digital ship magazine(may 2011)

NN ot content with the shake upof the maritime satcom mar-ket caused by the announce-

ment of its $1.2 billion investmentinto Ka-band VSAT, Inmarsat hassurprised the industry again with theannouncement that it has agreed adeal to acquire Norwegian VSATprovider Ship Equip.

The acquisition is for a total con-sideration of $159.5 million, and willgive Inmarsat immediate access toShip Equip’s installed base of over900 vessels using its SEVSAT productonce the deal is closed.

With additional units committedto existing orders Ship Equip’s pene-tration in the maritime VSAT marketreaches beyond 1,000 systems – a cus-tomer group that Inmarsat has target-ed as early adopters of its GlobalXpress Ka-band service after itslaunch in 2014.

Revenues for Ship Equip for 2010were approximately $56 million(NOK 312 million), and Inmarsat saysthat it expects to finance the deal fromcurrent available liquidity.

In addition to this new acquisitionInmarsat has also caused waves inthe satcom distributor communityafter breaking from its long-standingpolicy of declining to comment onthe particulars of service pricing toannounce a Suggested Retail Price

(SRP) for voice calling overFleetBroadband.

Speaking at the Digital Ship Cyprus2011 conference, Inmarsat head ofmaritime business James Collettintroduced the new $0.55 per minuteSRP as a price that end users shouldbe expecting to pay for voice serviceson its flagship satcom system.

This has certainly caused disquietamong a number of distributors ofInmarsat airtime services who mayhave been charging their customers

prices above this level, as shippingcompanies will now expect to pay nomore than the rate suggested byInmarsat for their voice calls.

In any case, with this new acqui-sition and change of policy withregard to pricing, Inmarsat certainlyseems to be making an aggressivestrategic move to gain greatercontrol of both its existingFleetBroadband market and theVSAT market it has targeted withGlobal Xpress.

IN THIS ISSUE

May 2011

electronics and navigation

software

satcomsRound Table Discussion

Satellite communications– now and intothe future – 19

Broadband drives convergence of satellite services – 28Computer viruses – a modernmaritime curse? – 30

SCF Unicom – upgradingtraining with CBT – 49

3-D models and condition monitoringsoftware for hull maintenance – 50Game based learning andmaritime education – 52

Inmarsat buys Ship Equip andannounces 55¢ voice calls

Arctic communications andNAVAREA expansion – 74

Navigation and GIS – Dr Andy Norris – 78

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

Ship Equip and has also set a $0.55 suggested retail price for voice calling on FleetBroadband

Users of Ship Equip VSAT are being targeted as early adopters of Inmarsat’sKa-band Global Xpress service after full availability in 2014

Digital NavigationECDIS – making the transition – 67Managing integration with INS – 70GNSS reliance and vulnerabilities – 72

continued on page 2

© 2

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“One Unique Interface” - Pietro Amorusi, Chief Information Officer, d'Amico Società di Navigazione S.p.A.

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.”

(+47) 77 62 19 00 or [email protected]

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SATCOMS

Digital Ship May 2011 page 2

Vol 11 No 8

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No part of this publication may be repro-duced or stored in any form by anymechanical, electronic, photocopying,recording or other means without theprior written consent of the publisher.Whilst the information and articles inDigital Ship are published in good faithand every effort is made to check accura-cy, readers should verify facts and state-ments direct with official sources beforeacting on them as the publisher canaccept no responsibility in this respect.Any opinions expressed in this maga-zine should not be construed as thoseof the publisher.

continued from page 1

Acquisition strategyThe strategic reasoning that Inmarsat hasoutlined for the Ship Equip acquisition liesin creating a ‘fast start’ for the GlobalXpress programme, something which thecompany was very keen to achieve oncework on the project began, as JamesCollett, head of maritime business atInmarsat, explains.

“This is all about improving our returnon Global Xpress. One thought was thathaving a ready-made maritime VSATbusiness would be a good way of acceler-ating the Global Xpress business, as wewould have an immediate customer basewhich we could transfer onto our Ka-bandcapacity,” he told us.

“We will have through Ship Equip about900 customers, and increasing, who areready-made Global Xpress early adopters.”

The markets in which Ship Equip hasbeen successful are markets which Inmarsathas identified as key prospect markets forthe new Ka-band service, including sec-tors like North Sea fisheries, offshore and,increasingly, the tanker market.

“There are areas where Ship Equip hasbeen successful where we see opportuni-ties for Global Xpress, and they will bringbusiness benefits in this respect,” said Mr Collett.

“In terms of their business model, it’sslightly different to some other maritimeVSAT businesses, and it’s a model theyhave been very successful at fine tuning.Their whole installation and commission-ing process is certainly ‘best of breed’, interms of their time taken from getting anorder through to having that vesselequipped, commissioned and at sea with arevenue generating terminal on it.”

“Installing VSAT antennas means thatyou’re probably talking days rather thanhours as is the case with FleetBroadband,but in terms of a speedy, customer focusedservice Ship Equip are probably closer tothe FleetBroadband way of doing thingsthan other VSAT providers.”

Once the deal is closed Inmarsatexpects to position Ship Equip as an inde-pendent business unit, which will sitalongside the Stratos business and operatewith an independent management teamjust as Stratos does.

“We will work very closely with them,both from the perspective of the existingmaritime business and from the perspec-tive of the Global Xpress programme,”said Mr Collett.

“Ship Equip will operate independent-ly, but conversely they will, through theirexpertise, be able to assist us tremendous-ly in terms of contributing market knowl-edge to the Global Xpress offer for themaritime market.”

“Their management team has a reallystrong track record in opening up marketsfor maritime VSAT, and we want to har-ness that experience.”

At the moment there are no definiteplans for the Ship Equip business to alsoact as a Distribution Partner (DP) for exist-ing Inmarsat services, though the compa-ny will be expected to contribute what itcan to overall market efforts for technolo-gy like FleetBroadband.

“We can’t comment at the momentabout where they would fit in as a DP orotherwise, but certainly they will be com-ing across sales opportunities for

FleetBroadband on a daily basis and weexpect that Ship Equip will look at waysthey can maximise L-band opportunitieswith what they currently sell,” said Mr Collett.

“This is an ideal opportunity to be look-ing at models for such combinations.”

Ku- and C-band contractsOne interesting aspect of Inmarsat takingover the Ship Equip business is that it willnow hold contracts for Ku-band and C-band services from other competing satel-lite operators.

However, Mr Collett notes thatInmarsat has no intention of continuingwith Ku- or C-band services any longerthan is necessary under the obligations ofthese contracts, and that its new VSAT

customers through Ship Equip will moveacross to the Global Xpress service as soonas possible.

“This would not be the right moment totalk about the terms of those contracts, butwe will be looking at opportunities for usto quickly migrate customers from Ku-band on to Ka-band,” he said.

“You would imagine that you wouldneed a bridging period where, as we makeKa-band capacity available, customerswill be moving progressively off of Ku-band on to Ka-band, but we don’t antici-pate an extended period where we wouldbe requiring both Ku-band and Ka-band.”

Mr Collett believes that such users willderive a great deal of benefit from thiskind of switch, as they will be operatingon a network built to offer bandwidthspeeds never before seen in the maritimemarket, available on a global basis.

“Rather than coming into this marketwith something that was taking a ‘me too’approach, we’ve had the opportunity todesign a network that will be built forserving one of our key markets – maritime– and we expect therefore to eliminate a lotof the disadvantages that sit with Ku-bandVSAT today,” he told us.

“There’s been a gradual improvementin the coverage of Ku-band, but it’s stillnot global in the sense of our global capa-bilities. However, for some users that issufficient, and many currently take aFleetBroadband terminal to patch up theshortfall in their VSAT coverage.”

Mr Collett also expects that the pricepoints at which the new service will beoffered to the market will prove to beattractive to VSAT users, both in terms ofantenna pricing and monthly costs.

“From a user terminal perspective,whilst we recognise that maritime VSATantennas have been coming down in price,we believe that Global Xpress will bringterminal prices to a new level and will cer-tainly provide significant advantages overwhat is seen at Ku-band today,” he said.

“And with considerably more capacityin the Inmarsat-5 constellation than whatwe believe is available in any other VSATnetwork today, in addition to no expectedsubstantial network investments for distri-bution partners, our expectation is that ourmaritime Global Xpress service will bemore competitive than what’s on offerfrom current maritime VSAT services.”

When asked if Inmarsat sees GlobalXpress as leading to the death of Ku-bandVSAT in maritime, Mr Collett smiled as heresponded: “We’d like to think our GX(Global Xpress) service will be the solutionof choice!”

$0.55 pricingInmarsat’s other major announcement, ofits $0.55 SRP for FleetBroadband voicecalling, is part of a concerted strategiceffort to stabilise and push renewedgrowth in the company’s maritime voicebusiness, according to Mr Collett.

