutions’ TransFusion “These types of partnerships between The AMOS Shipdex Interface is a to automatically populate its database Network product, a web application for best of breed companies greatly accelerate SpecTec module designed to leverage with a Shipdex dataset for MAN Diesel & the shipping and logistics industry, to cre- time to market,” said Irwin Rodrigues, Shipdex Protocol datasets. Shipdex is a set Turbo engines. ate a 'Software as a Service' offering that CEO of Boatracs. aims to help vessel operators manage their “Thousands of vessels already depend use of operational information. on the reliability of our solution for data TransFusion features mapping, mes- messaging, vessel tracking and maritime Australian customer for Shipadmin saging and tracking and other functionali- fleet management. We are committed to ties that are already integrated with enhancing this value even further with Qualcomm’s OmniTRACS and Mobile this initiative.” www.shipadmin.com has 2,400 m² of deck space, two large off- shore cranes (250T and 110T) and is able to Norwegian software provider Shipadmin accommodate 120 personnel. Oceanex to implement SpecTec reports that it has signed an agreement "I am very honoured to welcome crewing software with TS Marine, its first customer in Fugro-TS Marine as a user of our solu- Australia. tions," said Per Magnus Grøsvik, general www.spectec.net As part of another recent project Perth-based TS Marine was recently manager, Shipadmin. Oceanex has already introduced a newly acquired by Fugro, and has chosen to use "Southern Ocean is a very large vessel, SpecTec has agreed a contract with developed interface between AMOS and Shipadmin’s Captains Secretary software able to perform a huge number of Oceanex Inc to implement the AMOS2 its CODA Financials system, which allows system onboard its latest acquisition, the tasks, anywhere in the world. To see Staff Management software module for items like vouchers to be transferred from Southern Ocean. that it will use our program proves crewing services. the AMOS system to CODA. Southern Ocean is a DP2 multirole con- that Shipadmin has developed the right As part of this project, SpecTec will Oceanex is an existing user of the struction/intervention vessel. The vessel solutions." implement the AMOS2 Crewing Database full AMOS2 Enterprise Management and configure the system to match the Suite having started working with the existing AMOS2 Staff Management data- software in 2009 through the introduc- base currently being used by Oceanex, tion of modules like AMOS2 Staff both onshore and aboard the company’s Management, AMOS2 Quality Austrian shipyard goes for Paramarine three vessels, M/V Oceanex Avalon, M/V Management Systems and AMOS2 Cabot and M/V Oceanex Sanderling. Maintenance & Purchase. www.grc.qinetiq.com ship design cycle and improve design con- figuration control. The Öswag shipyard in Austria has Paramarine V7 also includes the abili- agreed a deal to implement the ty to integrate with Siemens NX software, Visit us at Paramarine marine design software sys- so ship designers can conduct naval Nor-Shipping tem, for use in the design of inland water- architectural analysis quickly using the Booth T-05 way ships. master geometry dataset as defined The system will be used for stability within NX. calculations and damage stability on the The reporting functionality of the soft- creating seaworthy software ships, which will primarily operate on the ware has been overhauled, to allow users Danube and the Rhine. to quickly create reports on any data held "We carried out an extensive review of within the tool. The reports can be export- marine design software tools for use in ed to Microsoft Word, produced as PDFs the design of passenger vessels, cargo or printed directly from Paramarine. vessels and work boats for inland water- The new reporting capability will auto- ways," said Harald Böhm, chief project matically update its contents - links to the www.autoship.com engineer, Öswag. data are ‘live’ and any changes in the "Based on a combination of market underlying calculations will cause the reputation, functionality and ease of use report to automatically refresh itself. Stability & Strength Assessment we selected Paramarine. In addition, its This means that changes to the under- Cargo Management & Load Planning ability to integrate with our CAD/CAM lying vessel geometry will automatically tool Siemens NX, enables us to speed up recreate the contents of the report with the Ship Design & Production the whole design process and improve updated calculations, requiring no further World-Wide Service & Support accuracy." user input as the design evolves. An updated version of the Paramarine "The selection by Öswag for use in the software has also recently been released, design of inland vessels further demon- Catch information to extend the software’s functionality with strates the versatility and flexibility of as it happens. enhancements to its reporting, concurrent Paramarine software underpinned by its design and documentation capabilities. ease of use," said Vittorio Vagliani, man- The new functionality in Paramarine aging director, QinetiQ GRC. V7 is intended to improve and enhance "Additionally we have been able to the design process, with a focus on reduc- rapidly respond to Öswag’s specific ing cost whilst speeding up the whole requirements for the incorporation of the design cycle. Rhine River requirements further demon- The latest release introduces the ability strating that when customers purchase for ship designers to work concurrently on Paramarine they not only buy a best in the same vessel design, which QinetiQ class solution but they also get access to a GRC, the developer of the Paramarine business that can support their specific range, says will reduce the length of the requirements."

Digital Ship May 2011 page 47 p39-57:p15-25.qxd 03/05/2011 14:35 Page 10

SOFTWARE NEWS Shipping companies choose On-Demand ERP comes online

MarineLink for electronic purchasing ww.otesat-maritel.com Safety Management (ISM) Administrator. All services are accessible anywhere via www.edbergogroup.com previous MTS system. Otesat-Maritel has announced the avail- the internet, and Otesat says that it is offer- Thome was the first manager in ability of its ‘On-Demand ERP’ software ing the service under a flexible ‘Pay-as- Rederi AB Transatlantic and Imperial Ship the shipping community to run two con- system, which can be combined with You-Go/Pay-as-You-Grow’ model, where Management AB are to use the current e-commerce portals, having Cloud Computing services and is avail- costs will be based on particular user MarineLink e-commerce service from EDB implemented both the MTS and Shipserv able for a monthly fee. requirements. ErgoGroup for purchasing operations, platforms. The ERP offering, first launched by In this way, Otesat says that it hopes the after agreeing contracts covering 45 ves- The company says it pursued this Otesat in mid-2010, incorporates a service will allow small and medium-sized sels, while Thome Ship Management will combined electronic purchasing policy Microsoft Dynamics NAV Planned shipping companies to use modern spe- also use the service as its sole e-commerce for a number of reasons, firstly for com- Maintenance System (PMS), Procurement cialised IT systems that may have previous- system. mercial reasons, and then to have expe- Process Solution (PPS) and International ly only been accessible to larger businesses. Rederi AB Transatlantic and Imperial rience using both systems, keeping their Ship Management will use the purchas- options open. ing package to electronically handle However, early in 2011 Thome made inquiries, quotes, orders and order con- the decision to move to the MarineLink firmations, and to make use of various eCommerce service as its sole e-com- Digital Ship Singapore tools for statistics and control, and merce provider. reporting of KPIs. “Advanced eCommerce delivered by 18 - 19 October 2011, Suntec Convention Centre It is also expected that the technology MarineLink is our choice for addressing will help Rederi AB Transatlantic and the current and future needs of our pur- Imperial Ship Management improve chasing operations, further improving integration with their logistics the efficiency of our purchasing opera- providers. tion and making savings,” said Ryan "We have chosen MarineLink as our e- Dalgado, Thome’s procurement and sup- commerce service, as EDB ErgoGroup is a ply chain manager. large, independent and reputable IT com- “We want to be the forerunner in pany with a proven track record in e-com- e-commerce, with MarineLink develop- merce," said Thomas Andersson, vice ing advanced e-commerce solutions president supply management, Rederi AB which help us monitor our purchasing Transatlantic. operations through dynamic reporting "EDB ErgoGroup is an e-commerce spe- tools, enabling us to deliver quality ship cialist, and is delivering professional e- management.” commerce in many market segments. Thome will use the system to handle With their MarineLink platform, we reach inquiries, quotes, orders and order con- the benefits from a large scale operation firmations, as well as receiving and pro- and lower cost, the maritime industry spe- cessing electronic invoices and creating cialties, and rich functionality that meets reports and KPIs. our needs." “EDB ErgoGroup MarineLink has a EDB ErgoGroup’s three year contract great and wonderful experience working with Thome meanwhile covers the ves- with Thome although it was a very chal- sel operator’s entire fleet of about 150 lenging encounter,” said Jonny Lotten of ships. EDB ErgoGroup. “More than 2,700 vessels Thome Ship Management had previ- are now trading through EDB ErgoGroup ously been a user of the Marine MarineLink, and the EDB ErgoGroup e- Transaction Services (MTS) purchasing commerce solution is managing more than system since April 2007, which was incor- 15,000 integrated businesses performing porated into EDB ErgoGroup’s e-com- over 250 million e-commerce transactions merce platform as MarineLink in 2010 annually.” after it was purchased from Wilhelmsen “(This) allows the companies to effi- Ships Service. ciently process orders, requests for For sponsorship and exhibiting opportunities, contact MarineLink says that it has since quotes, invoices and logistics documents Ria Kontogeorgou, tel: +44 (0)20 7017 3401, added new functionality for invoice pro- through a single, electronic connection to [email protected] cessing and logistics integration to the all of its suppliers.”

Digital Ship May 2011 page 48 p39-57:p15-25.qxd 03/05/2011 14:35 Page 11

Digital Ship SCF Unicom – upgrading training with CBT

SCF Unicom has implemented a range of computer based training systems (CBT) across its fleet of more than 90 ships – training officer Captain Anatoly Trofimov told Digital Ship about how online training has revolutionised the education of the company’s crews

yprus-headquartered SCF Uni- cific requirements of its seafarers and STA Online from which it has seen very said Captain Trofimov. com has conducted a significant office staff, with modifications which positive results, with a significant number “STS is a core part of the way we CCupgrade of its training systems, to included the assignment of training of seafarers having already completed approach crew evaluation and helps ensure that its standards not only meet requirements to individuals as well as CBT modules via the internet. enhance the effectiveness of our selection those required by STCW but in many cas- software features designed to help with “The number of seafarers passing CBT process. Our masters all do their best to es exceed them. competence management and knowledge modules has considerably increased as a make sure that onboard training is well This has included the introduction of assessment. result,” said Captain Trofimov. planned and arranged so that the training online training systems, to increase the “In the fast-changing shipping environ- workload does not affect work activities.” training options available to vessel crews in Company training policies ment it is clear that a competent crew these Going forward, SCF Unicom is also different locations and stimulate the contin- SCF Unicom’s policy is that mandatory days gives you a competitive advantage.” considering extending its use of crew eval- ued education of the company’s seafarers. computer-based training modules must “In this context it is of great importance uation technology to include the use of an The introduction of new training tech- be completed with an exam score of at to provide effective training tools / equip- Ability Profiling programme, which acts nologies is part of a continuous process at least 75 per cent and must be repeated ment which can be continuously and as a support tool during recruitment of SCF Unicom, with the company having every 36 months. effectively used by seafarers on board for junior officers and the screening of marine already completed an earlier upgrade of its Recommended modules have to be enhancement of their knowledge and cadets. training set-up last year in conjunction with completed according to specific vessel working competency.” APRO is a psychometric assessment Norwegian training technology supplier type and the seafarer’s rank and position. The impact of the enthusiastic response programme developed in a research and Seagull, supplementing its computer-based In addition, SCF Unicom seafarers to the on-line initiative is reflected in an development initiative headed by the training programme with the introduction have been given remote access to Seagull impressive set of training statistics. Norwegian Marine Technology Research of additional training modules. CBT Modules, through the implementa- In the three years to January 31 2010, a Institute and supported by the University The Seagull Training System (STS) has tion of the Seagull Training Administrator total of 37,234 CBT modules were com- of Oslo, Det Norske Veritas and other key been used to provide Computer-Based (STA Online). pleted by SCF Unicom seafarers – by partners in the shipping industry. Training (CBT) packages to crews, with a “This means that seafarers can log in January 31, 2011 this had increased to APRO is suitable for shipping compa- full range of assessment tools and ensur- from home to review online their training 73,539 CBT modules. nies of all types, but can be especially use- ing compliance with STCW and IMO stan- records status and can finish their This means that within a one-year peri- ful for tanker operators, who have to com- dards, since it was selected for use across od, 36,325 CBT modules were completed, ply with Tanker Management and Self the entire fleet and in its recruitment a close to 100 per cent increase compared Assessment (TMSA) requirements. offices in 2006. with the previous three years. TMSA stipulates that techniques such SCF Unicom, part of the Sovcomflot According to Seagull area sales manag- as simulator training and computer-based Group has since implemented the training er, Dan Gunnar Hugvik, these results are a or psychometric test assessment tools technology across its fleet of more than 90 testament to how extensively SCF Unicom must be in place to confirm competence ships, including gas tankers, chemical crews have been using the online tools for the job before employment. tankers, dry cargo and bulker vessels, plus available to them. Working with Professor Roald Bjorklund, all land-based offices. “Unicom is probably now one of the of The University of Oslo’s Department of This has been supplemented through the world leaders as far as the use of online Psychology, who was part of the original recent introduction of these new modules, training tools in shipping is concerned,” research and development team, Seagull now in use onboard Unicom vessels, cover- he said. has modified the APRO test tool so that ing areas like Inspection, Mooring, Basic “We are constantly reviewing with SCF the test can be undertaken online. Ship Handling, Hot Work, Piracy, H2S Unicom their training needs and the result “It is important to recognise that APRO Hydrogen Sulphide Awareness, MLC 2006, is a continual process of enhancement. We is a very specific tool that allows compa- Team Leadership and Crane Operator. regularly sit down and review the mod- nies to find out how people react in safety To add to this, another training devel- CBT use by SCF Unicom seafarers ules they use to make sure they fully cover related areas, measuring the time they opment at SCF Unicom involves the has increased almost 100 per cent their training requirements.” take to do tasks and the level of accuracy potential use of INTERTANKO’s in three years and the mistakes they might make, for Electronic Tanker Officer Training Crew evaluation instance,” said Professor Bjorklund. Standard (E-TOTS) in association with the required training ashore, supplementing In another joint initiative, SCF Unicom is “Unlike some other psychometric tests, Seagull Training System, following an the training already completed onboard,” now using another of Seagull’s online sys- APRO is designed to help select people agreement between Seagull and the tanker said Captain Trofimov. tems after introducing a new version of who are able to act in the right way when owners association. “Both the onboard and online training Seagull’s Crew Evaluation System (CES safety is critical. What Seagull has done SCF Unicom is considering using E- remote access results are stored in the same 5.0) at its crewing offices in St Petersburg, with APRO is very impressive, using TOTS next year, for training of a target central database so that all training is record- Novorossiysk and Vladivostok. modern IT to allow the tests to be used on group that will include junior officers, ed and this allows us to access a training CES is a computer-based knowledge different types of computer screens and those aspiring to become senior officers profile for every specified crew position.” evaluation tool that consists of a database most importantly online.” and officers new to the company, accord- To promote the use of the online train- of several thousand questions which can “Results can be kept remotely, rather ing to the company’s training officer, ing system, presentations were made to be used to assess the background knowl- than on a local computer, and the results Captain Anatoly Trofimov. SCF Unicom superintendents by Seagull edge of crew members covering Deck, evaluated over a period of time, for Using these computer-based training at Unicom’s head office in Cyprus explain- Engine and General Services. instance comparing them with a candi- systems has been of particular importance ing the different types of training courses The system can be used in any man- date’s real life performance onboard ship.” to SCF Unicom, he told us. available onboard and offering instruc- ning office without installing any soft- Adding tools such as these to the range “In the fast-changing shipping environ- tions as to how to review the use of train- ware, as only an internet connection is of training systems already in use at the ment it is clear that a competent crew ing materials provided during routine needed. An extended report section is company will be another step in the con- these days gives you a competitive advan- shipboard inspections. also included, allowing head office to eas- tinued evolution of SCF Unicom’s training tage,” he said. SCF Unicom says that it considers provi- ily generate reports on tests performed at programmes. “In this context it is of great importance sion of highly qualified and experienced all manning offices. With this and the other online training to provide effective training tools and crews to its vessels as a “top priority”, and “The adoption of the STS training pack- systems in use at the company, SCF equipment for the continuous onboard sees the training provided to crewmembers age and CES evaluation tools are signifi- Unicom is providing a fine example of training of ships’ personnel.” at on-shore Training Centres and onboard cantly assisting our efforts to sustain the how modern shipping companies can In this respect the Seagull system used as a key element of a crew’s competency. continuous onboard training and educa- apply the latest maritime technologies to by SCF Unicom has been customised by In pursuit of this policy the company tion of our seafarers and maintaining a maintain and enhance the skills of the offi-

the Norwegian company to meet the spe- has now completed a trial period with consistent approach to crew assessment,” cers and crews onboard their fleets. DS

Digital Ship May 2011 page 49 p39-57:p15-25.qxd 03/05/2011 14:35 Page 12

SOFTWARE Condition Monitoring Support for the Hull The latest software for hull monitoring allows for 3-D imaging, integrated reporting and the highest levels of accuracy in examining the integrity of a vessel’s structure. It is time that the maritime industry began to take advantage of these capabilities for condition monitoring, writes Dr Christian Cabos, Germanischer Lloyd

hen the industry talks about example, inspection forms with images of condition monitoring today it the actual structural members of the WWis often aimed at the vessels’ inspected tank can be printed out to mark machinery items. findings and positions on photos using a However, the vessels’ hull structures pen during the inspection. are as important as the machinery items. If This information can then be entered the main engine fails, the anchor could into the onboard software, allowing the still be an option, but what about structur- user to interact directly with the 3-D al failures? model. Drawing on a model requires less A well-chosen and effectively imple- skill and is less error-prone than describ- mented hull maintenance strategy not only ing locations in text form. Attaching photo reduces the risk of incidents but assures images to a location in the model is a mat- integrity and safeguards the environment. ter of a few clicks. Ship owners, managers and operators Software systems also create the ability to continuously need to monitor their vessels’ represent all of the findings visually, which structural condition in order to detect defi- is particularly helpful when shipping com- ciencies in the hull structure at an early panies need to prove to charterers that their time and initiate necessary maintenance ships are maintained to high standards. actions. Typically, monitoring is done by Uniform Reporting appointed crew members through period- Standard ic visual inspections. Another advantage of using hull integrity Because of the size and complexity of software is that it allows information to be the tanks and cargo holds, the location and shared more easily. 3-D inspection allows users to interact with the model and represent findings visually extent of coating breakdown, defects, cor- The application can allow information on rosion, etc. are hard to document with suf- the condition of hull structures to be made a checklist based on IACS recommenda- another feature that should be required. ficient accuracy using text descriptions and available to any employee across the compa- tions and an accompanying guideline for Thickness measurement results should be photos only, unless their exact location in ny once the inspection results have been rating defects, ensure that uniform report- easily transferred into the software and the structure can be expressed reliably. approved and synchronised. Hence, the ing can be achieved even across a fleet of should also be shown on the graphical Tank structure inspections are critical superintendent can easily associate any vessels with varying crews. ship model. work, and several operators have discov- photo or finding with its location on the ship. Since the images on the inspection This can be made possible by a soft- ered material cracking and defective coat- If this data is stored in a lifecycle data- forms are based on the 3-D model of the ware application created for thickness ing in their vessels that must be addressed base the hull condition data for each indi- actual vessel, the quality of reports pre- measurement companies, an application if these units are to continue operating for vidual vessel can be traced over time. pared by crew members increases signifi- based on the same 3-D model of the ship. the long term. Sister vessels from the same fleet can be cantly. As such, hull integrity software can Used by the thickness measurement Planning, preparing, executing, report- compared easily. therefore provide a major step towards firm contracted by the ship owner, the tool ing on, and assessing hull structure A dashboard overview of the entire implementing a truly consistent mainte- maintains historical data in standardised inspections is a crucial process that ship will also make it easier to pinpoint nance and risk management approach. formats for comparison and can be used to requires utmost diligence. This is where any critical findings by crew or third- support the requirements of any ship type. specific hull integrity software comes in. party inspectors. Requirements The latest hull integrity software sys- While these capabilities can be useful in There are a number of elements that New capabilities tems use 3-D models of the vessel to show helping to manage the performance of com- should be considered when considering Hull maintenance software has been avail- actual plates and stiffeners, or frames of pany fleets, for shipping companies the true the use of hull integrity software. able for several years – yet it has not been each tank or other space in the ship. value of hull inspection can be seen once It is important that the package used adopted by the majority of the maritime Using these 3-D models creates various you apply a uniform reporting standard. comprises both shipboard and onshore industry to date. benefits in managing hull integrity. For Pre-generated inspection forms, such as software using the same visual 3D repre- However, the new capabilities that exist sentation of the vessel, and that you can in these programs today, such as the ability arrange associated training for the appli- to easily associate defects with structural cations. A hull survey guideline should members and having a platform for their also be included. visualisation, may help to change that. The software should support the Ship owners, managers and operators inspection, reporting, and assessment of will benefit from having access to both an the condition of a ship’s hull with respect integrity tool and a communication aid. to a wide number of areas – things like With this kind of support for the hull coating condition, corrosion, structural inspection process these systems can take defects and findings on out-fittings should hull maintenance to a new level. all be included. In essence, you may call it a platform for A comprehensive database, synchro- hull structure lifecycle management. DS nised with the onshore office, will also be beneficial to allow staff to monitor the sta- tus of tanks, cargo holds and other spaces About the author throughout the asset lifecycle. Dr Christian Cabos is deputy head of A straightforward and robust user inter- Strategic Research and Development for face is similarly essential if the solution is to Germanischer Lloyd in Hamburg. His par- be accepted by users on board, and if you ticular focus areas are the development of are to create the additional key benefit of computer aided engineering methods and having a comprehensive flow of informa- Product Lifecycle Management. Most tion from the vessel to the onshore office. recently he has worked on software sup- port for hull inspection and maintenance. Software can provide an overview of the structural condition of the whole vessel Integration of thickness measurements into the owner’s maintenance system is