“In our publicly disclosed informationand what we’ve been talking about in ana-lyst briefings, it’s been clear that we’veseen a decline in maritime voice rev-enues,” he told us.

“This is for several reasons, not least theconversion of higher-price legacy voiceservices, on Inmarsat-B and mini-M in par-ticular, on to lower priced voice serviceplatforms like FleetBroadband.”

“In addition to that, the market hasbecome more competitive, to a certainextent from VSAT offering cheap voiceservices. So we’ve been looking at wayswhere we can improve our maritime voicebusiness, and we believe that by havingsome aggressive marketing and strongpositioning of our new services,FleetBroadband and FleetPhone, we canreturn the voice business to growthagain.”

These new voice charges are part of aservice revision from 1 April 2011, and applyto both post-paid and pre-paid calling.

The company’s FleetPhone service, dueto be launched on 30 June 2011, will beoffered with a similar price point toFleetBroadband with a pre-paid callingSRP of $0.55 per minute.

In addition, as part of a broader guide-line on pricing, Inmarsat has said thatexisting services such as Inmarsat-B, mini-M and Fleet will also have their SuperQuiet Time (SQT) off-peak periods extend-ed to run through the whole day 365 daysa year, effective 1 May 2011.

Year-round SQT pricing was already inplace for FleetBroadband, and will similar-ly apply to the FleetPhone.

Inmarsat says that these new guidelinesshould see all of its maritime pre-paidvoice services available to end usersaround the clock at SRPs ranging from$0.55 to $0.95 per minute, depending onthe particular maritime service used.

Printed by The Manson Group Ltd

Reynolds House8 Porters' Wood

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‘We have an expectation that a $0.55retail price for FleetBroadband voice willbe offered to end users’ – James Collett,

Inmarsat

continued on page 4

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SATCOMS NEWS


“We’ve worked with the DPs to devel-op new pricing, and we are keen to seethose discounts passed into the market,”said Mr Collett.

“We have an expectation that, with thepricing construct we’ve got now, a $0.55retail price for FleetBroadband voice issomething which will be offered throughour distribution channel to end users.”

“A take up of such a retail price stillallows our distributors to enjoy a healthybusiness based on our wholesale pricing,but customers can also enjoy a very attrac-tive rate which we hope will stimulateconsumption of more voice minutes.”

Asked if this new policy of introducingan SRP was representative of a moreaggressive marketing strategy on behalf ofInmarsat that would bring the companycloser to the end user than the traditionalDP route has allowed, Mr Collett suggest-ed that such a move could potentially ben-

efit all sides if it leads to growth in the useof services.

“I think that, where we see there isbusiness benefit for us and our channel,like in this case where we want to capturethe attention of end users and stimulatethem to call more, being clear about a sug-gested retail price is helpful,” he said.

“In other areas the way the value chainthat operates today works well, we main-tain our position as a wholesaler provid-ing a range of wholesale prices, and ourdistribution channel package those offerswith their own range of value-adds.”

“It’s a competitive market so that usu-ally makes sure that the end user gets thebest deal.”

Next stepsHaving made these bold moves in areaslike VSAT and end user suggested pricing,moves which are far removed from the

www.telemargroup.com

www.vizada.com

Vizada and Telemar report that they havesigned a 3-party deal with the German ITcompany Buss Data GmbH, a part of theHermann Buss Group, to provideInmarsat FleetBroadband 250 communica-tions systems to the company’s fleet ofvessels.

The Hermann Buss Group shippingcompany, based in Leer, Germany, spe-cialises in commercial shipping and runs afleet of over 85 vessels.

Its Buss Data business unit developscustomisable software systems for shipmanagement, covering areas such as pur-chasing/ordering, maintenance, crew wel-fare and insurance, as well as offering acomplete system for document filing.

The new 2-year contract is for the pro-

vision of communications systemsonboard Buss vessels, with the whole BussShipping Company fleet to be equippedwith Inmarsat FleetBroadband terminals.

Telemar will take care of the hardwareand technical maintenance of the termi-nals, as well as airtime management andbilling, while Vizada will be the providerof satellite communications and customercare.

Vizada’s Terralink Data Manager andThe Source applications will be deployedwith the new FleetBroadband terminals inorder to provide further control to thecompany, while SkyFile Antivirus will beused to secure the IT systems.

“We have been using theFleetBroadband technology for over a yearnow and experiencing the advantages itbrings to our everyday communications –this helped convince us to exchange the

way Inmarsat has traditionally run itsmaritime business, it will be interesting tosee what further changes the companymay have in store over the next few years.

Global Xpress is expected to be global-ly available in 2014, and that year will also,coincidentally or otherwise, be the yearthat Inmarsat’s current contracts with itsDistribution Partners, in their presentform, will come to an end.

As Digital Ship understands it, thosecontracts will continue to apply after thatdate, however they will be open for modi-fication by Inmarsat from that time shouldthe company wish to change the terms ofits agreement with the DPs.

Given that Inmarsat already owns thelargest distributor of its airtime services,Stratos, and also owns a VSAT sales divi-sion through the Ship Equip acquisition,the potential could then exist for the com-pany to completely overhaul its distribu-

tion model and, for the first time, accessthe end user market directly by distribut-ing its own satellite services.

Inmarsat is, of course, unable to com-ment on these issues so any such devel-opments are a matter of speculation, andthere would presumably be a variety ofsignificant logistical challenges in manag-ing such a radical overhaul of its businessmodel.

However, the possibility of such a moveis undoubtedly food for thought for allthose working with satellite communica-tions, and would surely mark the begin-ning of a new era in the way that such serv-ices are used by the shipping industry.

Until any firm decisions are made withregard to future distribution models it isan issue that is sure to keep those in themaritime IT community intrigued – andeagerly anticipating whatever develop-ments may occur in 2014. DS

www.minivsat.com

Netherlands-based Vroon is to installKVH's mini-VSAT Broadband service asthe new satellite communication solutionfor more than 125 in-house managed ves-sels in its fleet.

The deal follows a tender processinvolving 22 different satellite communi-cation providers, which has resulted inthe award of a multi-year service contractcovering Vroon’s vessels and its globaloperations.

“In today’s competitive shipping mar-ket, our ships, charterers, and fleet man-agers require secure and reliable IT net-works to support critical business process-es,” said Rob Frenks, Vroon’s group ICTmanager.

“It is also equally important to improvecrew welfare in order to attract and retainskilled seafarers. However, we realisedthat our existing, diverse satellite commu-nication solutions will not meet our futurebusiness requirements.”

“By choosing KVH, we are gaining an

mini-VSAT for 125 Vroon vesselsaffordable, comprehensive solution thatbrings together proven hardware, aglobal network, and fully integratednetwork management and crew welfaresolutions that will support our needs foryears to come.”

Vroon vessels will be equipped witha 60 cm TracPhone V7 antenna systemand the KVH CommBox ship/shore net-work manager.

The CommBox offers a range of toolsfor web compression and acceleration,least cost routing among multiple communication services, and manage-ment of pre-paid internet access andremote access for Vroon’s shore-basedIT personnel.

Vroon crews, as well as crews fromcontractors and third-party companies,will also be able to use KVH’s pre-paidcrew calling system and, depending onthe vessel’s activities, a GSM picocell sys-tem that will enable those on board tomake calls via their mobile phone whilewithin KVH's coverage area.

“The changes to maritime satellite

existing terminals for the new Thrane &Thrane FleetBroadband 250 systems,” saidFrank Schoone, technical engineer, nauti-cal equipment, Buss Data.

Swen Kleinau, commercial analyst forBuss Data, also commented; “Buss Data con-

communications over the last several yearsare dramatic as commercial fleets likeVroon move from basic voice and low datarate applications to more demanding busi-ness requirements that need affordable,reliable broadband solutions,” said MartinKits van Heyningen, KVH’s chief execu-tive officer.

“We designed mini-VSAT Broadbandto offer a unique end-to-end solution thatmeets these rapidly expanding communi-cation needs.”

“Working closely with our Dutch dis-tributor, SAM Electronics Netherlands BV,we presented this comprehensive solutionto Vroon. We are proud to be Vroon’schoice for its next-generation satellite com-munication service and look forward to along and fruitful collaboration.”

The mini-VSAT Broadband networkoffers 512 kbps (ship to shore) and 2 Mbps (shore to ship) bandwidthspeeds, with more than 1,000 TracPhoneV7 systems having now been shipped in the three years since the product’sintroduction.

Buss Shipping to install FB fleetwide tinues to develop advanced software prod-ucts for the shipping industry which requiresecure bandwidths for data transfers.”

“Our aim is to utilise Telemar expertiseand Vizada technology to minimise trans-fers and reduce costs.”

Hermann Buss vessels will be fitted with FleetBroadband 250 terminals

www.e3s.com

e3 Systems has announced that it has com-pleted the signing of its 100th VSAT contract.

The company, based in Spain, providesits eVSAT solution with antenna, belowdeck equipment, service installation, serv-ice contracts, training and support,together with 3G and Inmarsat services,all in one package.

e3 also has the distinction of havinginstalled the first ever VSAT antenna on asuper yacht in 2003.

“We are delighted to have achieved ourtarget of 100 VSAT contracts,” said RogerHorner, managing director of e3 Systems.

“We have become synonymous withVSAT communications and we are confi-dent that our eVSAT service provides theultimate in end to end satellite broadbandsolutions which is guaranteed to work,fits any vessel and will run a whole host ofbest of breed proven applications.”

“As an integrator we operate with six dif-ferent VSAT services so that coverage can beobtained in more places with eVSAT thanany one satellite operator can provide.”

100 VSAT for e3

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We are at Nor-Shipping (Oslo 24-27 May)- Hall D, French Pavillion, Stand D03-14A

p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 14:19


SATCOMS NEWS

www.orbit-cs.com

Orbit Communication Systems hasannounced that it has recently shipped its1,000th OrSat maritime VSAT system.

Originally introduced to the market in2007, the OrSat system has been delivered tovarious segments of the maritime industryincluding oil and gas, navies, commercialshipping, mega yachts and fishing boats.

Speaking about reaching the milestone,Orbit CEO and president Avi Cohen saidthat this achievement was a testament tothe quality of the satellite hardware.

“In this very competitive market, majormaritime IT integrators require proven sys-tems that mitigate project risk and reduceongoing maintenance costs,” he said.

“OrSat's unprecedented track record isa testament to its technological superiori-ty, operational performance and reliabilityover time.”

“Our customers expect immediate andeffective support for both deployment andoperations. To this end, we back up ourOrSat products with a network of hun-dreds of trained technicians worldwide toassist customers with any support issuesthat may arise.”

Orbit hits 1,000

www.singtel.com

Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel)has announced a new initiative whereby itwill offer free 128 kbps satcom services tocustomers who purchase a C-band antenna.

This free service will last for two years,and applies to those who sign up for thesystem between now and 30 June 2011.

In addition to this VSAT offer SingTel isalso launching a new web portal for crewmembers, to distribute news and helpthem manage their communications withfriends and family ashore.

The crewXchange@singtel portal, basedat the website crew.singtel.com, allowsusers to subscribe to news feeds, access e-mails, and chat with their friends usingvarious messenger platforms.

This ‘lightweight’ portal is availablefree of charge to all SingTel maritimebroadband customers, and has been opti-mised to cater for the bandwidth limita-

tions onboard vessels at sea.“SingTel is committed to transforming

and enhancing the way the maritime sea-farers work, live, learn and play,” said BillChang, executive vice president ofSingTel’s Business Group.

“crewXchange@singtel will provide abandwidth-optimised networking plat-form where the seafarer community cancommunicate with their headquartersmore efficiently, get connected with theirloved ones, be updated with the latestknowledge through e-learning contentand get access to entertainment contentmore cost-effectively.”

“It is a service that will be very valuablefor the welfare and upgrading of maritimecrew members.”

To facilitate better communicationamong their own crews, companies canalso set up their own private chat rooms.

SingTel estimates that almost 10,000crew members will benefit from this com-

Free broadband from SingTel

www.globecommsystems.com/maritime

Telaurus Communications, a GlobecommMaritime company, has completed theinstallation of its 100th se@COMM systemfor customer Briese Schiffahrts.

se@COMM manages communicationvia e-mail, fax, telex and SMS, as well aspermitting controlled web browsing. Theapplication features real-time e-mail deliv-ery capabilities and pre-pricing by thekilobit, enabling users to see how muchtheir connectivity is costing as they work.

The se@COMM system and SatlinkInmarsat FleetBroadband 250 terminal forthe 100th installation were supplied byTelaurus to the 2008-built combinationcarrier BBC Jade in March 2011, two yearsafter Briese became the first company inEurope to fit FleetBroadband 150 on itscoastal vessel Saxum.

The contract was managed by Telaurus'German sales and support office inHamburg, and the achievement markedduring the recent Digital Ship Hamburgconference by a presentation of a plaque toHolger Boerchers, Briese Schiffahrts ITmanager.

The migration to FleetBroadband usingthe se@COMM system involved thereplacement of Briese’s legacy communica-tions and e-mail messaging system, to copewith an increasing volume of data trafficand the need for transparency in managingthe cost of ship-shore messaging.

"The fleetwide transition towardsse@COMM and FleetBroadband has beena long process that needed great commit-ment and professionalism from all thoseinvolved," said Mr Boerchers.

"We are pleased to have achieved the100th installation after working so closelywith Telaurus and look forward to a con-tinuing collaboration with them."

In other news, Globecomm Maritimehas also announced that the Telaurusse@WEATHER application, part of the Telaurus se@COMM package, is nowto be made available with no monthly

subscription fee.se@WEATHER is an icon-driven,

graphical marine weather analysis systemproviding instant access to current globalweather with sea condition data, includ-ing surface pressure, wind direction, sig-nificant wave heights, fronts, and tropicalstorms.

Powered by Applied WeatherTechnology (AWT), se@WEATHER utilis-es the same interface found in AWT’sBonVoyage System marine voyage opti-misation software.

"The introduction of InmarsatFleetBroadband and other higher band-width technologies allows ship operatorsto make use of powerful data applicationsthat can improve vessel safety and pro-ductivity," said Malcolm McMaster, VPGlobecomm Maritime and president

100th Briese vessel installs se@COMM

Telaurus Communications."se@WEATHER offers the benefits of

allowing the vessel’s master to view highquality analyses of current global weatherand sea conditions at any time. We want-ed to make se@WEATHER a free of chargeoption to enable owners to see for them-selves the increases in productivity thatare possible when used with broadband."

The data is delivered in a compressedformat to minimise communication costs and generates colour-enhancedgraphics which allow the ship’s master ornavigation officer to view weather andsea conditions.

Customers who were previously pay-ing a monthly fee will now be able to usethe service free of charge, while new cus-tomers who register for a subscription willnot be subject to any fees.

munity network, which it envisages beingaccessed by seafarers logging onto theportal from their own laptops or deviceswhile on the vessels.

In related news, SingTel has alsoannounced that its new ST-2 satellite hascompleted assembly and integration, andsuccessfully passed all major tests. Thesatellite is currently being shipped to itslaunch site, and is scheduled for launch inmid-May 2011.

A joint venture with ChunghwaTelecom, the satellite has been putthrough a series of acoustic, vibration andthermal-vacuum tests to ensure its robust-ness ahead of its journey into space.

“SingTel is the only home-grown com-pany in Singapore to own commercialsatellites and we are very excited aboutthe launch of ST-2, our second satellite,”said Mr Chang.

“With 20 per cent more transpondercapacity and a wider coverage footprint than

Malcolm McMaster, Telaurus; Holger Boerchers, Briese Schiffahrts; and Heiko Hoefer, Telaurus, mark the 100th vessel installation

The 1,000th OrSat maritime antenna has been shipped

ST-1, ST-2 will help increase our capacity tomeet growing customer demand for fixedand mobile satellite services.”

ST-2 will have a footprint of C-band andKu-band coverage that will cover the MiddleEast, Central Asia, the Indian sub-continentand South East Asia, with built-in switchingcapabilities among different regions.

“ST-2 is almost twice as powerful asour first satellite, which means our cus-tomers' antennas don’t have to work ashard to pick up signals. This translatesinto greater energy efficiency and cost sav-ings for them,” added Mr Chang.

SingTel says that, with its expandedfootprint allowing customers in the mar-itime industry to access satellite communi-cations over larger areas while out at sea,demand for ST-2 services has been strong,with over 70 per cent of capacity alreadysigned up by customers (though this alsoincludes land-based business).

ST-2 will be launched by an Ariane-5rocket from the Guiana Space Centre inKourou, French Guiana, with ST-1,launched in 1998, to go into inclined orbit.

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SATCOMS NEWS


Alphasat is scheduled to be launched in 2012

www.inmarsat.com

Alphasat, the largest satellite to be built inEurope, is beginning to take shape andenter its final assembly and test phaseafter the Alphabus Service Module wassuccessfully mated with the AlphasatCommunications Module.

The Alphasat satellite will help to aug-ment Inmarsat's BGAN / FleetBroadbandsatellite network, with capacity to handlemore than 750 channels in L-band.

The telecommunications platform isbeing jointly developed by Astrium andThales Alenia Space in partnership with Inmarsat, under a joint ESA andCentre National d'Etudes Spatiales(CNES) contract.