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SOFTWARE Game based learning for maritime

The introduction of Game Based Learning systems may be one way in which computer based training in the maritime industry could be enhanced through the application of the latest technology. An Alpha version of a newly developed game tested on marine students has shown positive results, write Dr Nikitas Nikitakos and Ioannis Sirris, University of the Aegean

ame Based Learning (GBL) can be very a powerful educational model as part of non-formal or Gaming main conventions GG Story’s Intentional Learning informal e-learning with supplementary (Instruction, Game-world) and supportive scope to formal education. 1. Character The maritime industry should take full 2. Worlds advantage of this emerging technology 3. Events providing a new way for lifelong learning Play’s Incidental Learning and distance education that supports (Practice, Game-play) active and critical learning. 1. Stimulus Game based learning for seafarers is a 2. Response multifactor domain combining education- 3. Results al psychology, learning theories, instruc- Game’s Intrinsic Learning tional design, computer game technology, (Performance, Game-structure) and maritime studies research. 1. Goals As such it demands the cooperation of 2. Tools three different scientific areas – education 3. Rules design, computer science and maritime Gaming fundamental ID tasks education, having a common task of 1. Expose ‘proper game design’. 2. Inquire However, GBL also faces a lot of prob- 3. Discover lems, which arise partly from the vast dif- 4. Create ferences in how people think and operate 5. Experiment 6. Share in both arenas. Instructional design that is connected to education tends to be systematic, rea- Figure 2: Game main conventions and ID events soned, and grounded; and gaming experi- ence is more likely to be idiosyncratic, intuitive, and novel. Game’, which covers game structure and now in alpha version. The game is assumes various courses necessary to ship In educational games, game design the characteristics that make it appealing designed for adult seafarers and maritime operation management will be completed. includes a major task, “embedding suitable as a means of learning. faculty students, applied in non-formal These include basic science, applied sci- educational approach and instructional tech- The Third domain of study is ‘Seafarers educational settings, and has been evalu- ence, social science and language. niques, for specific learning outcome and stu- and Maritime Industry’ which describes ated by maritime students. Completion of such courses is neces- dent profile, into the scenario and game play the profession of seafarers and discusses sary to obtain standard qualifications, without losing the fun and attractive part of it.” its particularities. Maritime education such as the various basic education levels This means that a lot of study has to be These sections, and their intersections, Regulators and shipping interests aim to provided for by international conventions, done on the implementation of education- define the scope of this article, which is an create a safer, more environmentally and is also supported by field education al games for seafarers, mainly on three examination of how to ‘design and devel- friendly and secure maritime transporta- through embarkation training. MET is a main domains and their intersections pre- op educational games for seafarers’. A tion sector, and write conventions such as lifelong learning process that supports sented in Figure 1. framework for designing educational the STCW, which requires specific levels active and critical thinking. The First domain covers ‘learning and games is presented and applied to profes- of knowledge, understanding and skill for The idea of using computer games for education’, focusing mainly on learning sional maritime education for navigation- all seafarers on each level of responsibility. education is not just a concept inspired by theories, learning format, teaching strate- al safety training. Despite this they have been confronted educators and researchers, but is also gies and instructional design. The result of this has been the creation with the fact that human error is still the found in leading game designers’ descrip- The Second domain is ‘Electronic of a 3D real time strategy game, which is main cause of shipping incidents. Human tions of the most basic incentives for play- error is present in 80 per cent to 90 per cent ing computer games. of all shipping accidents. In the words of game designer Chris Det Norske Veritas has recently con- Crawford (1982), “The fundamental moti- cluded that “human error still continues to vation for all game-playing is to learn.” Learning and education be a serious challenge, accounting for 58 What is important is to consider how to per cent of major [insurance] claims.” integrate, and not just add, games to the Seafarers’ analysis, A seaman officer should have many educational tool set, blending them with Educational maritime education, abilities in order to perform his duty, such learning activities. games performance context as high professional knowledge and the Integration requires an understanding technical skills necessary for ship opera- of the medium and its alignment with the Educational tion management, prudence in relation to subject, instructional strategy, student’s games for potential dangers and the ability to deal learning style, and intended outcomes. seafarers with those dangers when an accident hap- Integration of games into curricula is pens, collaboration and leadership abili- much more likely to be successful than ties, neatness, organisation skills and mere game use. Electronic games Seafarers and new responsibility. Stapleton and Hughes posit a schema technologies He must also be equipped with cour- (Figure 2) that helps illustrate how the results Seafarers and maritime industry tesy and education in human relation- of fundamental ID tasks from a game’s main ships, time observance, as well as having a conventions facilitate the design and strong mind and physical power. development of instructional games. In order to train marine officers with the According to Kirriemuir and talent and capacity required for sea service, McFarlane, the game environment can Figure 1: Domains of study Maritime Education and Training (MET) support both the mundane 'acquisition of

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SOFTWARE

Aspect Behaviourist Cognitive Constructivism Support Operation Wisdom (Skills and attitudes) (Domain Knowledge) (Administration) Learning Changes Process entirely in Discover and transform Behaviorist orientation Cognitivist orientation Constructivist orientation process behaviour the head of the complex information Calculus & Statistics Physics Navigation learner Medical First Aid Meteorology Maritime Safety Learn Facts, skills, Judgment, Theories, Process Technical Drawing Chemistry Prevention of Marine Pollution what procedures Reasoning Electric and IT and Communication Cargo Handling and Stowage Game Action, sports, Business, Strategy, adventure, Electrotecnics genre role-play, simulation open ended simulation Fire fighting Ship Engines techniques Ship Structure and Stability adventure tabletop adventure, strategy Lifeboat Training Maritime English Naval Shipping Control Figure 3: Learning theory, object, and game genre Personal Safety Law Shipbuilding Communications Maritime History Maritime Business

facts' through drill and practice, and the The first of these models is Gagné’s GMDSS Geography Ship Management (includes complex acquisition of process skills nine events (Figure 4, top left), used to Search & Rescue Oceanography Bridge Resource Management) through simulation. help us identify the in-game situations Defining the game genre we can target that must be fulfilled for successful deferent educational approaches and instruction, and also associates each one of Figure 5: Learning theories for maritime objectives achieve various learning objectives as pre- these events with its in-game event. sented in Figure 3. The second model is the ADDIE model (Figure 4, top right), which provides game design, as it involves more intricate that are necessary to apply pedagogy in Designing educational instructional designers with a solid foun- steps in order to address the total effec- game design and development differ sig- games dation for designing instruction, and is tiveness of mastering objectives or goals. nificantly depending on the application In order to equip games with learning most useful for the overall description of In order to adopt game design to spe- level – as illustrated in Figure 6. abilities we should integrate educational the product development process. cific maritime education objectives, we theory into the game design and consider The ADDIE model has strong compo- have classified the learning objectives into Collaboration of game how to use Instructional Design (ID) mod- nents and describes the overall procedure 3 levels of application: ‘Wisdom’, designers and educators els in the game development process. of instructional design and implementa- ‘Operation’ and ‘Support’, that corre- In order to produce educational games Here we will focus on three different tion. A game development process spond to a Constructivist, Cognitivist and beyond edutainment we need cooperation instruction models, each one with a differ- grounded in a solid Instructional model Behaviourist approach (see Figure 5). between commercial game develop- ent role in the game design and implemen- like ADDIE can help to verify the con- These learning objectives are based on ers/designers and instructional design- tation procedure, in order to show that it is struction procedure of complete instruc- STCW’95 requirements, where features ers/subject matter educators. possible for games to meet the demands of tional products. have been determined in terms of These two groups can work together these ID models, and also present how ID The last of our three models (bottom ‘Administration’, ‘Domain knowledge’, under a proper game design and develop- models influence and benefit the develop- Figure 4) is Dick and Carey’s model, ‘skills and attitudes’. ment framework. The goal is to create ment of Educational Games. which is more analytical than ADDIE and Games can support these educational ‘stealth learning’ in games that still remain A game design and implementation tells the designer how to break instruction levels based on different game worlds, amusing and fun to play. framework based on these three ID mod- down to smaller components and synthe- structure and play, and under various The framework proposed here is based els provides a strong evidence that the size these components. game genres. on the instructional design of the ‘Systems GBL is pedagogically well grounded. For this reason it is used in analytical Nevertheless, the process and resources Approach Model for Designing Instruction’ (Dick et al. 2001), which consists of the Event Games three phases outlined in the last of our Instructional Game 1 Attention utilize quality video and audio in the set-up models in Figure 4 – the Analysis Phase; Stage Design Development Design Phase; and Production Phase. 2 Expectancy provide background and description of how to ‘win’ provide (ADDIE) overview, rules, and tasks/quests Analysis phase results (as described in 3 Retrieval to working leverage the use of background information and levels 1 Analysis Concept Figure 7) will create the concept document memory Development that describes the high concept of the 4 Pattern recognition, Present animated material that is encouraging, chal lenging, selective perception user-controlled and easy navigable with important information 2 Design Pre-production game, player motivation, game play, story, target audience/market, game 5 Chunking, rehearsal, Offer optional hints, pop-up with alternate choices, suggestions. 3 Development Prototyping encoding “Help” sections, user guides and tutorials genre, target platform and game goals. 6 Retrieval, Encourage interactivity by assigning tasks, quests, challenges, 4 Implementation Production The Design Phase follows the analysis responding problems 5 Evaluation Post-production phase (see Figure 8), and the results of this 7 Reinforcement, Tally scores, provide corrective feedback, provide rewards for phase form the basis of the IMS Learning error correction achieving each level Design document. 8 Responding, Ensure achievement is assessed in a timely and meaningful way. retention Track scores/best scores Modern pedagogical theory insists on 9 Retention, retrieval, Transfer skills and knowledge between levels and games. the importance of scenarios, i.e. story- generalization boards that define learning activities. The IMS Learning Design Specification Revise (IMS-LD) provides a very thorough frame- Instruction Conduct work for evaluating the capabilities of Instructional software tools within the learning design Analysis Assess space and also a platform-independent Needs to Design and notational convention to allow sharing Develop Develop Develop and Conduct Identify Write and re-use of these designs. Goal(s) Performance Assessment Instructional Select Formative Objectives Instruments Strategy Instructional Evaluation of Also, it will be necessary to create game Materials Instruction design documents (GDD), an extension of the concept document – these will have a Analysis project overview and detailed descrip- Learners and Design and tions of: Game world, Game play, Game Contexts Conduct structure, Art, Audio and Technical Summative Features, Production Details. Evaluation Added to these documents we would Analysis also have the Art Bible, the Technical Phase Design Production Design Document, and game prototypes. Phase Phase The next phase, the Production Phase, will include complete formative evaluations. Figure 4: Instructional Design models The educators / instructional designers will conduct small group evaluations to

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Digital Ship

Connection charter Wisdom C sign G.B.L. chartering C C C agreement Realize risks and chances cargo cargo select P IP load chartering check select IP (Administration function) C available offer all chartering a chartering money origin offers agreement Knowledge port IP P C charter chartering C C C chartering details description check IP destination if your ship agreement Understand how system works port is capable estimate (Operation function) all available charter IP travel costs chartering Information fee penalties ship status profits IP C IP C Process the data IP C capacity ship (Support function) ship C travel characteristings capability running profit C Data C cost C Understanding depth C C ship descrption estimate insurance Figure 6: GBL for all educational levels kind of cost ship travel cost bonus cost port fuels wages cost cost cost determine the effectiveness of changes do their best too.” made following the one-to-one evaluation, The aim of the player is to increase their Figure 9: Chartering concepts, facts, principles and procedures and conduct field trials of the Beta version earnings, and gain the reputation of ‘best of the games. captain’, starting your career at the begin- management of a cargo ship. and maritime students from the merchant Complete testing is required to fix all ning. The player must navigate, charter The game requires the Windows 7 plat- maritime industry. bugs, fine tune performance, and ensure the and administer their crew better than form, a standalone pc with high quality The design phase has also been com- game may be used in its intended setting. competitors, with game play also includ- graphics card, 2 GB RAM and a 17-inch pleted, resulting in the IMS – LD docu- During this phase game developers / ing travel cost estimation and commercial monitor. The target audience is seafarers ment illustrated in Figure 9. designers will create and test prototypes during the design, as well as various ver- sions of the games during production. Such Tasks Educators / Instructional designers Game Designers / Developers tests tend to focus on ease of use, docu- menting and fixing programming bugs, Define learning goals, Assess needs, education scope. Combine learning goals with skills and knowledge Reconcile formal education lesson plans. entertainment goals. and ensuring the game is (still) fun to play. Decide prerequisites and learning outcome Identify game complexity and genre. The Production Phase should result in level. Identify suitable learning theory an Alpha version, where the game is playable from start to finish, though there Create learners’ profile Make Learner analysis (Entry behaviours, Identify game difficulty, levels, needs, learning method, attitudes, challenges, availability and interface may be a few gaps and the art assets may demographics, and game experience) not be final. However, the game engine and user interface are both complete. Learning context and Instructional design, assessments, Decide hardware requirements, Production of the Beta version focuses scope educational and instructional resources resources, networking on fixing bugs and the integration of all Performance context Game world settings and learning activities. Game world settings and learning assets. The objectives are to complete test- Check the analogies between reality and Make a draft game story. ing (including use on all supported plat- imaginary game world. Draft IMS-LD document. System dynamic tools may be used forms), bug fixing and performance tuning. For the Gold version the product has Basic instructional Design structure Game genre, game play. Decide game been reviewed and finalised and is ready approach design approach method. for production. Alpha version Figure 7: Description of the analysis phase from Dick and Carey’s model An educational game for the maritime industry, called Trader Of The World (TOTW), has actually been developed in Alpha version, according to the above Tasks Educators / Instructional designers Game Designers / Developers framework. Following the Analysis phase, the Game play Generate objectives. Associate learning Game play activities with learning objects and objectives premise of the game was decided to be ‘an educational game with embedded instruc- tional design and assessments that will Game rules Factor analysis and system dynamics on Game structure still be fun to play, (with) an interesting player activities and game world events and intriguing game story and game play for the target audience’. Game world, Cluster and sequence the objectives. Define game levels by considering game and It is a first person, business strategy, competition Communicate the organization of objectives instructional flow, duration, availability, real time simulation game, in the follow- to developers. Create the IMS-LD document. relationships and difficulty. ing scenario: “You are the captain of a Delineate Learner Assess What, Assess When, Assess Where Determine learner assessment. Decide game merchant ship. Find a cargo contract suit- Assessment Methods and how rewards and penalties as assessments’ results. able for your ship, make a contract, get to the port where you will load the cargo at Apply Grounded Identify instructional events associated with Integrate grounded instructional strategies and specific date/time, deliver it to the desti- Strategies & Events the instructional approach or strategy events with story events to optimize GBL exploiting nation port, and then you get paid accord- selected during concept development. similarities and resolving differences in story and ing to the contract.” instruction. “Take care of your ship; buy food sup- Begin Formative Expert reviews by subject matter experts as well as media, learning and human factors specialists. plies, petrol, deck supplies and take care Evaluations One-to-one evaluations to obtain initial reactions to the content from learners. of your crew. A lot of incidents may arise during your travel, like crew diseases, Revision Re-examine the validity of the instructional Examine game levels. Check consistency of game navigation faults, port strikes, port traffic, analysis and the assumptions about the story and the clearness of game objectives. entry behaviours and characteristics of Examine user interface. bad weather, engineering problems, ship learners. Review the instructional strategy. Examine player motivation, game flow and attractiveness. damages and much more.” “You can predict and overcome most of these problems if you take right decisions Figure 8: Description of the design phase from Dick and Carey’s model and act consequently. Competitor captains

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SOFTWARE

The research objectives of the question- almost any learning need if they are naire were game attractiveness, business designed under a framework such as the model representation in game environ- one proposed in this paper, and devel- ment, acceptance of games as an educa- oped by a team formed by instructional tional mean in MET and familiarization of designers, field masters, educators, game maritime students with Computer and designers and game developers. Computer Games. The results of the summative evalua- Each question has 5 possible answers: SD tion of the Alpha version of the ‘Trader of represents ‘Strongly disagree’, D for the World’ game developed by the ‘Disagree’, NAND for ‘Neither agree nor University of the Aegean were very satis- disagree’, A stands for ‘Agree’ and SA for factory, and it seems that there is a great ‘Strongly Agree’. Results and conclusions chance to create and introduce such games from these questions are shown in Figure 11. in maritime education. Our conclusion from this project is that The next step in the research is the Educational Games is a promising emerg- development of the Beta and Gold (final) ing technology suitable for the educational version of the game, with improvements in needs of maritime education and training. graphics, scenarios building, usability etc. GBL can be used in the MET domain Then it can be fully evaluated by sea- and applied not only to onboard (non for- farers and maritime students in order to Figure 10: Game screenshots mal) education, but also to informal mar- have the final feedback about the two itime education as a supplementary tool major issues of the research: fun and The screenshots shown in Figure 10 dents in the field of navigation, ship han- aiming to achieve active learning and crit- immersiveness of playing maritime educa- demonstrate some of the different aspects dling, bridge resource management, ical thinking. tional games, and the desired learning of the TOTW game. mechanics and machine construction. All Educational Games can be adjusted to outcome for MET. DS In the top left screenshot we can see of them were in the last year of their stud- indicators for, from left to right, the ies and had 12 months of sea working About the authors GMDSS device, GPS device, the compass, experience. Dr ikitas ikitakos is a Professor in the Department of Shipping Trade and Transport at thrust indicators, fuel level and a mini To gather the students’ thoughts on the the University of the Aegean, Greece. E-mail: [email protected] map where the player can see his positions educational game they were asked to fill Ioannis Sirris ia a Ph.D. student at the University of the Aegean, Greece. E-mail: and port positions. in a questionnaire of 16 Likert Questions [email protected] There are also four controls covering (a psychometric scale commonly used in This article is based on an original academic paper – the original paper, with a full ist of ship’s overall status, engine department, questionnaires) and personal demograph- references, is available at http://www.thedigitalship.com/powerpoints/GBL.doc. deck department and food supplies. Here ic data. the ship is in the harbour, and the player sees the dock, the crane and the town. The top right and bottom left screen- Survey Issue SD D NAND A SA Conclusions shots show views of the 3D ship model, while the screenshot bottom right shows Game attractiveness 4% 7% 37% 34% 18% Due the early implementation stage of the game, game attractiveness is neutral to positive. Further development of the the in-game electronic map. game will make it more attractive. This screen serves two purposes – the first one is to help the player find his posi- Business model 5% 16% 18% 28% 33% Bridge resource management and commercial ship tion in the map. The second one is to point representation in game management are ranked with high marks. Students want an and click on the map so that he sets the environment environment where they will able to test and use their knowledge. waypoints that ship must follow. The upper right of the map screen displays the Acceptance of games 7% 8% 14% 36% 35% It seems that students wish games were part of their education. waypoints that have been selected (using as an educational mean GPS coordinates). for MET Also, there is a contract screen that Acceptance of games 14% 19% 24% 14% 29% It is not clear whether games are accepted as evaluation presents the available contracts in the mar- as knowledge method (such as simulations). It seems games suit better to ket with all the details. The player has to assessment method non formal learning, as it was first assumed in this paper. estimate the costs of each contract in order Use of games on board 14% 19% 24% 14% 29% This question needs further research. It is not sure that the to accept the most profitable. for on going education question was clear to the students. Real life evaluation Familiarization of 7% 0% 15% 20% 58% Maritime students are getting well used to computer technology The TOTW game was demonstrated to 200 maritime students with and computer games. Computers and Games male students, from 21 to 27 years old, at the Marine Engineering Academy in Chios Island, Greece. Figure 11: Concept document – game questionnaire This Academy offers courses to stu-

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The UKHO is to open its first over- Ocean Signal has appointed James seas office in Singapore, to provide local Hewitt as its sales and marketing manag- support for Admiralty distributors and its er for both the UK and overseas markets. customer base across Asia. Registered as Mr Hewitt previously worked with Admiralty Hydrographic Asia Pacific Pte, another UK electronics manufacturer as the office will be based at 1 Fullerton export sales manager before moving into Road, Marina Bay. his new role.