Inmarsat's investment in the project,excluding insurance, is approximately€260 million.

Alphasat is the first satellite to belaunched using the new European high-power Alphabus telecommunicationsplatform.

The Alphabus technology completedqualification at the end of 2010 and is nowavailable to accommodate missions up to18 kW of payload power, with ongoingdevelopments to extend the range up to22 kW.

"The mating successfully took place asplanned (ahead of) the upcoming satellitetest campaign," said Stéphane Lascar,Alphabus / Alphasat programme manag-er at ESA.

Weighing more than 6,000kg, Alphasatis planned for launch at the end of 2012 onthe Ariane 5 launch system.

"The Alphabus/Alphasat Programmeis a prime example of a public–privatepartnership, our new way of working thatESA is pursuing in telecoms," said MagaliVaissiere, ESA director of telecommunica-tions and integrated applications.

"Such initiatives in partnership withsatellite operators will foster the develop-ment of state-of-the-art technologies toserve the new needs of the worldwidemarket and Europe’s citizens."

Satellite parks the Alphabus

www.inmarsat.com

Inmarsat has announced the availability ofdata services on its global handheld satel-lite phone, IsatPhone Pro.

The new circuit-switched data capabili-ty, offering an effective data rate of up to20 kbps, was provided in the most recentfirmware upgrade to the handset.

"IsatPhone Pro is ideally suited for useas a data service," said Drew Brandy,director of land services at Inmarsat.

"The handset design means theIsatPhone Pro can be simply placed on itsside with the antenna deployed for con-nection to the satellite while a micro USBcable connects it to a laptop. And theInmarsat-4 satellites on which the serviceruns are, of course, designed specificallyto handle data communications.”

"In testing we have actually exceeded20kbps throughput with plain text e-mailon several occasions. It's ideal for thosepeople wanting to access e-mails, jpegs,documents or PDFs."

Following the launch of the data serviceGlobal Marine Networks, Vizada andStratos have all announced their own soft-ware enhancements to take advantage ofthe new capabilities.

Global Marine Networks has intro-duced its XGate 3.61 software applicationfor use with the handheld satellite phone,to manage data services such as e-mailand web acceleration.

“XGate provides up to 15 times faster e-mail transfers and up to 85 per cent air-time savings compared with uncom-pressed IsatPhone Pro data speeds, help-ing users stay in touch with the peopleand information that matters most,” saidDr Luis Soltero, founder and CTO ofGlobal Marine Networks.

“It is the benchmark for speed thatInmarsat itself used for development andtesting of data over the IsatPhone Pro.”

Vizada meanwhile has reported that ithas already begun the roll out ofIsatPhone Pro e-mail and data transfercapabilities to its network of more than400 service provider partners.

The company says it has adapted its SkyFile Mail messaging and compres-sion system to optimise the phone’s datacapability.

The IsatPhone Pro firmware upgrade

required, v. 4.0.0, and Vizada’s SkyFileMail software v. 8.03 are downloadablevia PartnerLink, Vizada’s service providerportal, as well as the Vizada web site.

Stratos data services available over theIsatPhone Pro will operate over its recent-ly released AmosConnect 8.2 communica-tions application.

The compression capability built in toAmosConnect 8.2 will also enable thephone to reach relative transmissionspeeds of approximately 20 kbps for cer-tain file types.

Stratos says it has activated more than 4,000 units of the handheld phoneworldwide.

In addition to IsatPhone Pro,AmosConnect 8.2 can also be used withIP-based maritime satellite servicesincluding FleetBroadband, IridiumOpenPort and VSAT.

The application provides all ship-rele-vant data on one central information page,with all service settings remotely config-urable from a central office.

Also new in AmosConnect 8.2 is theability to automatically register a Basiclicence, which features one free mailbox.

Stratos says that this feature is particu-larly useful in combination with theIsatPhone Pro data service, for the easydeployment of voice, SMS and e-mailcapabilities.

Data services for IsatPhone Pro

The IsatPhone Pro can be connected to a PC via a USB cable, and used to transmit data

www.idirect.net

VT iDirect reports that it has added SCPCReturn Channel technology to its IP satel-lite communications system, to enableservice providers to manage TDMA andSCPC networks on the same platform.

iDirect says it is the first technologymanufacturer to bring TDMA and SCPCtechnology together in this way, with thiscapability available through its new iDX3.0 software package.

Following this launch iDirect cus-tomers will be able to remotely upgradeany Evolution router to operate in TDMAor SCPC on the return channel.

For example, SCPC Return could beactivated to support temporary heavytraffic conditions, or turned on perma-nently once traffic reaches a thresholdwhere a dedicated SCPC connection is themost economical choice.

It also allows service providers toadjust service levels to changing band-width requirements and evolving trafficpatterns, to potentially create premium

SCPC and TDMA together on iDirectService Level Agreements that allow fortemporary bursts in traffic.

By integrating SCPC onto iDirect'sshared TDMA platform, service providerscan also pool total capacity and distributeit more cost-effectively across their cus-tomer base.

Untapped SCPC bandwidth can be re-allocated instead of being wasted, andservice providers can expand the size ofan SCPC link by sourcing bandwidth fromthe overall bandwidth pool.

"Bringing TDMA and SCPC together isan industry breakthrough that, for the firsttime ever, enables service providers tooffer both dedicated and shared service ona single intelligent platform," said DaveBettinger, chief technology officer andsenior vice president of engineering,iDirect.

"This will improve the profitability andrelevance of their offerings and enablethem to optimise the efficiency of theiroperations. We're excited to roll out thisinnovation, which is much needed in thesatellite industry."

www.globalstar.com

Globalstar has announced that the manu-facturer of its second generation satellites,Thales Alenia Space, has determined dur-ing pre-launch activities that the secondlaunch of six of its satellites will need to be delayed.

Thales explained that additional techni-cal checks to the satellites were necessaryin order to respect the quality process andsecure the mission. The launch was previ-ously scheduled for mid-May.

"Thales Alenia Space has notified us of alaunch delay and we regret that Thales willnot adhere to their previous schedule," said

Globalstar satellite launch delayedTony Navarra, president of global opera-tions, Globalstar.

"We have accepted the recommenda-tion but do not anticipate a lengthy delay.We are working closely with Thales AleniaSpace to provide additional informationregarding the timing of our next launch, asit becomes available."

Globalstar signed a contract withThales Alenia Space in late 2006 for thedesign, manufacture and delivery of itssecond-generation satellites.

In 2007 Globalstar contracted withArianespace for multiple launches of sixsatellites, each using the Soyuz launchvehicle.

p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 14:19

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Digital May 2011 page 10

SATCOMS

Comtech EF Data Corporationhas appointed John Baddick to the post ofvice president, VSAT System Engineering.In this newly created position Mr Baddickwill direct hardware design, softwaredevelopment and product engineering forthe company's VSAT solutions. He haspreviously worked at Intelsat andVerestar.

Maritime GSM provider VobalTechnologies has appointed WalterKane as VP of sales. Mr Kane has previous-ly worked with GSM/satellite serviceproviders like Blue Ocean Wirelessand Globe Wireless, and also served asa Radio Electronics Officer in the USMerchant Marine and US Coast Guard.

TrustComm and MVS USA haveexpanded their relationship, to providecombined communication solutions forthe maritime sector. An alliance will beformed between TrustComm’s subsidiarySkyPort Maritime and MVS to create aunified distribution channel for the com-panies' range of services.

Orbit Communication Systemshas appointed new regional sales directorsfor its satellite communications businessunit, with Michel Rieken becoming direc-tor of sales and business development inEurope and Silene Alcoba taking a similarrole for Latin America.

KVH has appointed Vivian Quenet asits new vice president of sales, Asia-Pacific. Mr Quenet has spent 11 years inthe maritime satellite communicationsindustry, having previously worked withVizada.

Scorpio Ship Management will install Marlink VSAT on 17 vessels

www.marlink.com

Marlink reports that it has signed two newVSAT contracts, with shipping companiesScorpio Ship Management and Fugro-Geoteam

Scorpio Ship Management has agreed anew 5-year deal, to install the WaveCallVSAT system on 17 vessels.

Each Scorpio vessel will be providedwith 128 kbps to 1024 kbps for shore-to-vessel communications, and 128 kbps to256 kbps for vessel-to-shore communica-tions. Each tanker will have access to onedata and two voice lines for businessadministration and crew use.

In addition, Marlink will also supplyFleetBroadband 250 and Iridium servicesto Scorpio to ensure redundancy for thecommunications services aboard.

"Our vessels often operate in remotelocations around the world so the integra-tion of Marlink's WaveCall solution is crit-ical to ensure the provision of reliable andhigh quality bandwidth aboard for contin-uous communication between our vesselsand offices ashore," said Francesco

Bellusci, general manager, Scorpio ShipManagement.