Comark Corporation has received Teledyne TSS reports that it has Type Approval from the American been granted type approval by the Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for its Russian Maritime Register of 23-inch series of MDU marine displays. Shipping for its Meridian Standard The MDU23 features an LED backlit dis- and Meridian Surveyor gyrocompasses. play, with all electronics coated to protect The Meridian range was already IMO Furuno Norge has extended its deal with Hatteland Display by three years against moisture and corrosion. and Wheelmark approved and Touchscreen options are available, with includes versions with High Speed Craft the unit also tested to meet ECDIS require- certification. Marine's line of AIS collision avoidance the agreement, Hatteland Display will ments in IEC 61174. technology products to a reseller net- continue to supply its high-resolution Kelvin Hughes and Zener work, and provide marketing and techni- colour displays for Furuno Norge's navi- Marine have signed a new distribution cal support. gation, fish finding and communication agreement to include a range of paper systems. and digital charts and publications in the Thomas Gunn Navigation Zener portfolio. Zener is an equipment Services has partnered with Vancouver- distributor and service agent for Kelvin based Maritime Services to form www.ukho.gov.uk Hughes radar, ECDIS and VDR in Dubai Thomas Gunn Maritime Services Inc. The www.oceansignal.com - this agreement adds chart products to companies will offer North America- www.vespermarine.com that list. based shipowners and managers a com- www.thomasgunn.com bined range of products and services www.comarkcorp.com Vesper Marine has added four including Thomas Gunn Maritime www.eagle.org new partners to its international distribu- Services’ own Outfit Management Service www.kelvinhughes.co.uk tion network - Marine Electronics in to manage charts and publications. www.zener.ae Switzerland, Pochon in France, www.tss-international.com Comark’s 23-inch series has been Electronics Marine in Chile and Al Hatteland Display has signed a www.hatteland-display.com approved by ABS Nakheel Electronics in the UAE. All three-year extension of its cooperation www.furuno.com four partners will distribute Vesper agreement with Furuno Norge. Under Sim success for L-3 Comar launches new AIS

www.mpri.com In Italy, L-3 MPRI reports that its LCHS installed at the Italian Maritime Academy www.comarsystems.com detailed information on any one vessel. L-3 MPRI reports that it has completed the Philippines (IMAP) has been accredited by Variable parameters for CPA and installation of a Liquid Cargo Handling the Registro Italiano Navale (RINA) for Comar Systems has launched its TCPA can be set and modified according Simulator (LCHS) in the Philippines, use in the delivery of the Tanker Officer new CSD-300 display, designed for ves- to user requirements, and an internal while also gaining approval for Tanker Training Standards (TOTS) training and sels that require AIS data as primary audible alarm can warn of potential Officer Training Standards (TOTS) train- assessment programmes provided by the information. problems. ing on similar simulators in Italy. Academy. The unit can manage, sort and display Data is displayed on a 6.5-inch high res- Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement’s IMAP provides training to Filipino sea- all AIS targets and locate specific vessels olution display overlaid onto worldwide (BSM) new Maritime Training Centre in farers, and says that the simulator will be by name, MMSI number or category. background cartography or as a ‘radar’ Manila has taken delivery of the new Safe used to ensure that all personnel are The unit is supplied in two variants, style display with range rings. For more Cargo LCHS, having opened in early 2011. trained to the highest levels. either as a standalone display for connec- detailed cartography, the unit has a slot The Safe Cargo system is comprised of The models and course material avail- tion to an existing AIS transponder or for a Jeppesen C-MAP C card. one instructor and six student worksta- able with the simulator are fully compati- receiver on board, or as the CSD-300R There is also a ‘GOTO’ feature included tions, each fitted with dual monitor dis- ble with TOTS. which has an integral AIS receiver. to take you directly to the vessel on the plays and equipped with three ship mod- To assist with the verification of per- Up to five selected targets can be chart and to immediately access all the els, allowing training to be conducted in sonnel against the TOTS requirements, tracked, displaying track histories and live data related to this vessel. all the main liquid cargo disciplines of IMAP and L-3 MPRI will collaborate to chemical, gas and oil operations. develop the training and assessment crite- It is also one of the first installations to use ria that will allow the progress of each stu- the new 5.0 version of the LCHS software. dent to be recorded and verified using the Sperry agrees online training deal To assist with system setup, L-3 MPRI L-3 MPRI WISE Assessment System. is providing course materials for all three L-3’s WISE Assessment and WISE www.sperrymarine.northropgrumman.com tificate of competence. vessel types, as well as specialised training Virtual Instructor Systems are used to "As the new International Maritime for future instructors, both in the technical ensure trainer assessments are consistent Sperry Marine has entered a cooperation Organization (ECDIS) carriage require- operation of the simulator and the training and include detailed records to support agreement with Safebridge to provide ments are phased in, e-learning is a cost- techniques that should be used to ensure IMAP’s requirements. online training for users of Sperry effective training solution for ship owners, best practices. “The accreditation by RINA confirms Marine’s VisionMaster FT ship navigation maritime academies, crew agencies and The simulator will be used to train and that our LCHS system is fully capable of technology. individuals," said J Nolasco DaCunha, enhance the skills of personnel operating providing a platform for training and Safebridge software programs allow vice president of Northrop Grumman BSM’s fleet of owned and managed liquid assessment courses that meets all the cur- students to complete online training spe- Sperry Marine. cargo vessels. BSM, one of the world’s rent international and industry stan- cific to the navigation products installed "The software allows students to largest ship management companies, cur- dards,” said Dennis Corrigan, senior vice on the ships they sail. train on all watch modes of Sperry rently has over 7,000 Filipino seafarers in president and general manager of L-3 Users can log on to the Safebridge serv- Marine’s VisionMaster FT system, most its pool. MPRI’s Training Systems Group. er via the internet to access a range of e- notably the (ECDIS). Users are taken BSM and L-3 MPRI have a long stand- “The Italian Maritime Academy learning modes, a guided tutorial on the step by step through a number of ing relationship, with BSM having also Philippines is one of the first institutions live system, self testing with feedback and modules as if they were using the actual invested in LCHS systems and bridge and to receive this accreditation, and we are free play of the live system. technology, and are shown how to engine simulators in its training centres in very pleased to continue providing fully Upon successful completion of the use each feature in various simulated Cyprus, India and Poland. trained personnel for its clients.” course assessment, students receive a cer- scenarios."

Digital Ship May 2011 page 58 p58-69:p26-32.qxd 03/05/2011 14:42 Page 2

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ELECTRONICS & NAVIGATION NEWS

New Australian college completes simulator installation Geolab extends positioning contract www.kongsberg.com The GBRIMC simulator suite was fund- with the local high-school through the ed by the Queensland State Government MarineTech programme, in order to help www.veripos.com The installation of a new set of navigation and has capacity to cater for 124 students young students forge a career path into simulators from Kongsberg Maritime has at any one time. It is closely connected the maritime industry. Veripos has been awarded a new two year been completed at the new Great Barrier general services contract by Naples-based Reef International Marine College GeoLab Srl, extending the relationship (GBRIMC) in Cairns, Australia. between the two companies following an The installation consisted of a 270 earlier three-year agreement. degree DNV Class A full mission bridge Veripos will continue to supply its range simulator, a 180 degree tug bridge, 8 of GNSS positioning solutions in support of destktop navlab stations with part task GeoLab’s fleet of dedicated multi-role sur- simulators for ECDIS training and an vey vessels operating worldwide. instructor station. These systems cover a range of Veripos The simulator features exercise area positioning capabilities, including its databases of Australia's busiest ports, as Apex and Ultra services using precise well as a library of ship-models to give point positioning (PPP) methods for GBRIMC the flexibility to train different decimetre-level accuracies, and Verify QC, types of crew and competencies. The full software for real-time positioning and mission bridge and the tug simulators are quality control information. integrated, so students may operate both "It marks a further important stage in within the same exercise. our relationship with Veripos who contin- "The simulator is ideal for training ue to provide us with optimum levels of at all levels, from coxswains to foreign service and support together with high going master and pilot training," said levels of reliability and worldwide avail- Kim Anderson, project manager, Premier Anna Bligh (in the blue dress) and Capt Kim Andersen, project manager, ability," said GeoLab managing director GBRIMC. GBRIMC (right), mark the new installation Giovanni Ranieri. UKHO considers selling New users for oil spill SevenCs and ChartWorld detection system

www.ukho.gov.uk the UKHO’s ENC validation programme. www.consilium.se Consilium’s standard type approved For this programme the UKHO’s carto- IMO/Solas Navigational radar. The UK Hydrographic Office has graphic teams checked over 11,000 ENCs Consilium reports that it has supplied its The radar processing unit is supported announced that it is considering selling against Admiralty’s paper chart equivalent, Oil Spill Detection Radar to a number of by a special Consilium radar sensor, with the equity holding of its Admiralty to make sure that both paper and digital users in Europe and Asia, with deals an increased rotation speed of the antenna Deutschland GmbH subsidiary, which charts are completely consistent. agreed in the months following the com- - up to 44 revolutions per minute. includes the SevenCs and ChartWorld As new navigational or ENC updates pletion of testing with the Norwegian Ships in regular operations can use the businesses. are made available to the UKHO by for- Coastal Administration and the primary radar set as a traditional instru- SevenCs provides electronic chart soft- eign governments and partner hydro- Norwegian Clean Seas Association For ment for navigation and the secondary ware and services for civil and military graphic offices worldwide, the teams Operative Companies (NOFO) in 2010. radar display, interfaced to the primary applications, including a kernel for pre- check them and validate required updates These customers include the Finnish radar, can be switched to the Oil Spill senting electronic chart information and before the chart is corrected, or an update Icebreaker Kontio, commissioned as Detection function. associated data products, as well as a is added. stand-by vessel for EMSA (European Using both radar display functions range of electronic chart production tools The Overlay is now compatible with Maritime Safety Agency), as well as simultaneously, the vessel can act as an used by hydrographic offices, port author- both Transas and SevenCs systems, after other companies in Norway, Italy early warning anti-pollution unit while ities and inland waterway authorities Transas was the first to announce avail- and China. sailing along its route. around the world. ability via the Transas Admiralty Data The most recent order has been for an With real-time signal processing, the Associated company ChartWorld pro- Service (TADS). Oil Spill Response vessel for cleaning unit is also able to highlight the dampen- vides electronic chart subscription services. UKHO is also working with a number operations in Rotterdam. ing of the reflected microwave radiation UKHO says Admiralty Holdings of other ECDIS manufacturers to ensure The Oil Spill Radar integrates a com- on the radar display and to overlay the would like to divest Admiralty the Admiralty Information Overlay can be plete Oil Spill Detection function into same on the Consilium ECDIS. Deutschland so it can "concentrate on its displayed on their systems, and that fur- core business". ther availability will be announced in the It is looking for a "highly focussed, inno- next few months. vative organisation" to acquire the compa- The new version of SevenCs ORCA nies, which can "further develop the busi- Master with Admiralty Information ness and realise its exciting potential." Overlay compatibility is available for The combined companies have an immediate download, with a free six- annual turnover of over €5m, and are said month trial, from the SevenCs website. to be "profitable". The Admiralty Information Overlay is UKHO acquired SevenCs and available free of charge to all customers of ChartWorld in January 2006, stating at the the Admiralty Vector Chart Service time that it was keen to reduce the business (AVCS) and Admiralty ECDIS Service. barriers between electronic charts and the "The Admiralty Information Overlay software which runs and displays them. marks another significant step forward in News of this potential sale followed digital navigation because it delivers a soon after SevenCs own announcement vital range of data to the mariner," said that its ORCA Master Electronic Chart Admiral Nick Lambert, chief hydrograph- System (ECS) is now compatible with er at the UKHO. UKHO's Admiralty Information Overlay, "It ensures they can instantly see any used to import navigational updates from information which might impact their voy- Admiralty to an ECDIS or ECS. age planning or execution on the ECDIS, In addition to managing navigational allowing them to sail with increased safety, The Consilium system can overlay oil spill information on the company’s ECDIS data the Overlay also displays updates from compliance and efficiency."

Digital Ship May 2011 page 60 p58-69:p26-32.qxd 03/05/2011 14:55 Page 4

Digital Ship R Anschütz Thomas Gunn launches latest software version Please visit us at

www.thomasgunn.com charts and AVCS cells. Vessels will now May 24 – 27, 2011 have the ability to manage their own Hall B, Booth No. B03-12 Thomas Gunn Navigation Services has indexes and add charts and cells to the launched its TGNS Voyager 3 software, order basket. used to manage onboard navigational The Voyager service provides weekly data, which was officially unveiled at the updates to the ship's index, which con- Sea Asia event in Singapore. tains NTMs and tracings via internet Voyager is an automated onboard or e-mail. chart management system which provides The Voyager Data Server compresses the mariner with a personalised database the data before sending it to the user to of charts, publications and Notices To reduce the file sizes, with the ship only Mariners (NTM's), organised in a folio receiving files relevant to its chart outfit. system. Thomas Gunn notes that there will no TGNS Voyager 3 is an enhancement of longer be a charge for the digital supply of the existing Voyager 2 software, introduc- NP247 and NP234, as these publications ing the ability to receive corrections for will be supplied in Voyager without any Admiralty Vector Chart Service (AVCS) , additional fee. Admiralty Digital Products (ADP) and "We have our own IT and research and Seamanship M Notices. development departments and we work The new TGNS Voyager 3 software will hard to provide solutions for our cus- be supplied to all Voyager 1 and 2 sub- tomers," said Thomas Gunn, founder and scribers at no additional cost, following managing director of Thomas Gunn testing and sea trials. Navigation Services. Other enhancements in the new version "Voyager 3 represents one such solu- include an improvement of the TGNS cat- tion and we are pleased (to introduce) it to alogue to include a map display of BA our customers throughout the world."

Transas simulators boost INTEGRATED projects in Turkey and Australia NAVIGATION

www.transas.com Professional 5000 ship handling simulator from Transas, featuring wind-generated Kimberley TAFE Broome Maritime sea state and variable swell models with SYSTEMS Simulation Centre in Australia is to install user selected sea state spectrum, vessel a Transas Full Mission Simulator, upgrad- and wave interaction, full scene and envi- ing the existing simulation centre, while ronment reflection, and three dimensional for Offshore and Research Vessels Transas simulators will also be applied in bow waves and propeller wash and asso- the development of a new container termi- ciated floating object interference. nal in Turkey. New grounding, synchronous rolling, The simulation package for Kimberley broaching and other modelling features TAFE includes a main bridge, secondary are included, as well as integrated VHF bridges and a tug station for training of and Intercom solutions, voice communica- pilots and tug masters. tion and CCTV video recording for debrief Within this project Transas Marine will and assessment. develop rotor tug ship models and integrate The main bridge will use seven EyeVis real drop-in panel and steering controls Seamless wrap round screens to cover 280 from Schottel for training of masters and degrees, with two rear screens for full 360 integration with pilots in live situations. degree vision. Synapsis Bridge Control combines proven reliability The simulator will have a number of In Turkey, Dokuz Eylul University replaceable panels which will allow the Maritime Faculty has conducted a study to with most advanced and innovative technology which system to be used for simulation training develop a new ‘East Mediterranean is needed for work within the natural forces at sea. on different vessel types, and a config- Container Terminal’ in Mersin urable main bridge console that can incor- International Port (MIP), using the The new generation Integrated Navigation System porate real steering wheels from Sperry Transas Model Wizard (MW) software for stands for safe and predictable operation, highest Marine and Raytheon Anschutz. creating and editing simulation areas. fl exibility as well as for optimized system functionality The system is based on a Navi-Trainer During the manoeuvring studies in the simulator, numerous ship manoeuvres with full data access at any bridge workstation. were performed using different ship mod- Worldwide dedicated service support included. els in five different revision plans. After testing different scenarios, the required changes to the plans were determined with reference to the experi- ence of the harbour pilots and internation- al regulations. www.raytheon-anschuetz.com During the study, the modelling team and authorised harbour pilots assessed Raytheon Anschütz GmbH approaching channel depth/width, ship D-24100 Kiel, Germany manoeuvring basin, turning circle, stop- Tel +49(0)4 31-30 19-0 The Kimberley TAFE Centre has installed ping distance, and necessary bollard pull of Fax +49(0)4 31-30 19-291 a Transas simulator tug boats for the new container terminal.

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“FACTS, FACTS, FACTS”

SpecTec has every reason to be proud as we commence our 26th years of continuous operation, not only because it is rare to see an IT company surviving such a long period, but it is much rarer to see how almost all the customers’ who signed up in 1985 are still SpecTec customers today.

SpecTec software AMOS™ (Asset Management Operating System) is currently installed on over 7000 ships and oil and gas installations being supported by over 300 employees located in 27 offices worldwide.

In 2010 SpecTec sold 655 new AMOS licenses, with the new AMOS2 • 222 Cruise ships (almost 95%) Enterprise Suite accounting for 22% of the total. We also upgraded to • 2300 Tankers (1500 Oil Tankers, the rest LNG and LPG or chemical latest versions 398 AMOS Business Suite installations, and 34 AMOS2 tankers) Enterprise Suite. It was a strong achievement, which saw SpecTec performing 3 installations or upgrades per each day of the year or, if one • 220 oil platforms (jack-up, drilling rigs, offshore and onshore) prefers 5.2 installations or upgrades per each working day. A clear proof • Over 100 Navy ships (on 6 different Navies) on what SpecTec can do. We are proud of such numbers which are completely unrivalled in the In December SpecTec successfully completed the User Acceptance Test with industry. SpecTec is spending over than 4 million U$ a year in product Hyproc, a company of Sonatrach (the powerful Algerian Oil&Gas Group) development and R&D. Aside the main AMS Suites, three more products dealing with LNG, LPG and bitumen transportation, relevant to the delivery are under development: of AMOS2 Enterprise Suite (all modules) to the company LNG fleet. In February, Hyproc validated the project go-live for the first vessels of the • Shipdex, the SpecTec brainchild protocol for Interactive Electronic fleet. It gave us great satisfaction to obtain such results on this big and Technical Publications, derived from the S1000d Aeronautical standard, tough project driven by Ernst&Young of France on behalf of the customer. which has reached a strong consensus amongst suppliers and shipping companies. SpecTec has invested substantial time and money in this Another important achievement was the Thenamaris contract, which project (which is NOT owned by SpecTec and is based on a non-profit will see AMOS installed on all ships of one of the largest Greek shipping principle), in order to solve the problem of populating Asset Management companies. Software with technical data. When manuals are delivered in Shipdex UASC confirmed a contract for the nine 13.000 TEU vessels under format, all relevant data can be automatically imported in AMOS. Already construction at Samsung Yard. This contract was particularly important several MAN engines are available in Shipdex format and it is impressive because it was the first one including Technical Manuals to be generated to see how the whole system works. with the Shipdex protocol and Database built by utilizing Shipdex Datasets. • AMOS-IS – Integrity Solution. This project is aimed at providing In addition, the project includes large number of interfaces to the shipowners and oil companies with an ultimate control of their Automation plant, reading data such as pressure, temperature, level installations. For shipping lines, it includes hull stress, fuel consumption (tanks), running hours, etc., and thus allowing Condition Based analysis and control, all the KPI, Inspections and Vetting and much more. Maintenance Planning. For the oil companies, Risk Based Inspections, Asset integrity, Life Cycle Moreover, for UASC SpecTec has created a very sophisticated bunker Cost and Analysis, and so on. It is the ultimate AMOS project, the one supply analysis and procurement system, which will be directly linked with which will propel SpecTec like a rocket into the second decade of the the on board tank measurements, to calculate fuel consumption and costs, second millennium. comparison with other vessels of the fleet, and automated procurement • AMOS-Mobile. This software allows stock audits and Work Orders functionality based on closer port and lower prices, and so on. reporting via hand-held terminals. It is already in its final testing phase After the successful initial tests on ten ships, Yang Ming confirmed the and ready for delivery. order for the installation of AMOS on all their 80 ships, including the 25 We have also completed a Citrix acceptance test, which means that we can new Bulk Carriers which will operate under the new subsidiary KM. On the now easily support Amos on a variety of platforms, including I-Phones and Cruise sector SpecTec USA signed a contract with Crystal Cruises, for the i-Pads. delivery of a shore based Stock Control system. 2010 also saw the installation of AMOS on the astonishing Allure of the Seas, a real wonderful vessel. All Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines ships have AMOS on board. 2010 was just another great year of SpecTec continuous And to close the year in a perfect way, two very important contracts with growth. 2011 is set to be even better, as within the first 2 leading CT companies have also been signed at the end of 2010, for a months several million dollars’ worth of new orders have total of 140 CT vessels. been obtained. We plan to reach 330 Full Time employees, while rolling out a strong plan for further training and By end 2010, SpecTec had 658 maritime and Oil&Gas customers, and appraisal of our own employees, to cope with the increasing counted over 7000 active licenses (calculated as single installations); of market demands and expectations. these: We start our second century quarter with optimism and • 992 Bulk Carriers strength, always bearing in mind that we have to protect our • 610 CT vessels customers’ and shareholders investments, and our staff jobs. SpecTec is here to stay, and for a long time more. • 243 ferries p58-69:p26-32.qxd 03/05/2011 14:56 Page 6