"Marlink has proven to offer exception-al flexibility, with a full portfolio of VSAT,FleetBroadband and Iridium satellite com-munications solutions which have beenpackaged together to satisfy our specificrequirements."

Seismic vessel operator Fugro-Geoteam’s deal with Marlink is an exten-sion of an existing satellite communicationscontract, and will also last for five years.

As part of the latest agreement, Fugroseismic vessels will be supplied withSealink VSAT services via Marlink's Eikteleport in Norway, providing 512 kbps ofbandwidth and 10-15 telephone lines toeach ship.

"For safe, efficient and reliable operationof our vessels worldwide, it's important tohave satellite communications solutionsthat we can trust," said Øyvind Haddal,ICT-manager, Fugro-Geoteam AS.

"Marlink has proven to supply us withhigh quality services and bandwidth, reli-able connectivity and great flexibility totailor solutions to our specific needs. We

Marlink agrees two 5-year VSAT deals

www.itic-insure.com

The International TransportIntermediaries Club (ITIC) has explainedhow a ship manager was recently askedto pay $436,000 in communication costsas a result of an error which unwittinglyallowed the crew of a ship unrestrictedaccess to the internet over a three-monthperiod.

In the latest issue of its Claims Review,ITIC notes that the situation came about asthe particular shipping company in ques-tion was pursuing a policy of upgradingthe communications packages on all itstime-chartered and owned vessels.

The company had decided to movefrom systems which provided e-mail and satellite telephone communicationsonly, to systems that also included limit-ed onboard internet access at fixedmonthly rate payments. These new systems were gradually being fitted

throughout the fleet.When the existing communications

unit on board one ship (which did notinclude internet access) failed during thefirst few months of 2009, it was replacedby a modern broadband unit, but not bythe new system being introduced general-ly to the company’s ships.

This unit was intended to replace theexisting e-mail and voice communicationsonly, however the broadband set-up thatwas installed was also capable of internetaccess via the satellite link.

The vessel superintendent employedby the ship manager inadvertently failedto exclude internet access when he com-pleted the activation form. During theinstallation and activation he also failed tonotify the crew of its intended use oradvise on any tariff rates, which were inhis possession.

The crew, who had already been noti-fied of the company’s intentions regarding

Ship’s $436,000 satcom bill provokes warning

are very satisfied with the level of serviceprovided by Marlink and are glad to beextending our agreement with the compa-ny further."

This latest contract follows a new glob-al agreement with Fugro Marine ServicesBV, which has established Marlink as apreferred supplier of VSAT communica-tions to Fugro vessels worldwide.

"Marlink has been providing services toseveral Fugro Group divisions for a numberof years and the new global pricing agree-ment has enabled us to maintain a verystrong relationship with the company," saidTore Morten Olsen, CEO, Marlink.

"Our latest agreement with Fugro-Geoteam proves our commitment to offer-ing unmatched global support to our cus-tomers, as well as our capability to provideflexible and reliable satellite communica-tion services within the demanding seis-mic sector."

In other news, Marlink has announcedthat it is to launch a new 'Local Numbers'service to VSAT customers this summer.

This new service will combine DirectInward Dialling (DID) with the local tele-phone number of the vessel operator'soffice location to help manage costs forshore-to-vessel voice calls.

Telephone numbers from more than 50countries and 4,000 cities worldwide arepart of the programme, which featuresfixed monthly costs and no additional per-minute fees.

The service is fully maintained byMarlink's customer support team, so nouser administration is required.

"With the introduction of this newValue Added Service, office-based staffcan telephone the vessel using an allocatedlocal number which is charged at the localtariff, no matter where in the world thevessel is operating," said Mr Olsen.

"By eliminating the often high cost ofinternational calling, Local Numbersensures calling from shore-to-vesselremains cost-effective."

www.comtechefdata.comwww.vobal.comwww.trustcomm.comwww.themvsgroup.comwww.orbit-cs.comwww.kvh.comwww.vizada.com

QoS guarantee fromSeaVsatwww.seavsat.com

SeaVsat has announced that it haslaunched a guaranteed Quality of Servicefor offshore customers, for when multipleusers are on a network at the same timebut performing different actions.

The QoS will guarantee priorities todifferent applications, users, or dataflows, or a certain level of performance ofa data flow.

The company says this could represent,for example, a required bit rate for a certaingroup of users of its SatLink product line.

QoS Groups can be defined, each withtheir own bandwidth allocation anddynamic capacity sharing rules, to opti-mise bandwidth distribution according touser needs.

This new guarantee has been launchedas SeaVsat opens a new head-office on theCaribbean Island of Curacao.

The new head-office at the Dutch over-seas island will be used to deliver serviceand support to what the company says isan increasing number of offshore cus-tomers in the Caribbean.

future internet access for all its vessels,wrongly assumed that the new unit hadbeen provided for their unlimited use, andproceeded to download at will.

The usual cost of communicationsunder the old system was no more than$1,800 per month. Had the intendedupgraded system, including limited inter-net access, been in place, the monthly costwould have been $3,800.

However, during the three-month peri-od before the error was discovered, thecrew had open access to the internet andmanaged to run up an enormous airtimecharge of $436,000.

The resulting claim that brought thematter to ITIC's attention came from theshipping company, which said that as ithad never agreed to this free-for-all use ofthe internet by the crew, the ship managerwas liable for the difference between whatit would have paid ($5,400) and the actualamount charged.

p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 14:19

where to next?

p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 14:19

SATCOMS


www.ship-equip.com

Ship Equip, recently acquired byInmarsat for $159.5 million (see frontpage), has announced the agreement ofnew VSAT deals with two Norwegianshipping companies, Ro/Ro operatorHöegh Autoliners and offshore supplycompany Deep Sea Supply.

Höegh Autoliners has signed a con-tract to install the VSAT communicationsservice on 26 of its car carriers, as well astwo newbuilds, which will form part of ageneral fleet communications upgrade,moving away from what Ship Equipdescribes as ‘pay by the megabyte anddial-up solutions’.

Autoliners will now pay a fixedmonthly contracted rate for the VSATbroadband service, and low per-minuterates for voice calls.

One of Höegh's biggest motivations forinstalling the system was to provide serv-ices to crew, to help with crew retention.

"In today's competitive shipping mar-ket we wanted to make sure we retain ourhighly valued and competent crew," saysTerje Lorentzen, senior manager fleet per-sonnel at Höegh.

"To achieve that goal there was no wayaround providing state of the art commu-nication for staying in touch."

"In addition we see it as an importantadvantage when recruiting, especially theyounger generation of seamen look forthis kind of capability to use both on andoff duty. We are also positive that the

upgrade to broadband will prove benefi-cial to the operation of our vessels."

The contract with Deep Sea Supply willsee the company extend an existing VSATagreement covering 23 vessels, while alsoincluding the addition four new SEVSATs,meaning Ship Equip will now be provid-ing VSAT services to the entire Deep SeaSupply fleet.

The 23 vessel contract for ships alreadyequipped with SEVSAT has been extend-ed for another three years, while the fournew ships, all new buildings, will beinstalled with the satcom service as theyare launched in 2011 and 2012.

"We are very satisfied with the overallperformance of the SEVSAT system fromShip Equip," said Deep Sea Supply techni-cal director, Espen Sorensen.

"We have used the system since 2006and find it very reliable with a gooduptime and otherwise performing toexpectations. Ship Equip also has a net-work of service engineers that in our expe-rience do a good job."

Ship Equip says that its maritime VSATsystem is now currently in use on over1,100 vessels, with each vessel passingtraffic averaging at 650 MB per day.

"As more and more shipping compa-nies introduce VSAT into their fleet itwill not be long before it is established asa standard requirement, and operatingwithout SEVSAT or a similar technologywill be more and more challenging," saidShipEquip chief sales officer, GillesGillesen.

www.iridium.com

A recent GEOScan workshop inAnnapolis, US, has brought together rep-resentatives from the geosciences commu-nity to form plans for a potential globalEarth-observation network in space, usinghosted payloads on Iridium's next-genera-tion satellite constellation, Iridium NEXT.

Iridium has said that it expects hostedpayload programmes to contributebetween $200 and $300 million to the costof constructing its next generation satellitenetwork.

This GEOScan programme is examin-ing the potential of hosting an integratedarray of scientific sensor suites as smallpayloads (up to 4 kilograms), known as'SensorPODs', on Iridium NEXT.

"Placing SensorPODs on Iridium NEXTis an innovative concept that wouldenable unparalleled visibility into Earth'satmosphere and space, providing anassessment of the impact of pressing sci-entific challenges, such as climate andatmospheric changes, that was never

before possible," said Dr Lars Dyrud, asenior scientist at Johns HopkinsUniversity Applied Physics Laboratory,the hosts of the meeting.