Digital Ship Type-specific ECDIS training approved Martek launches gas and emissions systems

www.ecdis.org aim to build upon knowledge gained dur- www.martek-marine.com greatly assist shipowners in monitoring ing the IMO 1.27 model course. the performance of marine diesel engines ECDIS training provider ECDIS Ltd “The type specific ECDIS training Martek Marine has launched a range of in order to reduce environmental impact.” reports that it has gained accreditation offered by ECDIS Ltd has now been new products to monitor gas and emis- Moving from external emissions to from the Nautical Institute for its Type accredited by the Nautical Institute (NI) sions onboard, with the introduction of its dangerous gases onboard, Martek’s new Specific ECDIS training course. who are satisfied that the training meets MariNOx Evolution diesel engine emis- portable gas detectors have been devel- The company says that the Type the high standards that are set out in the sions monitoring system and two new oped specifically to address concerns over Specific accreditation is the first of its kind, NI publication 'ECDIS & Positioning',” portable gas detector units. the death and serious injury suffered by and is available now on a number of dif- said John Dickinson, the Nautical The MariNOx Evolution diesel engine seafarers from oxygen-depletion in tanks ferent ECDIS systems including OSI, PC Institute's head of delegation at IMO. emissions monitoring system is based on and void spaces. Maritime, Transas and Kelvin Hughes, “We acknowledge the continual existing MariNOx technology, but with a The Marine Quattro and Marine with JRC, Simrad and Totem Plus all to research and development of ECDIS Ltd number of additional new features. Extreme products are being introduced follow soon. into creating robust and comprehensive The installation and running of the new ahead of the January 1 2012 deadline The Type Specific course lasts for one ECDIS training courses. Working with the system has been refined through the incor- when new amendments to SOLAS 1974 day, comprising 8 hours, and includes leading manufacturers allows them to poration of a single, daisy-chain sample are scheduled to come into force, whereby presentations and practical exercises that provide the training solutions required.” line design, replacing the previous ship operators will be required to use both arrangement which required several sepa- fixed and portable hydrocarbon gas detec- rate sample lines. tion systems onboard all new oil tankers Reducing the number of sample lines of 20,000 dwt. cuts the amount of cabling needed onboard, Martek says that it now offers both which Martek says will reduce the cost of portable and fixed solutions for Volatile the onboard installation process and the Organic Compounds detection, with the power needed to heat the sample lines. fixed version to be mounted in A/C inlets, MariNOx Evolution also comes with accommodation areas and engine rooms - improved DataLINK software to offer areas that are identified as having higher users greater control over the emissions risks of benzene. monitoring process through more accu- However, while portable systems are rate performance management of the also to be mandatory, to meet IMO require- diesel engines. ments, only fixed installations are explicitly The latest software shipped with required to be periodically calibrated. MariNOx Evolution makes use of the The two new products from Martek IMO’s new Energy Efficiency Design include sensor diagnostics, meaning that Index (EEDI) formula and this has further owners can calibrate multi-gas detectors Training on a variety of manufacturers’ ECDIS systems has been accredited enhanced the accuracy of emissions level every 12 months should they choose to do recording and trend analysis. so, while single gas detectors should never The first order for MariNOx Evolution need calibration during their lifetime. Alewijnse to supply onboard systems has recently been completed and other “Portable detectors are now as essential contracts have been confirmed for the as their fixed counterparts and the com- to Jan De Nul new generation system, which is now mon practice of sending units to shore for Martek Marine’s standard emissions recalibration and receiving a replacement www.alewijnse.nl tems linked to twin 7,200 kW main diesel monitoring offering. every six months is becoming less attrac- engines and a 1,500 kW bow thruster, “In avoiding the need for multiple, sep- tive as guidelines call for more regular Alewijnse Marine Systems has signed a these new vessels are especially suitable arate sample lines, MariNOx Evolution testing and certain models of detector and contract for the delivery and installation of for operating in shallow and restricted represents a significant step forward,” training aids make onboard calibration the alarm monitoring control system, inte- waters. said Steve Coulson, Martek Marine’s mar- simpler,” said Mr Coulson. grated dredging control system and They have been designed for minimal keting director. “In contrast to the other portable gas dynamic positioning system onboard two environmental impact with particular “This is a much simpler arrangement that detectors, a single button push design has new, 14,000m³ dredgers to be constructed attention paid to maximum efficiency of will benefit customers and shipyards alike, been applied to Marine Quattro and at Uljanik Shipyard in Pula, Croatia for the power consumption, low emissions and by virtue of its less complex installation.” Marine Extreme. This keeps everything Jan De Nul Group. the onboard treatment of waste, ensuring As an optional extra, MariNOx Evolution simple for different crews with varying The two trailing suction hopper that they qualify for a ‘Clean Ship’ certifi- can be configured to integrate opacity sensor skill levels and different nationalities.” dredgers will have an LOA of 148m and a cate. input, measuring the density of engine “In addition, gloved hands are able to hopper capacity of 14,000m³, and will add The Jan de Nul Group has built 27 new smoke, directly into its control software. turn on units with minimal fuss in com- to the Jan De Nul Group’s existing fleet of vessels since 2007, with these new “This makes MariNOx Evolution parison to the main rivals who need two 26 hopper dredgers. dredgers due for delivery in the second unique in the market,” says Mr Coulson, or three buttons just to put the units into With their dynamic positioning sys- half of 2012. “and we believe this new feature will operation.”

WORKING AT SEA REQUIRES CLARITY OF VISION

MAXIMIZE YOUR PERFORMANCE BY UTILIZING OUR KNOWLEDGE & INSIGHT Kongsberg understands the challenges faced by those who operate on and beneath the waves. This knowledge is present in every solution we provide and bringing it on board gives you control. It enables you to act with certainty and reveals countless new 5)&
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Digital Ship May 2011 page 63 p58-69:p26-32.qxd 03/05/2011 14:56 Page 7

ELECTRONICS & NAVIGATION NEWS Synapsis Radar and ECDIS series from Raytheon TORM agrees ECDIS deal www.raytheon-anschuetz.com share waypoints of a planned route. play of navigation data with engine automa- Features to display AIS own ship data tion data and loadmaster computer data. www.maris.no Raytheon Anschütz has introduced a new input, NAVTEX and online chart updates In a typical configuration the Voyage series of radar, ECDIS and conning sys- are also included. Efficiency Monitor combines basic naviga- TORM has signed a framework agreement tems under the name ‘Synapsis’, built on a The Synapsis Radar has a radar video tion data and autopilot settings, wind and with MARIS covering a range of Electronic new system architecture and part of its merging mode to improve detection capa- drift, steering correction angles, roll stabil- Chart Display and Information Systems Synapsis Bridge Control series. bilities when using different radar sensors ity, draft and trim, yawing, rudder resist- (ECDIS). The new generation wide-screen, task- on board, as well as a SeaScout collision ance, rudder action and fuel consumption. Under the terms of the deal MARIS will orientated Synapsis workstations are avoidance function. The company says that the combined supply ECDIS to newbuildings and based on a system architecture which uses Raytheon Anschütz is also introducing a display can be used to enhance bridge replace existing ECDIS equipment standard hardware and software for scala- Voyage Efficiency Monitor for the joint dis- operations, and improve voyage efficiency. onboard a number of ships operated by bility, incorporating a standardised PC the Danish owner, incorporating MARIS with solid-state disk and passive cooling Solid State Drive ECDIS hardware, soft- instead of a fan. ware, service, support and maintenance, Possible configurations range from a as well as ENC services. stand-alone radar or ECDIS workplace to The initial agreement calls for the sup- a full integrated multifunctional worksta- ply and installation of 120 ECDIS systems, tion. A newly developed Integration as part of a project which will also see Platform is used to manage interfacing delivery of computer-based training between the different systems and con- modules, the Admiralty Vector Chart trols all configurations and tasks of the Service (AVCS) and Admiralty Digital workstations. Publications, and the MDS chart manager Integrated data quality management, service that supports AVCS. with a sensor status display and manual These chart and publication arrange- or automatic sensor selection, is used to ments will act as an interim solution until ensure that all workstations use consistent UKHO completes the introduction of its e- and the best available sensor information Navigator service. for safe navigation. TORM has also committed to MARIS’ The Synapsis ECDIS features newly ‘Zero downtime ECDIS’ concept, which integrated weather data and weather fore- involves the installation of three ECDIS cast symbols, that help to optimise route per ship. The installation of the third unit and voyage planning, and can be inter- as a ‘hot spare’ is to ensure ECDIS servic- The Synapsis range aims to integrate workstations under a new system architecture faced with a DP system to, for example, es are available at all times in the event of a failure of one of the units. “While IMO rules are clear, it remains Two year licensing discussion on ENCtrack reaches conclusion to be seen how individual Flag States and Port State Controllers will interpret them,” said Steinar Gundersen, MARIS deputy www.datema.nl RENC (regional ENC Co-ordination for the system was granted in March 2011. chief executive (Corporate). Centre) IC-ENC, and concluded that the With the approval of IC-ENC, the cov- “The Zero downtime ECDIS concept has Dutch chart distributor Datema reports intended mode of operation of ENCTrack erage of the service has now been signifi- been devised to avoid potential delays, so that it has finally managed to secure the would be possible under the existing cantly increased. Primar's approval of the that a ship can always proceed to the next necessary permissions to proceed with the terms and conditions. service at the time of the original launch convenient port of call, where repairs can roll-out of its ENCtrack distribution sys- However, immediately after the launch had meant that the ENCtrack service had be undertaken. Any defective unit can then tem for Electronic Navigational Charts the UKHO took issue with the service and been permitted within particular ENC be shipped to the manufacturer at the ship (ENCs), which was the cause of some con- sought clarification with IC-ENC (of coverage areas, but this was specifically owner’s convenience for repair.” troversy in the electronic chart world which it is itself a member) as to whether confined to the Baltic area. when it was originally launched in 2009. such an arrangement should be permitted. The ENCtrack service provides all avail- At that time questions were raised This led to an extended period of uncer- able ENCs to mariners onboard for viewing New radar from about the validity of ENC licensing under tainty for the product as Primar and IC- before licensing is required, with a tracking Navico the ENCtrack 'pay-as-you-sail' model. The ENC tried to align their business terms, system used as a method of 'post payment' debate centred on the use of charts in the and the postponement of the full roll-out to charge for licences once the vessel has www.navico.com planning stage of voyage preparation and of ENCtrack. travelled into the charted area. was first raised by the UKHO immediate- Finally, after lengthy discussions, the With the new approvals of the system Navico has launched its new Simrad ly after the launch. member countries of IC-ENC did approve having come into effect on April 1, 2011, ARGUS Radar System, an IMO Radar In the preparation phase for that initial such licensing in 2010, under strict condi- Datema will now re-launch the service at incorporating solid state FMCW launch of the service Primar Stavanger, as tions. Datema says that it has since per- this year's Nor-Shipping, the second (Frequency Modulated/Continuous Datema’s supplier of ENCs, had studied formed a number of tests and trials to anniversary of the original introduction of Wave) Broadband Radars for use on com- its contracts with other nations and fellow meet those conditions, and final approval the system. mercial vessels. The radar system can detect targets as close as 6 feet from the antenna on the shortest scale and can separate targets that Norwegian contracts for Veripos are 30 feet apart in range on the scales used for navigation. www.veripos.com its dual-beam standard service under Both vessels are already equipped with Navico says that this also makes the the deal. dual Veripos LD2 integrated mobile system particularly useful for anti-colli- Veripos has been awarded a three-year This service will also be provided receivers for deriving position used for sion and precision docking. extension to its general services contract aboard another new-build vessel due their DP systems. The introduction of the ARGUS system with Siem Offshore, and a two-year for commissioning shortly, the Siem “We are delighted to be awarded these marks a new strategic focus for Navico on services contract extension by Simon Amethyst. contract extensions which demonstrate the SOLAS vessel segment, where it sees a Møkster Shipping, both Norwegian ship- Siem Offshore says it has retained an the confidence gained by our valued prospective ship protection market value ping companies. option to further extend the service to its Norwegian clients in the quality of our of up to GBP£12 billion. Siem Offshore operates a fleet of spe- other fleet vessels as and when necessary. services and support,” said Walter "With Simrad Broadband Radar, cialist support vessels operating globally, The deal with Simon Møkster Shipping Steedman, managing director of Veripos. shipowners finally have the ability to with Veripos to initially provide ten Siem is for the provision of standard position- “These awards follow on from a series monitor the entire surroundings of a ves- Offshore vessels operating in European, ing services to two of the Stavanger-based of recent fleet awards for Norwegian ves- sel, significantly reducing blind zones,” Brazilian, Asian and African waters with company’s offshore support vessels. sel owners and operators.” said Leif Ottosson, CEO of Navico.

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Digital Ship ADVETO ECDIS now available ECDIS training developments for Transas pre-filled with ENCs www.transas.com in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The training centre is equipped with the www.adveto.se UKHO has previously agreed similar Transas has announced a number of new latest versions of Alphabridge/ Transas www.ukho.gov.uk deals with other ECDIS manufacturers, ECDIS training developments, as Nordic ECDIS equipment and a bridge simulator. such as Transas and JRC, whereby those Tankers Marine (Denmark) has signed up Alphatron is currently applying for The United Kingdom Hydrographic companies’ ECDIS units can also be pur- to implement its ECDIS Training systems, Dutch Flag State approval to be able to Office (UKHO) and ADVETO have signed chased preloaded with ENCs. while it has also added two new partners offer generic ECDIS training based on the an agreement which will enable ADVETO "The agreement with UKHO is an to its recently launched Global ECDIS Transas GET-Net training course. to pre-fill its ECDIS-4000 system with elec- important step forward in our efforts to Training Network (GET-Net). Transas GET-Net is an international tronic navigational charts (ENC) from provide good service to our international Nordic Tankers Marine has been sup- partnership between Transas Marine and UKHO's Admiralty Vector Chart Service customers," said Kent Sylvén, managing plied with 35 sets of Transas ECDIS ECDIS training providers worldwide it (AVCS). director of ADVETO. Computer Based Training technology, and considers to be “outstanding”. All part- Under the terms of the has also participated in a Transas 'Train-the- nering training centres receive detailed deal AVCS data will be trainer' course held by Capt Peter Möller in instructor training and must pass a quali- pre-loaded into the ECDIS Mumbai, India, during which eight trainers ty audit. prior to delivery of the received Instructor certificates. Under the scheme the ECDIS training system. Transas ECDIS CBT is based on IMO process will need to be approved accord- This will allow users of Model Course 1.27, covering the require- ing to standards based on a Germanischer the ECDIS to access offi- ments for ECDIS training in accordance Lloyd certified training course, which fol- cial ENCs in all waters with the Manila Amendments of STCW. A lows the ECDIS IMO Model Course 1.27 covered by the UKHO trainee receives a certificate proving the and the requirements of the Manila AVCS service without successful completion of the CBT. Amendments to STCW. having to populate the "Training is a key element in the transi- The first training centres to enter the The ECDIS can be delivered with electronic charts system after installation. already installed tion to ECDIS," said Hanus Mikkelsen, partnership were INTERSCHALT mar- director marine HR, Nordic Tankers Marine. itime systems AG (Hamburg, Germany "All our officers attend a 5-day ECDIS and Manila, Philippines), COSMOS generic training course ashore and now Training Center (Athens, Greece), eIM Rix Shipping installs Martek BNWAS ECDIS CBT from Transas will be a perfect Training Center (Piraeus, Greece) and MSG supplement to enhance the users' knowl- MarineServe GmbH (Hamburg, Germany). www.martek-marine.com “We spent a lot of time investigating edge and fulfil familiarisation on Type Transas is looking at this project as a which BNWAS system we should install,” Specific equipment required by PSC and way of creating a transparent network of Rix Shipping in the UK has installed said James Doyle, Rix Shipping’s manag- ISM Code and, in the nearest future, also quality-approved ECDIS training centres Martek Marine’s Navgard Bridge ing director. by some Flag States." ahead of the first ECDIS mandation dead- Navigation Watch Alarm System “We decided on Navgard because it Meanwhile, Transas has welcomed line in 2012, which is likely to see training (BNWAS) on the tanker Liz Rix. covered everything we were looking for in Epsilon Maritime Services of the demands for the technology soar. SOLAS Regulation V/19, as amended a system. It had all type approvals in place Philippines and Alphatron Marine of the “The GET-Net idea is to create a triple by MSC.282(86), requires a BNWAS to be that we needed and we established that Netherlands as the latest partners in its win situation for training centres, our installed on new and existing ships. we would not incur additional costs from GET-Net programme. ECDIS customers and Transas itself,” said Under amendments to SOLAS new flag authorities. But by far the most impor- Epsilon Maritime Services, owner of Bjoern Roehlich, training manager, cargo ships over 150gt and all new pas- tant requirement for us was the ease of training facilities in Manila, runs a Transas Transas Marine. senger ships of any size constructed after installation.” Approved Training Centre and provides “Together we offer a variety of options July 1 2011 have to be equipped with a “Commissioning and set up was very Transas ECDIS Equipment Specific – shipping companies can choose prefer- BNWAS. Implementation will then be simple and the installation engineer guid- Training and certification in Manila. able training type and location and benefit phased in, making BNWAS mandatory on ed us through the initial set up menu so The entire investment is funded by from the high quality set by Transas all existing tonnage above a certain size we were ready to use the system straight EPSILON Hellas, and a new and upgrad- Marine and its partners.” over the following three years. away.” ed training facility is expected to be up “It is also an answer to the increased All existing passenger ships and cargo Navgard involves a modular installa- and running by the end of April 2011. responsibility for ECDIS training put on vessels over 3000gt have to be equipped tion process, eliminating the requirement Alphatron Marine will provide Transas the makers by Flag States and Marine no later than the first special survey after for more complex interfaces, as the alarms and Alphatron Equipment Familiarisation Administrations like the latest MCA July 1 2012 and all existing cargo ships are linked directly to the control panel. Courses in its new training centre located MIN 405.” over 500 gt by the first survey after July 1 The system can accommodate any bridge 2013. The final category of vessels, cargo size and layout. ships over 150gt, will have to comply by The control and alarm panel is self-con- AIS piracy advice revised July 1 2014. tained with no need for additional inter- NATO and EUNAVFOR have issued revised in other parts of the High Risk Area be Martek’s Navgard BNWAS system face modules, while battery back-up guidance on operational use of AIS for ves- turned off completely, in accordance with comprises a bulkhead-mounted or con- comes as standard. An SD-card is also sels in high-risk piracy areas off Somalia. Resolution A.917(22). sole-mounted control panel and an incorporated to log all alarm event data in The advice notes that, while Regulation However, that advice has been revised, onboard PIR (Passive Infra-Red) move- real time, giving the operator a permanent V/19 of the SOLAS Convention requires with the aim of making sure that Counter ment detector with a 10m range. record of bridge activity. specified ships to maintain AIS in opera- Piracy Naval Operations are able to gather tion at all times (except where internation- data from AIS transmissions to track real al agreements, rules or standards provide time positions of merchant ships, thus Gazflot vessels to install DP systems for the protection of navigational informa- enabling them to mitigate the risk of pira- tion), another IMO Resolution suggests cy to merchant shipping. www.converteam.com The two ships to be installed with the that turning off the system could be rec- The new recommendation from NATO DP systems are under construction for ommended in piracy-risk areas. and EUNAVFOR is to leave AIS transmit- Converteam is to supply its C-Series Gazflot Ltd, the exploration and support Resolution A.917(22) states that “if the ting across the entire High Risk Area as set dynamic position (DP) control systems to subsidiary of Russian oil giant Gazprom. master believes that the continual operation out in BMP3 of the IMO Resolution. two platform supply vessels (PSVs) which “This latest contract follows earlier of AIS might compromise the safety or The advice states that "AIS transmission will operate in the oil and gas fields of prestigious projects with Gazflot includ- security of his/her ship, the AIS may be should continue to be restricted to ship’s Russia’s northern seas. ing the supply of complete electrical sys- switched off. This might be the case in sea identity, position, course, speed, naviga- The contract was awarded by Transas tems and positioning equipment for their areas where pirates and armed robbers are tional status and safety-related informa- Russian Fleet Limited, which is acting as two newbuild semi-submersible drilling known to operate. Actions of this nature tion. As noted, this is a change to the pre- the supplier of integrated navigation and vessels which are now working on the should always be recorded in the ship’s log- vious guidance which recommended that communication systems to the Amurskiy Sakhalin project in Russia’s Far East,” book together with the reason for doing so.” AIS be left on only in the Gulf of Aden." Shipbuilding Factory shipyard (a member noted Converteam’s Paul English, vice EUNAVFOR and NATO had, until "The decision on AIS policy remains at of United Shipbuilding Corporation, president of business. now, recommended that AIS transmission the discretion of the Master, however, if it is Russia) in Komsomolosk in Russia’s The two PSVs are expected to be opera- within the Gulf of Aden be left on with switched off during transit, it should be acti- far east. tional during 2012. restrictions, and outside the Gulf of Aden vated immediately at the time of an attack."