"The Iridium NEXT satellite replenish-ment programme is an unprecedentedopportunity to create a canopy of intercon-nected sensors covering the entire globe."

Dr Om Gupta, director of strategic mar-ket development for Iridium NEXT, ishopeful that the inclusion of hosted pay-loads on the new satellites can create arange of benefits for both Iridium and thescientific community in general.

"Iridium NEXT is not only our compa-ny's vehicle to the future, but for otherorganisations as well," he said.

"Reduced government funding forspace programmes will create a 'data gap'in Earth-observation programmes that arecritically important for the study of theEarth's atmosphere."

"Hosting scientific payloads asSensorPODs on Iridium NEXT offers acost-effective choice for the scientific com-munity to obtain a ride into space."

Norwegian VSAT deals for Ship Equip

26 Höegh Autoliners car carriers will have VSAT services installed

Meeting to discuss Iridium NEXT hosted payloads

www.iridium.com

www.radioholland.nl

Iridium has announced the introduction ofits Global Service Programme, firstlaunched at the beginning of 2011, whichoffers support services for all customers ofthe Iridium OpenPort satellite communi-cation service, in conjunction with RadioHolland.

Effective as of April 1, this programmeoffers shipboard technical support at morethan 50 ports around the world.

Imtech Marine, parent company ofRadio Holland, is the first service partnerfor this programme. Radio Holland willmanage the programme’s three regionalservice centres and technical support atglobal ports.

As of 2011 Iridium has also introduced

a five-year standard warranty for all newand existing Iridium OpenPort units.

"The establishment of the GlobalService Programme is driven largely bythe success of Iridium OpenPort in themaritime market," said John Roddy, exec-utive vice president, global operations andproduct development, Iridium.

"This programme now ensures ourgrowing Iridium OpenPort customer basewill continue to receive maximum valuefrom their investment. With this pro-gramme and new standard five-year war-ranty, Iridium customers can be confidentthey are receiving consistent, reliable com-munications.”

Iridium says it has shipped more than3,500 Iridium OpenPort terminals to arange of different vessels throughout the world.

Service Programme begins on OpenPort

www.frequentis.com

Frequentis has announced that it has beenawarded a contract by the Canadian CoastGuard for the supply of a voice and datacommunication system.

The contract will include 24 Commandand Control Centres, 198 Coastal Stationsand 100 working positions in Canada´sfive maritime regions: Newfoundland andLabrador, Maritimes, Quebec, Central andArctic, and Pacific.

Maritime Communication SystemMCS3020 provides integrated voice com-munication for radio, telephone, maritimeapplications, and sensor information inone system. Any operator can access allcommunication channels, regardless of

the system load.Frequentis notes that this new order

from the Canadian Coast Guard repre-sents the biggest system that theFrequentis Maritime Business Unit willhave supplied in its history.

The company's Canadian subsidiary,Frequentis Canada Limited, will providethe main point of contact for the imple-mentation phase.

“The key to this success comes from thesolid technological base of our productsand from our well established position inthe global maritime market,” says JimHall, president of Frequentis Canada.

“We are looking forward to makingthis large project the biggest success in theFrequentis maritime sector.”

Canadian Coast Guard agrees Frequentis deal

www.harris.com

Harris Corporation has completed its pre-viously announced acquisition of theGlobal Connectivity Services (GCS) busi-ness from Schlumberger, which is beingcombined with its existing maritime com-munications business and other earlieracquisition CapRock Communications.

With the addition of further infrastruc-ture assets from Core180’s governmentbusiness, these different units will nowoperate together as Harris CapRockCommunications.

"Integrating these businesses into a sin-gle enterprise creates an organisation withunsurpassed satellite and terrestrial net-works capabilities, end-to-end serviceofferings, and an experienced service teamthat will provide customers with unsur-passed in-the-field support on a globalscale," said Howard Lance, chairman, pres-

ident and chief executive officer of Harris. "Harris CapRock Communications will

use its capabilities and expertise to offercustomers the most secure, reliable andefficient communications solutions in theindustry."

Harris CapRock Communications hasmore than 1,400 employees, a local presencein 23 countries and a self-owned and oper-ated infrastructure that includes teleportson six continents, six Network OperationCentres and a terrestrial network.

Harris purchased the SchlumbergerGCS business for $397.5 million in cash,subject to post-closing adjustments. Thepurchase price was paid from cash onhand.

Harris says that the goodwill arisingfrom the acquisition will be an allowabletax expense with an estimated net presentvalue of $50 million, resulting in an effec-tive purchase price of $347.5 million.

Harris Schlumberger acquisition complete

p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 14:19

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p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 14:19

SATCOMS


www.eurosatlink.com

German shipping company ReedereiClaus-Peter Offen is to exchange all of itsexisting Inmarsat-B and Fleet 77 terminalson more than 80 vessels for Thrane &Thrane SAILOR 500 FleetBroadband sys-tems, courtesy of a deal with ESL GmbH.

Reederei Claus-Peter Offen hadalready begun to exchange someInmarsat-B systems, a service which willbe terminated at the end of 2014, forFleetBroadband over the course of the lastyear, but has now extended this to agree afleetwide deal.

The implementation of theFleetBroadband systems on board theother vessels has already started and isexpected to continue over the next 24months, bringing the major part of thefleet online.

"It has been an extremely interestingprocess and project to work on," saidZbigniew Perka, director of sales withESL, the sole supplier on the project.

"The good thing with the project is that

Reederei Claus-Peter Offen’s strategy hasbeen clear from the beginning andthrough close dialogue and testing wefound the right solution that will meettheir objectives and support their strategytoday and in the future."

"We are proud to get this contract, as itis a clear evidence that the shipping com-pany trust us to handle this importantproject for them and appreciate the longrelationship and strong solution we haveoffered them."

www.thuraya.com

Thuraya has launched its new Seagull5000i maritime communications system,in partnership with AddvalueCommunications, a specialised marine ter-minal designed for small vessels and pro-viding voice, data, SMS and fax servicesover Thuraya’s satellite network.

The company says that the Seagull5000i’s data capabilities are well suited tothe transmission of information such asship’s identity, position, and other LongRange Identification and Tracking (LRIT)requirements.

A customised FaxConnect interfacedevice also allows the user to send G3faxes from anywhere within the Thurayacoverage area to other G3 fax machinesacross the globe.

Thuraya’s satellite network coversEurope, the Middle East, Asia andAustralia. The company launched its thirdsatellite in January 2008, which broughtthe Asia-Pacific region into its footprint.

“The Seagull 5000i terminal is an excit-ing addition to our maritime portfolio,”said Thuraya’s CEO, Samer Halawi.

“The combination of the Seagull 5000i’sinnovative technology and the expansionof our satellite network coverage ensurethat regional operators of sea-vessels havean advanced, yet affordable communica-tion solution.”

“This new terminal further demon-strates Thuraya’s commitment to provideeffective satellite communications at sea.”

ESL will manage the installation of FleetBroadband on more than 80 vessels for Reederei Claus-Peter Offen

Reederei Claus-Peter Offen moves to FB

www.intelliantech.com

www.uplogix.com

Uplogix and Intellian have announcednew compatibility between their respec-tive products, that should help to increaseuptime of the antenna manufacturer's sys-tems while reducing service costs.

The Uplogix platform supportsIntellian satellite antenna control unitsand arbitrators, including v-Series models,and can recognise operational states in anantenna and take pre-determined actionssuch as notifying service providers withstatus information, switching to an alter-nate communication method, or targetinganother satellite.

Uplogix can also provide remote accessto the v-Series PC Controller application

via narrowband networks, where the com-pany suggests Iridium terminals can beparticularly useful.

This allows for troubleshooting andconfiguration access to the Intellian VSATantenna at a level that previously couldonly be attained with a site visit.

"Intellian has deployed over 15,000marine stabilised satellite antenna systemssince 2005," said Eric Sung, president andCEO of Intellian.

"We are pleased to announce our part-nership with Uplogix which brings remoteaccess and control of these systems tosatellite operators for even greater servicequality and lower cost of ownership."

The Uplogix platform combineslocalised management of the antennas andIP networking gear with onboard intelli-

gence to automate management, whetherthe network is up or down.

A rules-engine makes it possible to customise specialist operations, such asgenerating an SMS message when anantenna is in a blockage zone, or loading a satellite modem's configuration whenpredefined conditions exist. An out-of-band connection then allows for management control when the main sys-tem is offline.

"Uplogix has developed core function-ality for the maritime VSAT industry,"said James Dollar, Uplogix chief architectand founder.

"Now users of Intellian antennas canuse our product to make connectivity atsea as reliable as connecting from a branchoffice on land."

Intellian antennas add Uplogix functionality

Satcom terminallaunched by Thuraya

www.stratosglobal.com

Stratos has announced that it has begunthe deployment of the InmarsatFleetBroadband satellite communicationsservice on six deep-sea tugboats inFairplay Towage’s fleet, with installationson four of the vessels already complete.

Based in Hamburg, Fairplay Towageoperates a fleet of 27 vessels for harbour,coastal and deep-sea towage, and will usethe new satellite system to optimise vesselperformance, improve business opera-tions and increase crew productivity.

The system will also be integrated with AmosConnect 8 – Stratos’ maritimecommunications application – to improve management of all interoffice communications.

This will include the AmosConnectCrew CommCenter solution to assist sea-farers in managing their calling, private e-

mail and SMS, with flat global rates and aseparate account for each crewmember.

Fairplay Towage expects to deploy the'internet café' functionality of the latestversion of the Crew CommCenter laterthis year.

"FleetBroadband enables us to achievefaster data transmission and better voicequality than the legacy systems we previ-ously used – at a lower cost," said FairplayTowage’s information technology manag-er Thomas Wesselski.

"The system helps us improve businessmanagement by increasing the perform-ance of many of the IP-based applicationswe already deploy."

"Also, the wide range of Stratos value-added services – including onboard fire-wall and online invoicing – help ensurehigh security and strict cost control."

Stratos has now activated more than6,700 FleetBroadband terminals.

Fairplay to FleetBroadband 60 vessel satcom deal for Station 711www.station711.com

Station711 has signed a contract for theprovision of Inmarsat FleetBroadbandservices to Swire Pacific Offshore (SPO), incollaboration with service provider SMTS.

Singapore-based SPO, a serviceprovider to the offshore oil and gas indus-try, is set to install the new broadband sat-com service on 60 vessels and intends touse it for operations, logistics, navigationand crew welfare services.

Prior to signing the agreement, RRsat,SMTS and SPO conducted over 3 months oftesting of the solution on one of SPO's newvessels to verify that it would meet the com-pany's current and future requirements.

Station 711's smart@sea gateway tech-nology is integrated into the set-up, to man-age and control the LANs used on the ves-sel for both operations and crew welfare.

Onboard networks will include a total

of seven PCs and three VoIP phones forpre-paid and post-paid use, and WANsupport for the FleetBroadband 500.

The agreement, for a minimum of threeyears, comprises the smart@sea communi-cation gateway, SAILOR FB500 terminals,a fleet-wide Shared Corporate AllowancePackage (SCAP) pricing structure fromInmarsat, and ongoing maintenance andsupport services from SMTS andStation711.

SMTS will manage the installation of theterminals and onboard LANs on SPO's ves-sels, while Station711 will provide satcommanagement applications from its ownrange of communications technologies.

This includes the smart@sea gatewayfor UTM security, a crew welfare voiceand data module, IP traffic compression,acceleration, caching and filtering, a VoIPplatform, and a shore-side unified POPfacility providing a centralised manage-ment interface.

"Along with daily business communi-cations, we are also excited aboutsmart@sea's unique features for onboardcrew welfare," said Colin Payne, humanresources director, Swire Pacific Offshore.

"By using the dedicated onboard inter-net cafe, in combination with solutionssuch as the VoIP scratch cards, crew mem-bers can keep in touch with loved ones athome, and enjoy the world wide web ontheir off-duty time."

p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 14:19

GESatcom

Triple Play the perfect mixGood 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

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SATCOMS NEWS


www.imtechmarine.com

Radio Holland has announced the avail-ability of the Thrane & Thrane Sailor 6248VHF unit, as a successor to its Sailor RT-2048 VHF system which has been in themarket since 1987.

The company says that 100,000 units of

the older system have been sold, but that itis now reaching the end of its life cycle.

The replacement Sailor RT-6248 VHFwill become available in the second halfof this year.

The new VHF will unit will include allof the features of the Sailor RT-2048, aswell as a Sailor Replay function and a

Radio Holland to introduce new VHF unit

www.inmarsat.com

Inmarsat is working with SkyWaveMobile Communications to develop a newlow data rate tracking, monitoring andmessaging service, planned for launch inQ3 2011.

IsatData Pro will deliver near real-timemessages of up to 10,000 bytes to thedevice, and up to 6,400 bytes from thedevice, to meet what the companies see as

an increasing demand for higher dataspeeds in machine-to-machine (M2M)solutions.

The new service will support a range of security and location-based services, with the companiestargeting regions like the US and LatinAmerica, as well as looking at China and Russia as expanding markets forM2M services.

"This is a new service, with new hard-

Inmarsat low data rate service announced

Ocean Star agrees VSAT dealwww.mtnsat.com

MTN Satellite Communications hasagreed a deal to provide VSAT services,including crew calling and internet serv-ices, aboard Ocean Star Cruises' firstship, the MV Ocean Star Pacific.

The ship started service in theMexican Riviera, sailing itineraries from Manzanillo and Acapulco, fromApril 10.

"We elected to partner with MTNbased on their track record of technologyinnovation and best-in-class supportthat is proven throughout the cruiseindustry," said Diderik Van Regemorter,COO at Ocean Star Cruises.

"Today, customers expect to have24/7 connectivity, and through this part-nership with MTN, we will be able todeliver quality services and secure com-munications to enhance our crew and

guest experience."MTN will provide a range of satellite

communication services for guests andcrew, including an onboard cellularphone service, inbound and outboundvoice dialling and internet services, aswell as complete Wi-Fi coverage.

"This is the first national cruise linebased in Mexico and Ocean Star Cruisesunderstands that first impressions areeverything," said Brent Horwitz, seniorvice president of MTN.

"This means delivering a world-class environment, outstanding enter-tainment as well as state-of-the-art technology services. Passengersdemand that their communicationsneeds are as reliable and accessible atsea as they are on land. We have the technology services that will notonly meet, but exceed, crew and passen-ger expectations."

www.seasecure.net

Grieg Shipping Group has agreed a deal toinstall the CrewCommCenter softwaresystem from SeaSecure on all of its vessels,to support crew welfare.

Having used a prepaid service for crewe-mail for a number of years, GriegShipping Group decided to implement thenew system on the entire fleet after com-pleting testing of the system duringNovember and December 2010.

Grieg maritime ICT manager ØysteinSivertsen says that the upgrade has beenhighly automated and trouble free.

The CrewCommCenter solution pro-vides a number of free services to crews,with the shipping company paying a fixedmonthly fee to have the service onboard.

Free e-mail and worldwide SMS areincluded in all cases, both incoming andoutgoing, as well as specialised 'thin' chat

Grieg installs SeaSecure for crewsclients and optimised secured webbrowsing depending on the satellite com-munications set-up onboard.

Interestingly, SeaSecure notes that inits experience when crew have access tothe free SMS service and free e-mail, SMShas been the preferred messagingmethod to communicate with loved onesonshore.

This ratio is typically 25 per cent e-mail to 75 per cent SMS messages.

Grieg Shipping Group is alsoinstalling SeaSecure's Courier Antivirussystem, having previously had mixedexperiences with antivirus solutions onits vessels.

No CDs are required to provide thevirus signature updates to this system onthe ships, and an automatic weeklyreporting feature is included whichshows the status of every PC on boardthe fleet.

ware and new infrastructure, that signifi-cantly expands the applications that theInmarsat system supports," said DrewBrandy, director of land services atInmarsat.

"We see lots of untapped opportunityin the M2M market for a reliable globalservice that can offer more: more data,more flexibility and a more reliable net-work. And, as people will see when welaunch the service, it will be highly cost-

effective too."IsatData Pro could be used for time-

critical applications, or for receiving errorlogs from remote equipment or sensors,for example.

The IsatData Pro hardware portfoliomanufactured by SkyWave will includecomplete terminals for both land and mar-itime environments. A modem-only ver-sion for OEMs and systems integratorswill also be available.

LAN option for ThraneLINK, a uniformcommunication protocol that connects allSailor equipment in a network.

Radio Holland notes that it will providesupport for the original Sailor RT-2048 foranother six years, which means that spareparts will be available and repairs offereduntil April 2017.

The Sailor RT-2048, with more than100,000 sold, will be replaced by the new unit when it is launched

p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 14:19

www.imtechmarine.com

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RADIO HOLLAND CONNECT: AIRTIME ANYWHERE

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p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 14:19

ConsideringFleetBroadbandor VSAT?

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Maritime Communications Reinvented

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p1-27:p1-14.qxd 04/05/2011 15:20


Digital Ship

TT he Digital Ship round table titled'Satellite Communications - nowand into the future', hosted by

Inmarsat in Gothenburg, Sweden, broughttogether a panel of eight experts withdecades of experience in the field of vesselconnectivity and managing the linkbetween ship and shore.