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ELECTRONICS & NAVIGATION Space-based AIS developments continue

Space-based Automatic Identification the spectrum data using its de-collision Space Agency may purchase exactAIS data to expand its network after agreeing System (AIS) company exactEarth has technology to generate AIS messages for for use across all Canadian Government a satellite launch deal with Space announced that a satellite containing its its exactAIS service. departments to support a broad range of Exploration Technologies (SpaceX). AIS payload has been successfully The two new satellites will add to this applications including maritime domain The two companies have announced launched from Sriharikota, India. capability, and will also incorporate awareness, search and rescue, environmen- plans for SpaceX to carry the first two The AIS payload, which was designed SpaceQuest's next generation on-board AIS tal and fisheries protection, Arctic monitor- ORBCOMM next-generation OG2 satel- and built by COM DEV International in message processing technology to further ing and marine security. lites, incorporating space-based AIS detec- Canada and its European subsidiary COM improve AIS message detection from space. The Standing Offer provides for the tion technologies, into orbit on the next DEV Europe, is integrated onto the Indian The launch of the satellites is expected to purchase of either historical or operational Falcon 9 launch this year. Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) occur by the middle of 2011 on a Russian AIS data services through the placement The ORBCOMM OG2 satellites are ResourceSat-2 earth observation satellite. Dnepr rocket, with exactEarth assuming of specific purchase orders under the being manufactured by an industry team "Today's launch is an important mile- ownership of the new spacecraft following agreement. led by Sierra Nevada Corp and Boeing’s stone for us as we establish our full opera- successful in-orbit commissioning. The first such purchase order received Argon ST subsidiary. A total of 18 ORB- tional capability," said Peter Mabson, pres- "We are pleased to expand our relation- for the supply of exactAIS historical data, COMM next-generation OG2 satellites are ident of exactEarth. ship with SpaceQuest. Their satellites valued at CDN$1.57 million, was set to be currently in production. "This is the most advanced satellite- have proven to be a reliable source of AIS completed by March 31, 2011. ORBCOMM OG2 satellites will offer based AIS payload ever launched. We signals that meet our needs for a high-per- Further orders under the agreement enhanced ORBCOMM messaging expect it to generate more than 1 million formance, global data feed," said Mr may be placed through until March 2013, capabilities, increased capacity, and AIS messages per day, utilising our ground- Mabson. however, the company expects that the the automatic identification system based message processing technology, as it "With this purchase, and the anticipat- bulk of the orders under this current (AIS) service. orbits the globe every 90 minutes." ed deployment of two more exactEarth agreement will be received within the next The planned Falcon 9 launch will place exactEarth has targeted June 1 as the advanced AIS satellites in the next few 12 months. ORBCOMM’s first two OG2 satellites into date for the AIS payload to enter service, months, we will have access to a constella- "This award further demonstrates our a 52° inclined 350 by 750 km insertion at the end of an anticipated six-week com- tion of six spacecraft in orbit by this sum- ability to meet our customers' require- orbit. The satellites’ onboard propulsion missioning period for the satellite since its mer that is expected to produce in excess ments with a robust and reliable data serv- systems will then be used to stabilise the launch on April 20. of six million AIS vessel reports per day." ice," said Mr Mabson. orbit at 750 km. As part of its further expansion plans “Our unique AIS message de-collision Falcon 9 is designed for the transport of exactEarth has recently reached an agree- Canadian deal technology provides the highest quality satellites to low Earth orbit and GTO (geo- ment with SpaceQuest Ltd to purchase News of the most recent launch followed global vessel monitoring and detection stationary transfer orbit) as well as for two new satellites equipped with soon after exactEarth had released details capability which is critical for our cus- sending SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft to advanced AIS payloads. of a Standing Offer it had been awarded to tomers' success." orbiting destinations such as the exactEarth has had access to AIS mes- provide exactAIS data services to the International Space Station. sage data and real-time spectrum feeds Government of Canada, with a total order ORBCOMM SpaceX's Falcon 9 launch site is located from two in-orbit SpaceQuest satellites value of up to CDN$4.7 million. Space-based AIS competitor ORBCOMM at Launch Complex 40 at the Cape since the middle of last year, processing Under this agreement, the Canadian has meanwhile announced its own plans Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. DS

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Digital Ship May 2011 page 66 p58-69:p26-32.qxd 03/05/2011 14:56 Page 10

Digital Ship Digital Navigation – making the transition The transition to digital navigation and ECDIS can be a daunting one, as it requires a comprehensive change in the way that seafarers may have been used to operating with paper. However, following a few straightforward steps and giving due care and attention to the process can make all the difference, writes Malcolm Instone, ECDIS Ltd

he emergence of new technology Instead, this should be viewed as a TTin the field of maritime operations major project that requires significant has seen most facets of fleet opera- thought and planning. The process can be tions computerised or digitised in the simplified if we break it down one step at quest to build, display and manipulate a time to ensure that all data is captured: technology to our advantage. Step 1: Capability Requirement (establish It is therefore surprising that many what you need) fleets are still navigating using paper Step 2: Additional Requirement (consider charts, as the advantages and efficiencies the wider implications) available if ECDIS systems are used prop- Step 3: Consolidation (have we missed erly for navigation are significant. anything?) Following a number of high profile Step 4: Equipment Purchase decision and groundings and the perception that ECDIS Fit programme systems can save money, many fleets have Step 5: Training made the bold decision to embark on a Step 6: Digital Transition – Go paperless. fleet wide ECDIS fit. As the first to do so, they are pioneering Step 1 – Capability the use of ECDIS at sea. In short, these pio- Requirement neers are showing that it is feasible to trust First, it is necessary to establish exactly The importance of training cannot be overstated this new technology and make it work. what you need with regard to the ECDIS, However, for those that wish to follow both in terms of navigation and operations. their example the task can seem more than The point is that making the digital in your fleet. capability and an inability to transfer data a little daunting. Faced with a blank piece transition is more complicated than just A list needs to be made of what your between systems to the need to produce of paper you now need to formulate a plan choosing a system to plan a route from expectations are from ECDIS. If they can- multiple training streams for crews, tech- to ‘go digital’. port to port - the equipment must be suit- not be met, will you ever truly be able to nical training for engineers and so on. The transition to digital is not a case of ed to the nature of your operations. ‘go digital’? simply buying any ECDIS system and Therefore, due consideration must be In terms of navigation, essentially what Step 2 – Additional hoping for the best. This may seem the given to thinking through all the evolu- you must consider is whether or not you Requirement easiest option, but I can assure you that tions that were conducted using paper wish to transfer your existing paper navi- Experience has shown me that the cheap- what looks like the light at the end of the charts to ensure that they can be achieved gational methods and procedures to est option on paper may end up being the tunnel is the headlight of an oncoming on ECDIS with suitable back up, redun- ECDIS. If so, with regard to the equip- most expensive overall when you add in train. dancy and the robustness that is required ment, ask yourself the ‘Navigational the other elements beyond the initial hard- Issues’ and ‘Operational Issues’ questions ware tender. NAVIGATIONAL ISSUES in Table 1 (not exhaustive and in no par- Training, for example is a significant  Can we plan berth to berth? ticular order). factor, as is integration of existing sensors  Can we utilise headmarks, sternmarks and beam marks in our planning? Of course, not all of the considerations and hardware. It may be too late to change  Can we utilise wheel over bearings? in that list of questions will be relevant to once you have bought a system for the  Can the system construct accurate turns utilising Advance and Transfer? you, but care must be taken to ensure that fleet so this is where you must ensure the  Can the system calculate turns when a tidal stream is present? the requirement is captured as not all sys- longevity of your system and do as much  Will it accept tidal and environmental information such as Admiralty Total Tide?  Can it utilise our shape, characteristics and hydrodynamic data for precise navigation? tems can achieve all of the capabilities. as possible to future proof it.  Who will produce and input ship specific (perhaps confidential) information into the system? ECDIS equipment capability has Ask yourself again, what do you want  How will the navigator brief the port entry and exit if there is no paper chart to display? advanced considerably over the years and the ECDIS to do? Consider the bigger pic-  Can we network a printer to print out screenshots (for the navigator’s notebook, for example)? varies from system to system. Not all sys- ture, and think about the hardware and  Can we print out passage plans and related information? tems will be able to achieve the capabili- integration questions listed in Table 2 (on  How are we going to operate in areas of GPS denial?  Does it work well without GPS? ties listed, but some can. the following page and again, not exhaus-  Can we manually fix position with visual bearings? At this stage please consider taking tive and in no particular order).  Can we manually fix position with radar ranges? independent advice as to the most appro- Remember that the Performance  Can we plot a position using transferred position lines? priate system for your needs. However, to Standards for ECDIS (IMO A.817(19),  Can we plot horizontal and vertical sextant angles? reiterate, first and foremost the system revised by MSC 232(82)) state that as a  Can we accurately define safe water in confined waters?  Can we construct Limiting Danger Lines? will be utilised as a navigation aid. minimum, ECDIS should be connected to  Can we construct Clearing Bearings? Therefore, it is vital to ensure that the sys- the ship's position fixing system, to the  How will navigation be conducted in emergency for example, when operating from the tem can reflect your standards of chart gyro compass and to the speed and dis- emergency conning position without paper charts? work and navigation. tance measuring device. OPERATIONAL ISSUES If it cannot, then you may have to Note that for ships not fitted with a  How are we going to plot our helicopter position? change your tried and tested methods. gyro compass, ECDIS should be connect-  How are we going to plot the location of our tenders? Consider that if the chosen system cannot ed to a marine transmitting heading  Can we use the system for management of assets? achieve your requirement, does that mean device.  Can we display weapon arcs and effective ranges for onboard security teams (anti-piracy)? you will be forced to make some paper When connecting to additional sensors,  Can we display overlays to aid counter piracy? charts available from time to time? If so, ECDIS should not degrade the perform-  Can it display bespoke chart products that may be available for your operations?  Does it offer greater security with regard to login? this would clearly defeat the aim, which is ance of any equipment providing sensor  Can I plot different grids for us on operations? after all, to go fully digital. inputs, and the connection of optional  Can it help with vessel protection with the growing aspiration to use ECDIS for anti-piracy? It is at this early stage that a decision equipment should not degrade the per-  Can it make areas alarmable? needs to be made as to whether the plan is formance of ECDIS below the set standard.  Can we feed data from onboard command systems in order to improve spatial awareness? to equip the fleet with a single equipment In addition to these hardware consider-  Can it be utilised for bespoke tasks such as for oil slick plotting, for example?  Can it be used in conjunction with optimum route planning software? solution, or whether different types of ations, it is also important to recognise the  Can it be used in conjunction with shipping databases such as Lloyd’s Register Fairplay? equipment spread amongst the fleet will choices that need to be made in relation to  Can the system predict a MOB position using set and drift or is it just a reference point? be considered. the additional software you will need to Clearly, the ramifications of fitting your run the systems, as well as the electronic Table 1 – Navigational and Operational issues to consider under Step 1 fleet with varying types of equipment will chart requirements you will have – Table 2 be enormous, from different levels of also mentions a number of the questions

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ELECTRONICS & NAVIGATION

HARDWARE SOFTWARE  Is there an ECDIS system that best suits your class of ship?  Do you need specific planning software?  How many vessels require fitting with ECDIS?  Do you require Conning and Docking functionality?  What is the cost of fitting?  Do you require navigation tools such as Predictor and Trial Manoeuvring?  Where are the vessels going to be fitted? (fit cost may vary with location)  Do you require an electronic Logbook function?  How many systems do you need – two per ship?  How much are additional software licenses?  What screen size do you require for the display?  How much are the inevitable upgrades to the software and presentation library?  What are the requirements for display power, housings and brackets? CHARTS & MISCELLANEOUS  What is the support package available?  Can the manufacturer provide equipment procedures and check-off cards?  How long does the warranty last?  Can the system utilise the charts that you are used to?  Will the systems be networked on a LAN?  Do you require ENCs and RNCs?  Do you want an additional remote terminal for planning or emergencies?  Do you require DNCs?  Do you need repeats in the Captain’s cabin, charthouse or operations room?  Do you require Ice charts?  Do you need a repeat in the machinery control room for MARPOL purposes?  Can it display the Admiralty Information Overlay?  Do you want to store spare parts to support your fleet?  Will you require an additional (appropriate) folio of paper charts?  How much are spare parts?  How will folios be updated?  What is the availability of spare parts?  Will it be linked to the internet for updating? (firewall and antivirus protector required) INTEGRATION TRAINING  Do you require integration with a bridge Alarm Management System?  Is there training available with the manufacturer?  Can it integrate with existing sensors such as GNSS, Log, Gyro and Echosounder?  Is there Flag state approved training on this equipment in accordance with STCW?  Can it integrate with existing Radar and provide Radar Image Overlay (RIO)?  Is there equipment specific training available on this equipment?  Can it integrate with NAVTEX?  Purchase an approved training course or produce one ‘in house’?  Can it integrate with the existing autopilot or Track Control device?  Do you require technical training for your engineers and maintainers?

Table 2 – Going paperless can have wide ranging implications, which must be looked at as part of the fitting programme

you will need to look at in the area of soft- Master or Navigation Officer is expected When constructing the fit programme short ‘in-house’ accreditation process to ware, charts and training. to operate. consider what ships will be fitted first and risk assess the ship’s ability to ‘go digital’. Training is integral to a successful tran- Although this has been part of ISM for last. Of course, this may ultimately This would ultimately ensure that the sition from paper charts to ECDIS. Crews some time, the MCA specifically states depend on the fleet operations, mainte- crew are confident and competent enough need to be properly trained in the use of that ‘trickle down training’ (i.e. one officer nance and refit schedule. to operate as safely using ECDIS as they their system in order to navigate safely. training another) is not acceptable as, It is worthwhile documenting lessons could on paper. This is the most enjoyable This is not something that can be taken inevitably, it leads to incomplete knowl- learnt from the first fit so that mistakes are part of the process as you see the results of lightly as training cannot be conducted in edge of the equipment’s capabilities, and not duplicated throughout the fit. good training and planning come to a few hours. especially the lesser used functions, being Furthermore, if possible, maintain some fruition. ECDIS presents a step change in the way passed on. form of continuity of fit personnel to ensure Examples of assessed serials that could we conduct navigation at sea, and as a crit- It can be seen therefore that the training that standards are maintained with as few be included as part of any risk assessment ical system this needs great care and con- burden is significant if multiple systems irregularities between ships as possible. process include: System set-up; Safety set- sideration in order to get the most out of are in use throughout the fleet and where Once equipment is fitted it is essential tings; Administration; Documentation; the equipment whilst maintaining safety. Flag State approved generic training is not that the equipment is properly integrated Procedures; Berth to berth planning; A Flag State approved IMO 1.27 Model available on your chosen system. with sensors, aligned with Radar Image Pilotage; Blind Pilotage; Coastal ECDIS Course (40 hrs or 5 days) will be Due consideration must also be given Overlay (RIO) if applicable, and tested with Navigation; Anchoring; Fixing; Operating required, as well as an Equipment Specific to the fact that the above courses are not a set to work package to ensure that what without GPS; and Loss of sensors. training course if different manufacturers’ necessarily for life as they may need to be you have fitted meets with expectations. The risk assessment serials could be equipment has been fitted (recommended undertaken at stated intervals or if the conducted in a simulated environment, duration 8 hrs or 1 day). equipment significantly changes. Step 5 – ‘In House’ although the preferred option should It is essential that training is considered The training element is going to take a Training always be to conduct them at sea. well in advance of the ECDIS fit to reduce lot of time, particularly with a large fleet. If you are considering conducting training It is a recommendation that only when the period of time between training and However, you do not need to wait for the yourself, or ‘in house’ training, then you you are content that this has been onboard use to avoid skill fade. fit programme to start before embarking must consider the time and manpower achieved should you authorise the reduc- Note that some Flag states such as the on the training programme. By doing so cost of producing a stand alone ECDIS tion of paper folios down to that required MCA now require equipment specific you will alleviate pressure and have course, bespoke for the equipment pur- for RCDS (Raster Chart Display System) training in addition to the 5 day generic trained personnel ready to begin the next chased, and also gaining Flag State course mode or in accordance with your compa- ECDIS training course. phase of the project. approval. ny policy. This ECDIS ‘ship specific equipment On top of this will be the investment in training’ should relate to the make and Step 3 – Consolidation classroom equipment and training con- Summary model of the equipment fitted on the ship Now take a step back and make sure that soles, training licences for software, provi- ECDIS is coming and it cannot be stopped. on which they are currently serving. That you are not missing anything before pur- sion of a bridge simulator, integration of Inevitably every fleet will make the is to say, it will be necessary to attend a chasing the equipment. ECDIS into the bridge simulator, and the transition from paper charts to ECDIS in training course for each different system a What are the key elements that must be cost of ECDIS instructors. due course. This is not only due to the satisfied when choosing your ECDIS? All the above takes considerable time, advantages and efficiencies that can be You must be able to place a tick in the money and most importantly, expertise. I recognised by using such equipment, but  Is it ready now? box next to all of the questions in the check- cannot emphasise enough the importance also that new build ships are now being  Is it type approved ECDIS? list in Table 3 (left) at the beginning of this of considering training at the very begin- fitted with them.  Can it integrate with existing sensors? adventure, or you are slowly heading ning of the process. Going digital need not be a headache if towards an inevitable disaster! properly thought out, planned and  Can it employ my navigation Step 6 – Digital resourced. Take heart in that it is achiev- techniques? Step 4 – Equipment Transition able and has been achieved by many fleets  Does it come with a full training Purchase and Fit The final phase of the process is to con- already. solution? All the work conducted producing the duct the transition from navigating with What invariably seems an expensive  Does it offer proven pedigree and requirement is now complete and the effort paper charts to being accredited to navi- and lengthy process can actually end up global support? expended will hopefully be rewarded. gate paperless using ECDIS. Note that being cheaper and quicker than perhaps The next stage is to make a decision on this depends upon your Flag State and it was first thought. DS  Have I balanced the best product with which equipment is the most appropriate is therefore crucial that you seek advice the overall price? for your needs, based upon the work con- from Flag, who may have to be involved About the author  Is it ‘future proof’ and easily upgrad- ducted in the earlier steps. in this process to ensure that you meet Malcolm Instone is director of able for new techniques? If you are intending to conduct training their standards. operations and standards with  Will the whole package allow my fleet ‘in house’, then consider Step 5 prior to It is recommended that a lead ECDIS ECDIS Ltd, a company offer- to ‘go digital’ with minimum fuss? purchasing equipment as there are addi- inspector be nominated to manage this ing advice on various aspects tional purchases and considerations to process and to act as liaison between the of the transition to ECDIS, as well as a make. Once the decision is made the Flag authority and the fleet as required. range of accredited training courses Table 3 – Essential checklist equipment can be purchased. It may also be prudent to construct a (www.ecdis.org).

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SHIPBUILDING, MARINE, PLANT, OFFSHORE 해양 종합 산업 전시회 “KORMARINE”

국제 조선 및 해양 산업전 October, 26(Wed)~29(Sat), 2011 BEXCO, BUSAN, KOREA

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IZa/ -'"'"***",&*(:"bV^a/_\h]^c5`[V^gh#Xdb!_dVccZ5`[V^gh#Xdb p70-80:p26-32.qxd 03/05/2011 15:08 Page 1

ELECTRONICS & NAVIGATION

Digital Navigation – managing integration with INS

Integrated Navigation Systems offer a number of advantages to vessel navigators, helping to manage the range of available data to increase situational awareness. However, standardisation in development of these systems is key in realising these benefits, writes Anders Rydlinger, Transas

ypically a bridge is manned by a remain unchanged in the foreseeable single individual, who in recent future as many navigational techniques, TTyears has witnessed a significant for example in measuring depth, will increase in the types of navigational remain the same for the time being. equipment available. Even if there are changes, improving Until now bridge equipment innova- reliability, accuracy etc, the output of this tion was developing under the concept of sensor will remain the same, as it will still ‘boxes’ – different devices required to per- be the ‘depth measured under transduc- form a particular function. The watch- er’. Controllers, for example steering gear, keeper received information from a vari- are also quite ‘stable’ components for the ety of stand-alone systems, with different time being. user interfaces. In contrast to this, the signal processing, One problem with this is the potential display and other functions available to the for confusion and information overload, user are based on software and computers, particularly if the watchkeeper is not which allows for a variety of new functions Integrated Navigation Systems offer better situational awareness properly acquainted with the operational to be introduced in integrated systems. parameters of any one of those systems. The ‘human factor’ is another element ity etc providing a real time picture for was the reasoning behind the 2007 per- However, developing technology has that must be carefully considered in the grounding and collision avoidance as well formance standard that introduced a new revolutionised the way in which the design phase. as decision making support. system known as ‘alert management’. bridge watchkeeper can maintain a safe It’s fully understood that manning is a From January 2011 systems installed on This standard builds a hierarchy of navigation watch. The idea of an costly resource, so there is a need for board should comply with the 2007 IMO alarms, warnings and cautions, and har- Integrated Navigation System (INS) shifts ‘intelligent’ systems that would pro- revised performance standard for INS, monises the handling, distribution and pres- the focus from the traditional ‘boxes’ con- actively tell a watchkeeper that he is run- which incorporates SOLAS Chapter V/15 entation of alerts within an INS. This allows cept to a task-oriented concept. ning into danger, give warnings at various guideline requirements to deliver safe the system to actually identify abnormal sit- In other words, instead of a number of levels and provide informed advice to operations, free from the dangers of unde- uations which require action, and allows the boxes giving the navigator a portion of the reduce human related errors. tected human error and system or sensor bridge team to devote its attention to the pri- required information, each integrated sys- The aim of an integrated system is to failure, supported by fail-to-safe principles. mary task of safe navigation. tem collects all the necessary information enable one person to gain a full overview Today we are waiting for the IEC test The INS is flexible, and can be adapted from sensors (‘boxes’) and presents this nec- of the navigational and ship-keeping func- standard allowing the industry to certify to bridge arrangements according to a par- essary information adapted for the particu- tions so that he can exercise better and products. The question is, in which direc- ticular operational scenario – open sea, lar navigation task at that moment, in order more reliable control, and be primarily tion will this standard go? mooring etc – by selecting the required to support the decision making process. responsible for the visual lookout and ves- There are two possibilities, with the tasks in a particular workstation. The development of INS is in line with sel seamanship, assessing the safety of more rigid alternative being that INS will So, among other benefits of INS some of the IMO’s ‘e-Navigation strategy’, the aim navigation and routines. need to be sold as a product which must the most important are: having consistent of which is to integrate new and existing Even on a modern ship the most impor- comply 100 per cent with the IEC test stan- HMI for all primary navigational func- navigational tools, in particular electronic tant resource is the human. System dard. In this case INS will only be applica- tions; consistent data distribution; redun- tools, into an all-embracing system that will designers have to build their systems ble for new buildings, and I doubt we will dancy of functions; and shared digital data contribute to enhanced navigational safety. around the capabilities of the human inter- see many systems introduced in the near with timely updates etc (for example ENC Every shore-based industry has already face, such that it is able to provide intelli- future as sensors and subsystems will not data, used in ECDIS and chart radar, need been able to appreciate the benefits of the gent options to the operator. comply with the requirements for INS. to be up-to-date). latest IT and communications technology. Standardisation is the key to better The alternative is to use the INS stan- With these benefits the installation of The shipping industry was a bit slow and adaptability and performance by the dard more as a guide with rules covering the INS can allow for a reduction in the conservative to accept the changes offered, watchkeeper onboard. Information over- how integration should be done. This will number of crew, the amount of electronics and now it needs to catch up. load is dangerous in a risky business such improve the situation on vessels sailing on the bridge and the number of suppliers, However, we should not forget that as marine navigation. today, as there is no clear rule on how inte- while at the same time the ship’s handling any newly available technology is just a One possible way forward is to com- gration shall be done during retrofit. reliability can be dramatically improved tool, which will only be beneficial when bine data sources to provide data and Today there is a mess on many vessels and the ship’s cost recouped faster. implemented under a clear operational information fusion, reducing the informa- where different GNSS systems or heading Integration is no longer about intercon- and functional design concept, and fol- tion in the presented picture under the devices are connected to the Radar and nection, nor simply the writing of soft- lowed by adopted regulations, as is tradi- ‘need-to-know’ principle. The real test of ECDIS in a haphazard manner. Integration ware, but it is about integrating the whole tional in shipping, to ensure the safety of performance comes from the ability of a of these systems into Multifunctional system of work, including the crew and new equipment. system to carry out its functions accurate- Displays, that will enhance navigation safe- the equipment, for effective bridge The introduction of new technology must ly, with reliably and integrity. ty and provide redundancy, must be con- resource management. demonstrate operational improvements for sidered for such retrofit vessels. If not there Once the INS system is approved the shipping and not just showcase ‘new tech- Integration benefits is a risk that INS will never happen. situation will become much more nology for new technology’s sake’. An Integrated Navigation System has a One of key tasks of a bridge system is to straightforward for all concerned. It is number of benefits compared with a enhance safety and reduce workload for important to ensure that everything is Navigation system design stand-alone system. officers on watch, and alarm management right with INS, because such systems will Today most manufacturers have moved to First of all it gives the user better situa- is a key element here. be necessary to provide the kind of plat- computer based design. Such an approach tion awareness. A new level of reliability Distracting and confusing secondary form required for the eventual imple- allows substantial changes to be made in is achieved by means of several opera- alarms can only cause complaints, which mentation of e-Navigation. DS the human machine interface (HMI) and tional levels. The display of an integrated functionality without an extensive hard- system combines numerous layers of the About the author ware redesign. information from different sources into Anders Rydlinger is product manager navigation with Transas Marine Interna- It also allows for a very efficient divi- one situation display. tional, having previously served in the Swedish Amphibious Forces and Coast sion of navigational bridge components The navigational chart is presented Artillery for 20 years. into 3 groups: sensors; controllers; pro- together with radar overlay, route infor- From 1992-1997 Mr Rydlinger was responsible for trials and development cessing and HMI. mation, targets, and own ship position, of an Integrated avigation System for Combat Boat 90, and was involved in the development The sensor group is quite likely to with information on ships’ manoeuvrabil- of avi-Sailor ECDIS from the customer side before joining Transas in 1997.

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Digital Ship Digital Navigation – GNSS reliance and vulnerabilities

With the influence of satellite based positioning, particularly GPS, growing ever stronger in the maritime world as a fundamental part of digital navigation, the potential vulnerabilities of these services must be understood. A study by the UK’s Royal Academy of Engineering has highlighted some of these issues, and issued a number of recommendations for improvement

n an ever more connected world, soci- Non-GNSS based back-ups are often degraded, but the absence of the service  Spoofing GNSS signals to create a con- ety’s reliance on high integrity posi- absent, inadequately exercised or inade- will have varying levels of impact, which trollable misreporting of position, for IItional, navigational and timing (PNT) quately maintained. could be mitigated if an alternative navi- example to deceive tracking devices. data is growing. Although it is currently rare for safety gation system is available. The easy and cheap availability of critical systems to be wholly reliant on Risk from jamming is growing. As System vulnerabilities Global Positioning System (GPS) and GNSS, related services that are otherwise GNSS becomes more widely used for rev- All GNSS are vulnerable to failure, disrup- other global navigation satellite systems independent may have GNSS as a com- enue generation or protection, the rewards tion and interference, and much work has (GNSS) has meant that their use as pri- mon point of failure, with consequences from criminal activity aimed at disrupting been done to assess the possible failure mary sources of this data can be found in for the performance of safety critical tasks. the system grow. modes and their effects on services, and to an increasing number of products and Such conditions occur where, for exam- Already it is known that criminals have develop strategies to detect failures and services. ple in the emergency services, navigation used GPS jamming in connection with correct them. In the great majority of cases, the loss of and positional data is required to help per- theft of high value vehicles and the avoid- The vulnerabilities of GNSS can broad- these services in an individual application form safety critical tasks efficiently, even ance of road user charges. ly be classified into three different cate- will cause only local or isolated inconven- though its absence would not interfere The cost of jamming equipment is low gories: ience, but the possibility exists for wider, with the actual emergency response task and while users of such equipment are 1. System related (including signals and single mode or common mode failures once the location of the emergency had concerned only with the jamming of receivers). with more serious consequences. been reached. devices on a single vehicle, the area affect- 2. Propagation channel related (atmos- The use of GNSS for a variety of pur- ed by that jamming signal can be large. pheric and multipath). poses has become so convenient and ubiq- Potential failure It is expected that the introduction of 3. Interference related (accidental or uitous that there is a strong tendency The original implementation of GNSS, the Galileo, with its additional frequency intentional). among users to treat it as a given. The US operated GPS, comprises ground bands and compatibility with GPS will GNSS have system-level vulnerabilities: range of applications stretch from highly based, space based and receiver segments, make jamming more difficult, but not sig- GPS satellites have on rare occasion accurate surveying to in-car navigation, all of which are susceptible to failures of nificantly so for the determined criminal. broadcast dangerously incorrect signals, a and from network synchronisation to cli- various types. The risk from spoofing is also emerging reduced number of satellites visible could mate research. There are also some common mode fail- and may become serious. prevent availability of a position fix, and Maritime applications include ocean ure mechanisms which can affect whole GNSS receivers can incorrectly process and inshore navigation, dredging, port classes of receiver or even the entire satel- Consequences of signal valid signals to give unpredictable results. approaches, harbour entrance and dock- lite constellation. The risk of a common loss GNSS signals are very weak: typically ing, vessel traffic services (VTS), mode failure affecting an entire GNSS con- A failure, or loss of signal due to some out- less than 100 watts transmitted from a dis- Automatic Identification System (AIS), stellation or even multiple constellations side influence, can result in a range of con- tance of 20,000 km to 25,000 km. hydrography, and cargo handling. cannot be ruled out. sequences depending on the application. When received at the surface of the Safety of Life maritime applications In a telecommunications network, a earth, the signal strength may be as low as include search and rescue, synchronisa- small loss in the efficiency of data han- –160 dBW (1 x 10–16) watts, with a spec- tion of flashing navigational aids, and dling may occur while the system ‘free- trum spread out effectively below the navigation in crowded waterways under wheels’ until a signal is restored; in a sur- noise floor in the receivers. low visibility conditions. veying application where timing is not Deliberate or unintentional interference Dependence on GNSS connects many critical, some delays may occur before the with this signal can easily defeat the signal otherwise independent services to form an survey can be properly completed. recovery or overload the receiver circuitry. accidental system with a single point of In such applications, a temporary loss of Furthermore, signals are vulnerable to failure. GNSS signals might be considered an disruptions in the atmospheric medium For example, at sea in fog or at night, inconvenience. However, where systems they pass through, and receivers can also jamming could cause collisions between are used in safety of life critical applica- unintentionally lock onto reflections of the ships or with obstructions whilst causing tions, the consequences can be more severe. signals, known as multipath, giving unex- emergency beacons to broadcast false In some situations, even if operators are pectedly large errors. positions, delaying search and rescue. well versed in procedures for a loss of These causes can have quite different No-one has oversight of the increasing GNSS signals, the number of interlinked effects on users, such as partial or com- range of services that are dependent on The availability of GPS positioning is often systems simultaneously activating alarms plete loss of the positioning and timing GNSS or the complex ways in which they taken as a given can lead to eroded situational awareness service, poorer accuracy, very large interact, and therefore no-one can reliably of operators in what could well be an jumps in position, velocity or time, and fully predict the consequences of a signifi- emergency situation. ‘hazardously misleading information’ cant disruption of GNSS signals. The Earth is subject to extreme solar Some systems which rely on PNT sig- (HMI) that is to say, believable data that This is an unsatisfactory situation for events from time to time and these have nals from GNSS are robust in themselves is dangerously wrong in safety critical important services that are dependent on the potential to disrupt the GNSS signals, and procedures are in place to deal ade- applications. GNSS. and the satellites themselves. The disrup- quately with any GNSS based system A Royal Academy of Engineering study tion may be temporary or may cause com- faults that occur. Segment-specific issues (Global Navigation Space Systems: reliance and plete satellite failure. However, disruptive interference can As previously mentioned, each GNSS has vulnerabilities) has identified an increasing Such super-storm events are not pre- occur unintentionally and, worse still, three segments: ground, space and user, number of applications where PNT signals dictable, but studies estimate that these so- deliberate interference is a real and grow- and each of these segments have vulnera- from GNSS are used with little, or no, non- called ‘Carrington events’ will occur with ing possibility. As opportunities arise for bilities to problems or failures. GNSS based back-ups available. a probability in the order of once in every criminals to make money, avoid costs or The ground segment is responsible for At every level, examples of reliance on 100-200 years. avoid detection, it is known that signifi- maintaining the system time, controlling GPS for positional, navigational and tim- Space Weather events of lesser magni- cant effort will be directed towards attack- the satellites, uploading navigation data ing uses without fully tested and exercised tude will occur more frequently. More ing GNSS based systems. (Clock prediction data and Almanac and non-GPS back-ups have been observed. than once per decade, at UK latitudes, Potential and already known mecha- Ephemeris orbit prediction data) that will The trend is for GNSS to be used in a there may be an interruption to high accu- nisms for deliberate interference include: be broadcast to users from the satellites, growing number of safety of life critical racy GNSS services.  Rebroadcasting (‘meaconing’) a GNSS and monitoring the signals broadcast systems. Unfortunately, the integrity of There should be no direct safety of life signal maliciously, accidentally or to across the globe. GNSS is insufficient for these applications issues if the integrity subsystem informs improve reception but causing mis- The satellites carry clocks, signal gener- without augmentation. the users that the navigation solution is reporting of a position. ation units and amplifiers and antennas to

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ELECTRONICS & NAVIGATION

broadcast the signals, modulated with the which can be largely mitigated using a hundreds of metres to unprepared users, navigation data. model. Hence the troposphere introduces and it is also one of the most significant These systems are designed with high an error term, rather than a threat. barriers to future adoption of autonomous reliability in mind, and in the case of GPS, The ionized upper region of the atmos- car navigation using GNSS. the ground segment and satellites are phere known as the ionosphere can also designed to be resistant to military attack, cause disruptions to GNSS signals and if Deliberate interference but nevertheless there are vulnerabilities – uncorrected introduce the largest errors There are three distinct forms of deliberate for example if bad navigation data is in GNSS. interference with GNSS signals: jamming, uploaded to the satellite, or if unpredictable The variability of the ionosphere, espe- spoofing, and meaconing. errors appear in the clock mechanism. cially at high and low latitudes and at Jamming is the most likely activity Unlike the ground and space segment, times close to the peak of the sunspot cycle which will impact a conventional industri- the GNSS user segment is extremely can be highly problematical. This variabil- al use GPS system. diverse and uncoordinated, comprising all ity of the ionosphere is one manifestation Meaconing (delaying and rebroadcast- GPS receivers. of space weather. ing) and spoofing (false signal) which Different manufacturers design GNSS Multipath vulnerabilities can lead to effectively rebroadcasts erroneous satellite receivers to different levels of quality, but errors. Multipath describes the situation ephemeris are currently less common than even the simplest GNSS receiver is a high- when a receiver picks up reflected signals jamming. ly complex mixture of radio and digital as well the normal signals direct from the The crudest form of jamming simply hardware and software. satellite. transmits a noise signal across one or more The common thread is that all receivers GNSS signals can reflect off relatively of the GNSS frequencies, to raise the noise are designed to interface with the broad- distant objects, e.g. buildings, and cause level or overload the receiver circuitry and cast GNSS signals, as documented in the gross errors in position accuracy if the cause loss of lock. Circuits and assembly ‘Signal-in-Space Interface Control receiver falsely locks onto this reflected instructions for GPS jammers are widely A GPS jamming unit used in trials by the Document’ (ICD) definition. General Lighthouse Authorities, which signal instead of the direct signal. available on the internet, and commercial This diversity means that systematic vul- caused GPS receivers to report position More subtle errors are caused when the jammers can be bought for less than £20. nerabilities in GNSS receivers will not affect errors of more than 20km. Photo: GLA reflective objects are closer and direct and Commercial jammers are increasingly all users, but still could affect one particular reflected signals merge together, causing sophisticated: some are designed to fit into user sector badly, possibly globally, where of generally deleterious effects. lower precision code and carrier phase a pocket, some into car lighter sockets; receivers from one manufacturer with a If the atmosphere were invariant in measurements. most jammers are designed to block GPS, latent software bug are used widely. time and space due allowance could be Multipath is ubiquitous and a very well GLONASS and GALILEO (even before In time, users will also become increas- made, but unfortunately the atmosphere is known phenomenon to scientists and GALILEO is operational), others incorpo- ingly dependent on the various overlay sys- highly variable over many temporal and receiver manufacturers who have intro- rate jamming of all cellphone frequencies tems that are required to enhance the per- spatial scales. duced all kinds of measures in receivers to as well, using multiple antennas. formance of GNSS, which potentially intro- The lowest and densest region of our mitigate the effects, such as multipath Noise jamming can be overcome to some duces more vulnerability into the system. atmosphere, containing our weather sys- rejecting antennas, receiver filtering and degree by adaptive antennas and noise fil- For ground (or sea) based users the tems, is called the troposphere. Here processing techniques. tering in well-designed receivers, but some GNSS signals must pass through the weather systems can affect GNSS signals However, multipath can still some- jammers are now transmitting GNSS codes atmosphere, and this too causes a variety causing modest variations in signal delay times cause surprising errors of tens to rather than noise, to bypass the filters.

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Digital Ship

Commercial receivers behave unpre- services that rely on GNSS. Secretariat should commission a review of Greater cross-government coordination dictably in areas where there is noise jam- Raising awareness and analysing the benefits and cost-effectiveness of estab- of science and technology issues related to ming. Trials by DSTL and Trinity House impact – Critical services should ensure lishing a monitoring network to alert users national security should explicitly recog- have shown receivers giving false infor- that GNSS vulnerabilities are included in to disruption of GNSS services, building on nise the importance of PNT, treating it as mation rather than reporting an error (see their risk registers and that the risks the results of the GAARDIAN and similar an integral part of the operation of nation- article Digital Ship June/July 2009 issue, are reviewed regularly and mitigated projects and the US experience with JLOC. al infrastructure. page 50). effectively. The Cabinet Office should consider Increasing resilience – The provision of Sometimes the errors are too large to be National and regional emergency man- whether official jamming trials of GNSS a widely available PNT service as an alter- misleading (ships’ positions shown to be agement and response teams should services for a few hours should be carried native to GNSS is an essential part of the many miles inland, with speeds approach- review the dependencies (direct and indi- out, with suitable warnings, so that users national infrastructure. It should be cost ing Mach 1, for example) but there have rect) on GNSS and mitigate the risks can evaluate the impact of the loss of effective to incorporate in civil GNSS also been many instances of hazardously appropriately. GNSS and the effectiveness of their con- receivers and free to use. misleading information (HMI) where Services that depend on GNSS for PNT, tingency plans. Ideally it should provide additional vehicles’ positions are offset by a few tens directly or indirectly, should document Widely deployed systems such as benefits, such as availability inside build- or hundreds of meters, and courses and this as part of their service descriptions, Stolen Vehicle Tracking or Road User ings and in GNSS blindspots. The report’s speeds are incorrect by a few degrees and and explain their contingency plans for Charging should favour designs where authors are encouraged by progress with a few knots. GNSS outages (say, of duration 10 min- the user gains little or no advantage from eLORAN in this context. The consequences of HMI could be seri- utes, 2 hours, 5 days, 1 month). the jamming of signals that are so impor- The Technology Strategy Board (TSB) ous if, for example, ships are navigating in Policy responses – It is already illegal to tant to other services. and the Engineering and Physical Sciences low visibility and broadcasting their place GNSS jamming equipment on the The availability of high quality PNT Research Council (EPSRC) are encouraged (GNSS derived) position to other vessels. market in the EU, as it cannot be made com- sources is becoming a matter of national to consider the merits of creating an R&D In the United States, monitoring for pliant with the EMC Directive. The Directive security with financial transactions, data programme focused on antenna and GPS signal anomalies is routine and the is transposed into UK national legislation. communication and the effective opera- receiver improvements that would occurrence of jamming incidents, both The use of jammers is also a serious tion of the emergency services relying on enhance the resilience of systems depend- deliberate and accidental is growing. In offence under the UK Wireless Telegraphy it to a greater or lesser extent. ent on GNSS. DS the UK, the Technology Strategy Board is Act 2006. Ofcom also has the ability to supporting a project to establish a service close remaining loopholes by putting in This article has been adapted from the 2011 Authorities of the UK & Ireland; to verify the extent to which GNSS signals place a banning order under the 2006 Act Royal Academy of Engineering study Global Professor Paul Cannon FREng, Qinetiq; can be trusted by users. which would prohibit import, advertise- avigation Space Systems: reliance and eil Ackroyd, Ordnance Survey; Paul ment and mere possession of jammers. vulnerabilities, prepared by a working Cruddace, Ordnance Survey; Martin Recommendations The case for this is easily justified given group consisting of the following group of Unwin, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd Based on the results of the study the the clear danger to safety of life services, Academy Fellows and other experts: Further contributions also came from report’s authors have made a number of which present a clear priority for Ofcom. Dr Martyn Thomas CBE FREng Charles Curry, Chronos Technology Ltd, (Chairman), Martyn Thomas Associates and Professor Washington Ochieng, recommendations with the aims of (a) The report’s authors recommend that Ltd; Professor Jim orton, Independent Imperial College, London. raising awareness of the nature and mag- Ofcom should introduce such a banning Director; Alan Jones, Cotares Ltd; Professor The full report is available online at nitude of the issues; (b) proposing some order, ideally in cooperation with other Andy Hopper FREng, University of www.raeng.org/gnss or copies are available policy interventions that could reduce the European legislators. Cambridge; ick Ward, General Lighthouse on request from the Academy. risks; and (c) increasing the resilience of The Cabinet Office Civil Contingencies

M in

Keep Trim

Dynamic fore and aft trim measurement by MarineSTAR can lead to more economical use of bunker fuel.

Fugro Seastar AS, Oslo, Norway Tel: +47 21 50 14 00 Fax: +47 21 50 14 01 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.marinestar.no

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ELECTRONICS & NAVIGATION Safety communications and Arctic expansion Distress and safety communications in extreme Northern regions will be enhanced by recent expansion of the World-Wide Navigational Warning Service into the Arctic – providing a greater range of options to seafarers travelling routes in these areas, writes Peter Blackhurst, Inmarsat

n the first day of the 15th session (GNSS) satellite navigational receivers. other sections have guaranteed coverage. matrix. Hence many models could not be of the IMO Sub-Committee on EGC reception is part of the Inmarsat-C So, while there are some limitations in the used to receive new MSI addressed to the OORadiocommunications, Search system and used for broadcast of informa- Arctic, ships in the area will still need to use Arctic areas. and Rescue (COMSAR), a ceremony took tion to vessels. To promulgate MSI an Inmarsat-C and mini-C terminals to auto- The SafetyNET Coordinating Panel place to celebrate the expansion of the international SafetyNET service is used matically receive MSI, as the availability of made a decision to address NAVAREA/ World-Wide Navigational Warning Serv- that is a mandatory part of communica- the satellite terminals on ships is mandatory. METAREA warnings to rectangular areas ice (WWNWS) into Arctic waters. tion equipment on certain type of ships For the areas that have marginal satel- around the new defined areas, so that all It was attended by the Secretary-General operating outside Navtex areas. lite coverage or are outside the footprint, ships with the existing equipment and of the World Meteorological Organization To enable the EGC SafetyNET services Norway and the Russian Federation are without the new matrix encoded would be (WMO), Michel Jarraud, the President of and develop them, develop documenta- utilising existing Navtex stations or able to receive the required MSI. the International Hydrographic tion in its support, further develop opera- installing new transmitters thereby ensur- There are now a few models on the Organization (IHO), Admiral Alexandros tional criteria and establish means of ing that there is full coverage for transmis- market with the new areas encoded and, Maratos, and IMO Secretary-General, generally speaking, new equipment will Efthimios E. Mitropoulos, as well as dele- have been upgraded before delivery. gates to the sub-committee. Some models may be upgraded with Following the introduction of the software or firmware upgrades, but some GMDSS there was a requirement to prom- legacy or older models that are not support- ulgate navigational and meteorological ed by manufacturers anymore may require Maritime Safety Information (MSI) and 16 replacement. Equipment suppliers should NAVAREAs/METAREAs were approved be consulted with regard to the availability under the auspices of IMO. of these new areas on specific equipment. Taking into consideration the effect of MSI via EGC SafetyNET can be addressed increased global warming and the changes in four different ways: to NAVAREA in accessibility of the Arctic together with /METAREA number (there are 21 areas); to the greater use of the North West and North rectangular area; to circular area; and to East passages by international shipping, coastal areas as Navtex messages. five more areas were approved in 2010. Each type of MSI has its priority, Over the past year MSI has been prom- address and repetition, and all these oper- ulgated as part of the ‘Initial Operational ational issues are coordinated by the inter- The new WWNWS Arctic NAVAREAS have come into effect Capability’, and the service will be in the national SafetyNET Panel. ‘Full Operational Capability’ from 1st June MSI, depending on its type, is broad- this year. approval and registration of MSI sion of this important safety information. cast using three priorities: Safety, Urgency Responsibility for Arctic NAVAREA providers, an International Coordinating Inmarsat is now working on develop- and Distress. All SOLAS compliant ships Coordination and the METAREA Issuing Panel was adopted by IMO. ment of a new generation of maritime safe- in all areas, including Arctic areas within Services has been assumed by Canada, ty services on the BGAN FleetBroadband Inmarsat coverage, receive MSI via EGC Norway and the Russian Federation. Arctic communications platform, operating via the Inmarsat-4 SafetyNET automatically for the area Each NAVAREA/METAREA has its Navtex receivers operate on the interna- satellites. The additional coverage of these where the ship is located. Ships are also own national coordinator of navigational tional frequency of 518 KHz and have a satellites will effectively reduce the existing able to set up additional areas to receive and meteorological information coverage area of about 250-300 miles. The service gaps left by Inmarsat-3 satellites MSI ahead of their intended voyage. (NAVAREA/METAREA XVII – Canada; Inmarsat satellite system operates within and increase the Arctic areas where It is very important to note that sched- NAVAREA/METAREA XVIII – Canada; the physical coverage area of geostation- Inmarsat service is made available. uled MSI, mainly with Safety priority, is NAVAREA/METAREA XIX – Norway; ary satellites with a guaranteed reception broadcast via a single or nominated NAVAREA/METAREA XX- Russian area that is between 76 degrees North and Receiving safety Inmarsat satellite only if the addressed Federation; NAVAREA/METAREA XXI – South (subject to antenna position and messages area is within coverage of two or three Russian Federation). lack of obstruction). MSI providers address NAVAREA/ satellites. MSI with higher Urgency and To receive MSI automatically, ships, in In the Arctic there are two traditional METAREA warnings to the relevant num- Distress priority is broadcast via all satel- accordance with the SOLAS Convention, passages from Atlantic Ocean to Pacific ber of the area using a special syntax that lites serving the area. must be fitted with the relevant communi- Ocean – the North-West passage along the include ocean area code, message priority, This means that it is very important to cations equipment - Navtex receivers for coast of the USA and Canada, and the service code, address and repetition code. keep the terminal logged in to the nomi- short to medium range, and Inmarsat-C or North-East passage along the coast of All existing maritime Inmarsat-C and nated satellite if the area is served by more mini-C terminals using Enhanced Group Norway and the Russian Federation. mini-C terminals used to receive MSI, than one satellite at the time of broadcast, Call (EGC) system for transocean and Not all the parts of the both passages before the new Arctic areas were approved, so as not to miss required information. when outside medium frequency (MF) are within the coverage of Inmarsat’s geo- have an encoded matrix of all NAVAREAs In addition to reception of MSI, which Navtex range, or in areas where Navtex is stationary footprint, with the relatively /METAREAs or an ability to set up the is a mandatory service under IMO regula- not available. small areas of passage outside coverage area's number where the ship is navigating. tion, Inmarsat-C is also used for SSAS Inmarsat-C and mini-C use the same lying mainly between the boundaries of This allows mobile terminals to ‘recog- (Ship Security Alerting System) and LRIT Inmarsat-C communication system, with adjacent satellites. nise’ which area the ship is in and auto- (Long Range Information and Tracking). the only differences between the two vari- Some areas with low degree antenna matically receive the required MSI. In case of distress or emergency the sys- ants being in the design and technical elevation angle (less than 5 degrees) have When IMO adopted new Arctic areas a tem can be used to transmit distress alert characteristics of the mobile terminals. limited or non-guaranteed coverage. temporary solution was implemented to (by using dedicated distress button) and Mini-C terminals are smaller in size, have To determine what the practical cover- change the addressing of NAVAREA/ distress priority messages with automatic less transmitting power and therefore con- age in the Arctic is, Inmarsat performed a METAREA warnings, since no equipment delivery to the Maritime Rescue sume less supply power. few trials with ships operating in the area. was available encoded with the new Coordination Centre (MRCC). DS Some models have integrated antenna These trial results showed that practical and transceiver allowing for simpler instal- coverage in some areas may be extended About the author lation and greater flexibility with cable rout- to 80 degrees North. Peter Blackhurst is head of Maritime Safety Services, Inmarsat, responsible for ing, but they support the same communica- Calculations have also shown that Inmarsat’s provision of GMDSS and its public service commitment. He is also a tion functions as Inmarsat-C terminals. about 10 per cent of both passages are governor of the World Maritime University based in Sweden, a director of Furthermore some models are approved beyond Inmarsat coverage. About 16 per CIRM, and a member of the Royal Institute of avigation and of the Honourable for GMDSS use, and all modern Inmarsat- cent of the NE route and 30 per cent of the Company of Master Mariners. Prior to joining Inmarsat, Mr Blackhurst worked with the UK’s C and mini-C models have integrated NW route have limited coverage, and all Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

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Digital Ship Maritime IT at Nor-Shipping – Preview When the summer comes, the great and the good of the shipping industry gather together in some of the world’s major maritime centres to catch up with old friends and see who’s doing what and with whom. This year Norway is the host for the biennial Nor-Shipping event - for those looking to catch up on the latest in technology, Digital Ship has a guide to some of the maritime IT exhibits on show

Amarcon Beijer Electronics available in English and Norwegian, Malta, Vigo, Dubai and Singapore. Amarcon is a provider of solutions to opti- At Nor-Shipping 2011 Beijer Electronics Docmap 7.0 is also available in Portuguese Visit Dualog in Hall B, at Stand 05-16. mise routing and decision support for all will present its selection of marine industri- with the aim of catering to offshore com- types of sea-going vessels. al PCs and monitors, and also plans to panies establishing themselves in the EMS Konsult At Nor-Shipping this year the company introduce its graphic HMI (human machine Brazilian oil sector. EMS Konsult is a provider of software sys- will be showcasing its OCTOPUS system, a interface) solution ‘iX’ at the show. Visit Docmap in Hall B, at Stand 05-12. tems based on the Sharepoint platform package of hardware and software prod- In comparison with previous product gen- (2007 and 2010) and related consultancy ucts to improve the safety and efficiency of erations ‘iX’ features upgraded software and Dualog services, which the company says can be ships operating at sea, while reducing costs. redesigned hardware, with the new design Independent data communication provider used to improve efficiency and document Available off-the-shelf or tailor- and functionality incorporating a widescreen Dualog, established in 1994, will exhibit its control related to the ISO 9001, ISO 14001 designed, the system includes fuel and per- format and improved connectivity. range of software-based services for the mar- and OHSAS 18001 standards, as well as formance monitoring, dynamic positioning Visit Beijer Electronics in Hall B, at itime industry, including its flagship Dualog the ISM code. and ship motion forecasts, weather services, Stand 04-18. Connection Suite, at Nor-Shipping 2011. Its software systems include a hydrodynamic analysis, and online infor- The company will display its data com- tqmPortal (Total Quality Management), mation about vessel status and location. Comtech munication systems for ship-shore e-mail, with features covering process approach, Visit Amarcon in Hall C at Stand 01-18c, At Nor-Shipping 2011 Comtech will show- data synchronisation, crew mail, anti document management, risk manage- in the Maritime by Holland pavilion. case its Comtech MarineNet Pro system, virus, remote access, web optimisation ment, requirements management, and for voice and data communications in the and onboard IP security at the event. competence evaluation. Autronica Fire and maritime sector. Dualog’s software can be used to opti- An fPortal (Improvement handling) is also Security This new satellite broadband system mise available bandwidth and manage available covering non conformity reporting, Autronica’s latest generation of its flag- operates over Thuraya’s satellite network costs irrespective of communication management of improvements and actions, ship fire detection system, AutroSafe 4, and provides vessels with broadband equipment type, and is currently used on and administration and analysis, while the will be on display during Nor-Shipping. communications capabilities. 1,700 vessels worldwide, backed by 24/7 company’s rPortal (Environmental reporting) The system was designed to meet the new Comtech MarineNet Pro will be avail- technical support. can be used for climate reporting and data SOLAS Safe Return to Port guidelines, and able with a range of different airtime pack- The company has 40 employees, work- on HSEQ/GRI performance. features a number of enhancements to ages. Nor-Shipping visitors can have a ing at its headquarters in Tromsø, Norway Visit EMS Konsult in Hall A, at Stand both networking and redundancy. preview of the service at the exhibition. and in additional offices in Oslo, Liverpool, 01-17. Recent developments with Autronica’s Visit Comtech in Hall D, at Stand 01-01c, safety management system, Autromaster in the USA Pavilion. with ISEMS, including the ability to link the onboard system to a shore system, will also Datema be on show from the Norwegian company. Dutch navigational chart and publications ™ Autronica has developed this new func- supplier Datema, founded in 1955 as part of fastcalgas Online to onboard. tionality through co-operation with the the Nautical Safety Group, will re-launch its .com EU’s FLAGSHIP research project, which it ENCtrack service at this year's Nor-Shipping. hopes will improve safety management First introduced at Nor-Shipping 2009, during emergencies and drills by enabling the roll out of the ENCtrack service was shore staff to better support safety officers. delayed by disagreements on the terms of With further integration of Omicron licensing, centring on its 'pay-as-you sail' products into its offering, Autronica says concept. it is also expecting strong interest in its gas After two years of lobbying and debate, detection systems during Nor-Shipping. Datema has now finally managed to The company acquired Omicron in 2009. secure the necessary IC-ENC permissions Calibration gas just became Visit Autorinca in Hall C, at Stand 03-30a. to re-launch ENCtrack, with official a whole lot simpler. approval having come into effect on AVEVA April 1, 2011. AVEVA, a provider of engineering design Visit Datema in Hall B, at Stand 01-17. and information management systems, will be showcasing its marine solutions at Docmap this year’s Nor-Shipping. Docmap will showcase the new version of AVEVA staff will be on hand to discuss its software system, Docmap 7.0, at this the company’s range of marine integrated year’s Nor-Shipping. engineering and design technology, as This new software version is designed well as the company’s information man- specifically for handling the documenta- agement services and recently launched tion required by safety management sys- Integrated Shipbuilding Strategy. tems and incident reporting. The Integrated Shipbuilding Strategy The Marine Suite version of the system www.fastcalgas.com focuses on the business lifecycle of an is pre-configured for the shipping indus- entire shipyard, exploring how shipyards try with an additional module, Docmap can optimise the design, procurement and Sync, for off-line synchronisation of

production process through improved remote databases (via e-mail, FTP or CD). Fastcalgas is a new service from Martek Marine that allows information management. The integrated system can be used to you to quickly and easily order calibration gas 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; pay online to speed up your order; and Demonstrations at the stand will also control documents integrated with report- have it shipped to meet your ships anywhere in the world. include AVEVA MARS, a purpose-built ing and investigation of HSEQ occur- • Buy calibration gas online – anytime day or night • All hazardous paperwork completed for you shipyard process management system, rences across the fleet, and includes func- • One clear price – including delivery Click. Dispatched. Calibrate. • Stock held in hubs around the world AVEVA NET, a digital asset management tionalities for process control, KPI data - UK / Dubai / Singapore / Shanghai / USA solution and AVEVA Review, a 3-D visu- harvesting and reporting, and managing alisation tool. TMSA2 or OVMSA business processes. Part of Martek Marine Ltd. www.martek-marine.com [email protected] Visit AVEVA in Hall C, at Stand 03-02a. With previous versions of the software

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ELECTRONICS & NAVIGATION

Eniram ECDISPlus enables customers to put Kongsberg Maritime says it will addi- location to provide cost-effective calling Eniram will be demonstrating its recently together a bespoke package of charts, pub- tionally present its latest bridge concept K- for shore-to-vessel voice calls. launched FLEET system at this year’s lications and equipment, backed up by Master during Nor-Shipping, in addition Local Numbers covers telephone num- Nor-Shipping, an onshore business intel- Kelvin Hughes’ support and training. to a range of position reference systems bers from more than 50 countries and ligence tool that aims to help ship opera- Visitors to the company’s stand can from Kongsberg Seatex. 4,000 cities worldwide, with fixed month- tors optimise the operational performance take part in practical ECDIS demonstra- Visit Kongsberg Maritime in Hall C, at ly costs and no additional per-minute fees. of their vessels. tions and also visit an ‘ECDIS Clinic’ Stand 02-28. There is no limit on the amount or The system allows for comparative energy where the Kelvin Hughes ECDIS ‘Doctor’ length of calls, and users can reach the consumption within a fleet across a set time will aim to solve their ECDIS problems. MARIS vessel directly with no requirement to call period and the setting of KPIs, to create a The company will also be launching a MARIS will present its ECDIS equipment, via an operator. consistent view of performance and improve new three year extended warranty across radar data processing and display systems The service is maintained by Marlink’s fuel efficiency and emissions reduction. its commercial product range, demon- and Voyage Data Recorders at this year's customer support team, with no user Eniram will also be showcasing its strating its latest radar technology and Nor-Shipping. administration required. Dynamic Trimming Assistant (DTA) processing capability (including the solid- Having introduced the world's first Visit Marlink in Hall B, at Stand 02-12. which provides a ship’s officers with state SharpEye radar), as well as its latest LCD based ECDIS systems and the dynamic monitoring and optimisation of a display technology aimed at the ice navi- world’s first fully approved S-VDR with McMurdo ship’s trim. gation market. optional ECDIS, most recently MARIS has McMurdo's Smartfind Global Maritime Visitors to Nor-Shipping are invited to Visit Kelvin Hughes in Hall B, at Stand introduced its Voyage Decision System Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) come by the company’s stand and pick up 01-26. (VDS), an electronic information tool NAVTEX receiver, used to provide com- a complimentary copy of its guide to based on MARIS ECDIS. mercial vessels with NAVTEX maritime dynamic trim optimisation, and see some KNS This system is used to plan, execute, safety information, will be on display at of the trim related savings potential seen on KNS is a designer, manufacturer, and inte- document and analyse a ship's voyage, the Nor-Shipping exhibition. board a VLCC carrier using its technology. grator of systems for the marine commu- with the aim of reducing fuel consump- The Smartfind GMDSS NAVTEX has a Visit Eniram in Hall D, at Stand 05-22. nications industry, based in Korea, and at tion. MARIS says that VDS has document- 4-colour LCD screen, with different NAV- Nor-Shipping 2011 the company will be ed fuel saving potential of up to 5 per cent TEX message categories colour-keyed GL Maritime Software showcasing its VSAT antennas, equip- of annual fuel costs in certain cases. according to the message type, navigation GL Maritime Software will demonstrate ment and parts for the shipping sector. MARIS now has more than 2,500 warning, meteorological forecast or the capabilities of its range of maritime Originally starting as a venture of KT ECDIS systems installed and in operation urgent search and rescue message. software solutions at this year’s Nor- (Korea Telecom), KNS obtained its first world-wide, and offers update services for ESM (Enhanced Signal Monitoring) is Shipping exhibition. contract with the South Korean Coast ENC and ARCS via e-mail, with the used to assist in message recovery and This portfolio of systems focuses on Guard before moving into the private approval of the UKHO and Primar. reduce text errors, while an automatic condition monitoring and operations sup- commercial sector. Visit MARIS in Hall B, at Stand 05-17. sorting feature and index message listing port, with the company’s software pack- As it expanded, KNS opened a larger page can help in locating new or previous- ages including the GL ShipManager, GL R&D facility in the Daeduk Techno Valley, Maritime Associates ly unread NAVTEX messages. HullManager, GL MachineryManager, GL a hub of research and development activi- Maritime Associates, a provider of consult- The Smartfind system interfaces with FleetAnalyzer, and GL SeaScout. ty in South Korea. ing services in naval architecture/offshore GPS and ECDIS, and has an optional hard GL says that its software systems are Currently KNS provides maritime engineering, and software development copy printer capability. A range of antenna designed to be flexible to user require- antenna systems for satellite communica- /ICT services, will present the VMOSnet options are available, including an optimised ments, allowing them to be either integrat- tions and satellite television to companies in software system at Nor-Shipping. professional two-band active antenna. ed as a single package or run as stand- approximately thirty countries worldwide. Created by the company’s own software Visit McMurdo in Hall C, at Stand 03-02c. alone solutions upon request. Visit KNS in Hall A, at Stand 01-29. development wing, VMOSnet is an inte- Visit GL Maritime Software in Hall D, at grated web-based fleet management sys- MNC Marine Stand 03-21. Kongsberg Maritime tem, covering a range of ship management MNC Marine will be at Nor-Shipping 2011 Kongsberg Maritime’s exhibit at Nor- functions like voyage planning, daily to showcase its IT management services Intellian Shipping 2011 will feature its new K-Chief reporting, maintenance, purchasing, HSSE- for maritime companies. Korean maritime satellite communication automation system, which utilises QA, document management and crewing. The company's technicians and engi- antenna system manufacturer Intellian Kongsberg’s new multifunction graphical The VMOSnet office system is a web- neers assist customers with installation will exhibit its line of VSAT communica- user interface to provide uniform control, based application, with the onboard version and maintenance of maritime applica- tions and satellite TVRO antennas at Nor- using the same design language, across the able to be configured as either a web-based tions, as well as providing complete hard- Shipping 2011. majority of Kongsberg Maritime systems. system or to work on the vessel’s intranet. ware environments. This will include its latest t110W 3-axis K-Chief may also be integrated with the The software package is already cur- MNC Marine offers a specialised soft- satellite TV antenna, offering greater cov- Kongsberg Maritime Vessel Performance rently in use on-board vessels and in ware service providing maintenance, erage, programming and functionality System, which integrates several separate offices in Australia, Japan, Singapore, monitoring and reporting functionality. than previous versions, and incorporating systems designed to reduce fuel consump- India and Finland. Visit MNC Marine in Hall T, at Stand 12. a newly designed, multi-band WorldView tion and emissions in areas like fuel per- Visit Maritime Associates in Hall C, at LNB (Low Noise Block-Down Converter) formance monitoring, engine performance Stand 02-08, in the Singapore Pavilion. MTN and a decoder for DVB-S2 digital TV monitoring and energy management. At Nor-Shipping 2011, MTN and reception. The company’s new cargo monitoring Marlink Norwegian partner GIS will introduce Information will also be available on the and control system, K-Gauge, will also be Marlink will launch its new ‘Local Numbers’ MTN’s range of communications solutions recently launched v240c, a 2.4 metre anten- present at the show. K-Gauge can be inte- service at this year’s Nor-Shipping. for the shipping industry, including VSAT na developed in-house by Intellian engi- grated with the company’s integrated Available to all customers of Marlink’s systems and onboard tools to help captains neers, the 60cm v60G with gyro free opera- automation and control systems (such as Sealink and WaveCall VSAT systems, the and crew to communicate and work at sea. tion, and the v110, with a wide elevation K-Chief) and incorporates level gauging, new service combines Direct Inward The company says that its range of angle of -15 degrees to -120 degrees, for con- temperature and pressure monitoring, Dialling (DID) with the local telephone value-add services will now be directly nectivity in high or low latitude regions. valve and pump control. number of the vessel operator’s office included in its offering, including Intellian says its VSAT antennas are StreamXcel Plus, a bandwidth analyzer, developed on an open platform design, to worldwide TV and a number of crew work with 'always on' high speed broad- morale services. band connections. The antennas work in MTN's VSAT products are powered by conjunction with any CDMA or TDMA the company's global satellite network, network, worldwide. providing guaranteed bandwidth for a Visit Intellian in Hall A, at Stand 01-15. fixed monthly fee. Visit MTN in Hall B, at Stand 02-11. Kelvin Hughes Marine data supplier and equipment manu- NEK Kabel facturer Kelvin Hughes will be demonstrat- NEK Kabel, founded in 1913 and based in ing its flagship ECDISPlus system at Nor- Norway, designs and manufactures cables Shipping, a new ECDIS package developed for maritime applications. to provide a single solution for those look- At Nor-Shipping 2011 the company ing to introduce ECDIS to their vessels. Kongsberg’s K-Chief 600 – Stand C02-28 will showcase its cables for ROV, umbili-

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Digital Ship

cals, subsea, pipeline control, petrochemi- tecture, which uses standard hardware in close cooperation with many of its cus- The company says that the system is now cal, crane and lifting plants, floating, as and software for scalability including a tomers and partners. fully approved and started shipping in April, well as communication cables. These sys- standardised PC with solid-state disk and The company is inviting exhibition and features new VHF, MF/HF, mini-C and tems come with DNV approvals. passive cooling instead of a fan. attendees to come to its stand and ask for touch screen message terminal technologies. A cabling system for ship installations The Synapsis (Chart-) Radar and a software demonstration. The company will also be showcasing its will also be on show at the event. Synapsis ECDIS also feature a range of new Visit SpecTec in Hall B, at Stand 01-20. ThraneLINK network protocol, which was Visit NEK Kabel in Hall B, at Stand 05-22. functions to enhance safety and efficiency. introduced as part of the SAILOR 6000 Visit Raytheon in Hall B, at Stand 03-12. Star Information Systems Series at SMM. ThraneLINK is expected to Ocean Signal At Nor-Shipping 2011 Star Information soon be introduced to other SAILOR prod- Ocean Signal, a provider of communica- SAM Electronics Systems (SIS) will display its integrated ucts, including FleetBroadband, and tions and safety at sea equipment, will pres- SAM Electronics and its associate L-3 com- software systems for onboard operations Thrane & Thrane says it has already started ent its SafeSea GMDSS product range for panies, L-3 Valmarine, Lyngsø Marine and of all types of vessels, office based systems work with third parties to develop a wider the first time at this year’s Nor-Shipping. APSS, will feature their latest system for fleet management and centralised pur- range of applications for it. developments at this year's exhibition. chasing, and web based systems for e- As part of the SAILOR 6000 Series, Key exhibits include a new-generation commerce and KPI and trend monitoring. ThraneLINK enables a single point of NACOS and Valmatic Platinum vessel Since the company was founded in entry to the various sub-systems, which control system for combined navigation 1997, SIS has provided software systems should open up new possibilities in net- and automation applications, and a LAN- to all types of vessels; from FPSOs and working of the various systems across a based network assembly with standard- various types of offshore and land based vessel bridge. ised components to increase scalability rigs, to cruise ships, liners, chemical and Visit Thrane & Thrane in Hall B, at and simplify installation and operation. gas carriers, offshore support vessels, seis- Telemar Norway’s Stand 02-15 or Radio A stand-alone ECDIS specifically mic vessels, dredging and fishing vessels. Holland’s Stand 01-22. designed for retrofit and fully compatible During the exhibition SIS will also intro- with existing installed sensors is among duce a brand new purchasing system for the Transas the new products on show, as well as maritime and offshore industries, Star Fleet At Nor-Shipping 2011 ECDIS will be the diesel electric propulsion units, an Electro- Supply Management (Star FSM), aimed at main highlight at the Transas stand. Cleen System (ECS), and an IMO- assisting in maritime procurement. The company will present its solutions approved ballast water treatment assem- Visit SIS in Hall C, at Stand 04-32b, in covering all aspects of the upcoming bly developed by marine environment the Norwegian Pavilion. ECDIS carriage requirement, with its company Techcross. offerings for type-approved ECDIS, offi- Visit SAM in Hall C, at Stand 04-32a. Telenor Maritime Radio cial charts and chart updates, weather Telenor Maritime Radio will showcase its services, port documents and voyage ShipNet range of maritime communications offer- planning tools. Safety equipment from Ocean Signal – ShipNet will exhibit its maritime ERP soft- ings at Nor-Shipping, with services On the training side Transas will intro- Stand C03-02b ware, in use by over 300 clients around the including radio inspection, radio certifi- duce its newly launched Global ECDIS globe, at Nor-Shipping 2011. cates, a training centre, a maritime radio Training Network (GET-Net) and ECDIS Researched and developed by the com- The company’s technology includes license department, and Inmarsat point of CBT programs, while also emphasising its pany’s own designers and engineers, the software to manage tasks ranging from service activation. service support capabilities including a product line includes the SafeSea long term operational planning to individ- The company also operates a coastal new remote-service concept, with fleet E100/E100G series of Emergency Position ual maintenance jobs aboard ship. radio service, consisting of five stations tracking and other features. Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs), the All four of ShipNet’s product families which are manned round the clock. Visit Transas in Hall B, at Stand 02-22. SafeSea S100 Search and Rescue will be showcased at the stand, covering Telenor offers communication pack- Transponder (SART) and the SafeSea V100 Chartering and Operations, Accounting ages that incorporate terrestrial radio data Uni-Safe Electronics survival craft VHF hand portable and Financial Management, Technical services and mobile broadband and satel- Uni-Safe Electronics will be displaying its radiotelephone. Management and Procurement, as well as lite services, including Inmarsat Fleet BNWAS BW-800 system at Nor-Shipping Each product has an extended battery information solutions covering Terminal Broadband, Iridium and VSAT. 2011. life and uses non-hazardous batteries and Berth information. It will also exhibit its ‘SmartBox’, a net- New regulations from IMO will require which can be easily replaced by the user as Nor-Shipping will be the first opportu- work management tool developed in carriage of a Bridge Navigational Watch required. nity many will have to see ShipNet’s new cooperation with Virtek Communication Alarm System (BNWAS) from 1 July 2011 Visit Ocean Signal in Hall C, at Stand Chartering and Operations solution, (part of KVH). for new ships over 150 GT and all new pas- 03-02b. released in May, which now includes Task Visit Telenor Maritime Radio in Hall B, senger ships. A phased schedule of installa- Management to allow for the allocation at Stand 05-24. tion deadlines from this date should see all OCS and tracking of particular functions. relevant ships installed in 2014. Onsoft Computer Systems AS (OCS) will A Voyage Estimation module is also Uni-Safe’s BNWAS BW-800 is DNV present its software systems for the ship- included, that allows calculation and com- Tero Marine Type Approved and complies with these ping and offshore industry at Nor- parison of different time and spot charter Tero Marine will demonstrate its range of new regulations, and the new IEC 62616 Shipping 2011. scenarios. Product manager Frank information systems for the maritime performance standard. The company's software packages Otterstad will be on hand throughout the industry at Nor-Shipping. The unit is small in size, to assist in cover business areas such as HR, payroll, week to deliver demonstrations of these The company's flagship product will be installation, and Uni-Safe says that it has asset integrity management, maintenance new systems. the TM Master Fleet Management Suite, successfully delivered more than 1,000 and ship management. Visit ShipNet in Hall D, at Stand 04-31. an integrated marine information system BNWAS systems to date. OCS invites attendees at the exhibition comprised of a number of modules Visit Uni-Safe Electronics in Hall B, at to come to its stand for more information SpecTec designed to assist in the fleet management Stand 01-28c. on the software systems and their features, SpecTec Group will showcase its offering of process. and a short presentation of those capabili- software and services in the field of Asset These include a planned maintenance Vizada ties. Management at this year’s exhibition. system with functions such as trend analy- Vizada will showcase its range of mobile Visit OCS in Hall B, at Stand 03-11. The company’s flagship AMOS (Asset sis, risk analysis and work permit man- and fixed satellite services from multiple Management Operating System) product agement, as well as modules for inventory satellite network operators at this year’s Raytheon Anschütz is used to manage operation and control of and spare part control, dry docking, pur- event. German navigation system supplier all Technical and Documentation aspects chasing & ordering, crew management, Through a network of 400 service Raytheon Anschütz will exhibit its new of areas like maintenance, spare parts and handling of claims and voyage e-log. provider partners Vizada offers products series of Radar, ECDIS and Conning sys- stock control, purchasing and procure- Visit Tero Marine in Hall C, at Stand 03- and solutions that aim to optimise vessel tems at Nor-Shipping, together with the ment, Quality and Safety documentation 30g, in the Norwegian Pavilion. operations, enhance crew welfare and recently launched Nautosteer Advanced management, voyage management and boost safety onboard. Steering control with the graphical personnel management. In particular the company will high- NautoPilot 5000. Having now been working in the mar- Thrane & Thrane light its new Pharostar maritime VSAT The company’s latest generation of itime market for more than 25 years, Thrane & Thrane’s new generation service, its Vizada Solutions communica- Synapsis (Chart-) Radar, Synapsis ECDIS SpecTec says that it is continuing to invest SAILOR 6000 GMDSS Series will be dis- tions software systems, and its and Synapsis Conning workstations are heavily in research and development and played on the Telemar Norway and Radio FleetBroadband packages. based on a newly developed system archi- is developing new software functionality Holland Norway stands at Nor-Shipping. Visit Vizada in Hall B, at Stand 02-12.

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ELECTRONICS & NAVIGATION Navigation and GIS

The range of information available for display on a Geographical Information System (GIS) such as ECDIS can pose a technological dilemma, with the need to balance standards and regulation against user wants and needs. Dr Andy Norris looks at some of the ways that GIS technology might be applied in the near future

Geographical Information Sys- ments of the ECDIS Performance would use conventional ENC data. ECDIS display would remain uncluttered, tem analyses and presents posi- Standards, the necessary precedence of However, the GIS display would not be except when temporarily displaying a par- AAtion related data. ECDIS is an ENC data will continue to compromise the an ECDIS substitute, which would need ticular Mariners’ Note. example of a GIS, bringing such technolo- visibility of overlaid data. to be emphasised in the e-navigation gy to the mainstream of maritime use. Maybe what is really required is a dis- training of users. Advantages In its basic form, ECDIS is a particular- play that acts much more as a generic GIS, The proposed e-navigation based system ly specialised GIS, giving information on using ENC data as its background. has several significant advantages. In par- charted features that are relevant to mar- This could be an additional display, ticular, it can allow a future e-navigation itime navigation, together with items such perhaps based around a conventional PC directed ECDIS to become a much more as own-ship data and route plans. or potentially a second ECDIS that is able standardised tool. However, IMO’s ECDIS Performance to be set to a non-compliant mode allow- Such an ECDIS would always allow Standards allow other navigational infor- ing overlaid data to take precedence. safe voyage planning and monitoring but mation to be added to the display. The latter would necessarily need a would have few inbuilt frills. In particular, The standards specifically mention the clear indication on the display that it was the approach would considerably simplify options of providing radar and AIS data but not set as a compliant ECDIS. the familiarisation training of users when also mean that information such as meteor- A common approach taken by today’s changing ship. ological data, tidal streams and Maritime navigation data providers is simply to pro- In general, innovation and change in Safety Information can be displayed. vide bespoke software to run on a bridge- voyage planning tools will lie outside the We commonly refer to the additional based PC. Typical examples include the standard ECDIS and become centred on displayed data as overlays, although this processing and display of meteorological the e-navigation GIS display. For instance, implies that the added information over- and passage planning data. specific applications could include the lat- writes that originally on the screen. The display background used by such est ideas on fuel saving, emissions reduc- However IMO sets a major proviso to the software is not necessarily ENC data but, tion, time optimisation and risk reduction. display of additional data – it must not depending on the application, this need Any use of applications on the e-navi- degrade the display of ENC information. not be an issue. gation GIS would require appropriate user This immediately highlights a funda- However, if the resultant data needs to training. However, most of the applica- mental problem. If standard ENC data be transferred into ECDIS, such as a draft tions would not be subject to carriage takes priority of display, then parts of the route plan, the use of a PC can create inter- requirements and therefore their use overlay, even if vitally important, could be face and related safety issues, especially if If additional GIS information obscures ENC would not be mandatory. obscured. But if the overlaid data takes non-type approved equipment is being data on the display then the system can no Final checking of the voyage should priority, vital ENC data may be obscured connected directly to an ECDIS. longer operate as a compliant ECDIS always be carried out on a standard ECDIS. – contrary to IMO requirements. Provided these issues are not applica- Any apparent inconsistencies should be In practice, even some overlays on type ble or can be satisfactorily resolved such An important GIS application would be investigated as they could possibly be due approved ECDIS equipment can make the systems can provide very useful solutions. for the display of officially supplied digi- to issues with using the GIS applications. viewing of ENC information difficult. For Unfortunately, they remain bespoke tal Maritime Safety Information, which In particular, these final checks will be instance, in some areas the denseness of applications and are far from being a will eventually replace conventional MSI, made without the possibility of confusion overlaid Class B targets, even when dis- generic navigation-related GIS. This is typically received today via NAVTEX. from the extensive overlays that may have played as ‘sleeping’, can degrade the visi- fundamentally because there are no inter- It is difficult to envisage displaying digital been used during the initial planning bility of charted data. national standards for navigation-related MSI on ECDIS, such that it does not obscure process on the GIS display. It is probably possible to dream up data to be displayed over ENC data, ENC data and so the use of the proposed e- Nevertheless, certain basic standards sophisticated data integration processes except for tracked radar and AIS targets. navigation GIS display may be particularly applied to the GIS will ensure its intrinsic that could alleviate the display problem relevant for such an essential purpose. safety and its compatibility with other e- but these are unlikely to be adopted in the E-navigation GIS The GIS application for the display of navigation systems. foreseeable future. Perhaps the best solution for the future is MSI may need to be defined in detail by At present, enhancing individual It therefore means that ECDIS does to include the definition of a generic GIS IMO because of its particular significance. ECDIS equipment to provide improved have inbuilt limitations when displaying ‘additional navigational data display’ as Today’s ECDIS allows the insertion of facilities, such as an additional overlay, additional information, which need to be part of IMO’s e-navigation programme. Mariners’ Notes, with their presence being requires an update to the ECDIS software. taken fully into account by users. Such a definition would ensure some identified by ‘!’ or ‘i’ symbols on the dis- Because of type approval issues on uniformity in design and, in particular, safe play, depending on their nature – caution- such a vital piece of equipment this is a Towards a solution interconnection with other equipment, but ary or informational. The information in the difficult and expensive route and so limits An approach that partially alleviates the the details of the functionality of most GIS note is accessed by clicking on the symbol. what can be done, severely restricting the limitations is to have at least two ECDIS applications could be left to the supplier. The GIS application would need to be implementation of improved solutions. displays. Of course, for many ships, this The applications would mandatorily able to send compiled Mariners’ Notes The proposed GIS display would not will be the usual method of fulfilling back- use the data structure for e-navigation, directly to the ECDIS. This would necessi- have the update expenses and difficulties up requirements. which is currently envisaged to be based tate a small change to the ECDIS standards of an ECDIS, simply because of its It means that at any one time, whether upon IHO’s generic S-100 standard. as it is currently not a requirement for reduced approval requirements. in route monitoring or route planning Whenever possible, it would use stan- equipment to be able to receive such data. The ECDIS could then become a stan- mode, one of the displays can be identified dardised e-navigation symbology to Depending on content, the Mariners’ dardised tool that would ensure overall as the primary system and can generally ensure ease of use across all applications. Note would either include the detail or safety, with few changes needed in its life- be restricted to showing basic ECDIS data, Any special display symbols that are indicate that full information was avail- time, perhaps eventually giving a sense of without additional overlays. not defined within e-navigation would be able on the GIS display. familiarity and confidence approaching Displays not being used as the pri- supplied as part of the GIS software appli- Importantly, the primary e-navigation that of the present-day paper chart. DS mary ECDIS can then be used to show cation or embedded within the data used any combination of ENC and other data, by the application. Dr Andy orris has been well-known in the maritime navigation industry for a with full awareness by the user that that The transmission of the data would number of years. He has spent much of his time managing high-tech navigation the ENC data may not always be appro- also necessarily meet generic e-navigation companies but now he is working on broader issues within the navigational priately visible. standards, ensuring data integrity. world, providing both technical and business consultancy to the industry, gov- Unfortunately, because of the require- In general, the GIS display background ernmental bodies and maritime organizations. Email: [email protected]

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