The goal of the discussion was to exam-ine some of the current, emerging andplanned future technologies influencingthe 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 ascontributing to the safety and wellbeing offuture generations of mariners.

Digital Ship posed a number of specificquestions to the panel (identified in thetable below), starting with a look at thehow well the industry is taking advantageof the latest current available technologyin maritime communications.

Digital Ship: Is the shipping industryfully exploiting the potential of the com-munications technology which is avail-able today? Or do you think that satellitetechnology is not backed up by the kindof applications that might allow compa-nies to really take advantage of what is there?

KH: The shipping industry has still nottaken up a lot of the capability both in thecommunications side and in the applica-tions side, but I don’t believe that is acrime because I know a lot of businesseson land who have not improved theircommunications technology or otherapplication technology.

So the idea that shipping may be a littlebit behind is not that much outside therealm of possibility – in fact it is highlylikely when you consider that corporatedevelopment of terrestrial IT capability isbasically made up of the drive of manage-

ment in conjunction with the capability ofthe IT people.

If you transfer that over to the modernshipping industry the drive of manage-ment is one thing, but the other thing isthe detachment of the IT element from theactual assets that they are working on.

If you have got a LAN onboard a vessel,the IT people won’t often get a chance toget onboard that vessel and inspect every-thing, so it is highly probable that thingsare going to take a lot longer to advance inthis kind of scenario. So I think it isinevitable, right now at this early stage, thatthere is still so much more potential.

PF: The industry has a tendency to be alittle bit conservative, and the things you

have on land today, you will not normallysee them on ships today. We have a ten-dency to be five or ten years behind a lot ofthe different services. They do not see themaritime industry as big enough to investin platforms.

Today we have systems that havealready been out in other industries for along time – for instance, remote monitor-ing; they have used remote monitoring inthe windmill industry and in power plantsfor years. And our suppliers say ‘we havea new thing here coming up, we couldremotely monitor your systems’. Foreverybody on the land side this was stan-dard 15 years ago.

I believe many of the suppliers are notaware that it is possible today, if we havethe internet aboard the vessel, that it ispossible to do the monitoring. And I hopethat the maritime suppliers will speed upa little, because it is not only the shippingowners who are causing this, it is the sup-pliers as well.

The mentality has been for many yearsthat you can send a mail and you can get amail back and that is it, but now we havethe internet on many vessels and we justneed the suppliers to speed up with all thenice gadgets.

BS: This is one of the questions, who isthe driver of this? Should the IT depart-ment be the driver, or is it the business?Who is the driver in this?

KH: When I first started four years agoat Inmarsat, when we wanted to talk tosomeone about communications we werenormally introduced to the superinten-dent. However, just in the last year I did anumber of end user visits and it was morethan likely, probably 50 per cent of thetime, to be the chief IT guy. So the deci-sion, to me, is now more IT-led.

TA: I think it is very important to get itbusiness driven. You cannot let all thedecisions go to the IT guy or the IT depart-ment, because it’s important to your busi-ness development.

For us, for example, in the supply mar-ket we are driven by the customers, bywhich I mean the oil companies. We haveto follow what they want to do with ourvessels, and the communication they wantbetween the vessel and the rig and theoffice and things like that. I think that isvery important.

MM: I think the companies take all theadvantage they can get from the commsystems, with the low speed that’s offeredalong with the rather high price.

KS: I don’t know what it is like with theother companies but with NorthernMarine Management we have endeav-oured to supply as much technology as issensible considering functionality, busi-ness requirements and cost control focus.

We first installed VSAT onboard oneof the vessels as a pilot in 2007 and today

Digital Ship recently organised a round table discussion session in Sweden, bringing together a panel of fivevessel 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 debatecovered VSAT, FleetBroadband – and the potential of Ka-band and Global Xpress

Satellite Communications - now and into the future

The panel consisted of (abbreviations in brackets):(KH) - Kyle Hurst, maritime marketing team, Inmarsat(PF) - Peter Faurhøj, asst gen manager navigation & communication systems,

Maersk Supply Service(MM) - Martin Malmborg, MD/IT manager, DonsöData (IT support for

Furetank, Tärntank and Sirius)(KS) - Kevin Stoneman, ship support and installation team lead, Northern

Marine Management(SJ) - Svante Johansson, chief vessel strategy officer, MMT(TA) - Thomas Andersson, VP supply management, Rederi AB Transatlantic(BS) - Börje Silverfjäll, vessel IT manager, Maersk Tankers(LB) - Lars Brödje, managing director, Telemar Scandinavia

Who’s who: The Panel

Clockwise from left: Kevin Stoneman, Northern Marine Management; Martin Malmborg, DonsöData; Peter Faurhøj, Maersk SupplyService; Kyle Hurst, Inmarsat; Rob O’Dwyer, Digital Ship; Lars Brödje, Telemar Scandinavia (obscured); Börje Silverfjall,

Maersk Tankers; Thomas Andersson, Rederi AB Transatlantic; Svante Johansson, MMT

p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 14:20

SATCOMS


we have VSAT onboard more than sixtyper cent of our managed fleet. For theStena vessels the project is nearly com-plete. This encompasses both C-band andKu-band antennas.

During 2010 we also were able todemonstrate the additional benefits of fit-ting VSAT to our other clients but this wasonly made possible after a number ofyears experience. There has always been afear that the costs could exceed projec-tions. This we have not found.

We also develop a lot of in-house appli-cations which are used within the officeand onboard the vessels. This technologycannot always be utilised onboard the ves-sels because they do not have the commu-nications capability to use certain onlineapplications. Our in house software sup-ports offline applications for ships nothaving VSAT.

There is a technology gap between whatseafarers use at home and whilst at sea andas such it is difficult to manage expecta-tions. Whilst there are ongoing projects toupdate vessel’s IT systems they will alwayslag behind shore based networks.

SJ: Well, I cannot agree with the ‘con-servative’ view, the type of business that Iam in, the offshore business, we arescreaming for more capacity. But of coursewe want it cheaper.

The bottleneck for us is that we wouldlike to see more quality assured installa-tions. That is the major problem we see.We can live with two (Mbps) up and two(Mbps) down, that is okay for us. Butwhen the installation is not good enoughsometimes I get very annoyed at theproviders that sell us the systems.

Of course on our own vessels we have abigger possibility to quality assure theinstallations, but when we are goingonboard the chartered vessels I see somany bad installations. You cannot relyon the system, you cannot say that youhave 100 per cent availability.

That is the key thing for us for the nearfuture, to really put some pressure on theproviders and the ship owners on that sidethat they do quality assured installations.We cannot live with a vessel that has ablind sector of more than 100 degrees. Ifwe were working two weeks on DP, wehave one heading all the time, if you are ina blind sector they’ll kick your vessel outof their project.

Digital Ship: So what kind of uptime doyou see as unacceptable? What are youlooking for in terms of quality assurance?

SJ: For us it is important that if we payfor a certain speed on a VSAT system weneed to have it 100 per cent. We under-stand that we are working with satellitesand sometimes things happen, but itshould not be down to physical problems,that should be obvious to everyone.

In the last year I have seen 10 vesselswhere the installations are not acceptable.The responsibilities are, of course, with theship owner that buys the system but alsowith the provider. They should reallymake it clear; ‘you will have blind sectors,you will not get what you pay for’.

TA: I think you have that on every ves-sel with VSAT, you have the VSAT anten-na and try to put it in the right position onboard, but then you change the radar sys-tem and have the same problem - where

shall we put the radar? You have lots ofthings all the time, and you want the bestspot, you want the best place. Everybodywants to sit on top of the mast.

SJ: But that is the problem with someship owners; they prioritise the TV satel-lite antenna. They put that on top, and thatreally annoys me because that is not whereyou make the money. That is the mindset.

Digital Ship: Lars, how do you deal withsome of these problems when doinginstallations?

LB: Obviously we check the vessel, wecheck with the superintendents exactlylike Thomas is saying, and we make rec-ommendations and inform people that ifthey put the antennae there these are theblind sectors they would get.

BS (to SJ): Do you have big volumes (ofdata) that you need to work with or is itjust the access that you need?

SJ: It’s big volumes, we often haveclient reps onboard the vessel and 30/40people onboard the vessel. If the internetstarts to go down it goes very quickly, andfor us, they can kick us out of the project.That is the same for our competitors in thisbusiness as well. For us it’s as important asif the engine is running.

BS: For us it is totally different. Weneed to be always on, but we don’t havethe big volumes you have.

Digital Ship: So would you prefer towork with a lower bandwidth with 100per cent reliability, or something thatwas very fast but not available all of thetime? What would suit your businessbetter?

SJ: We want both in fact, why shouldwe take just one? In our business we mustbuild in those installations so we get both.We cannot compromise on that one.

I think that ship owners in our businesshave had to adapt to this and do very cost-ly rearrangements and things like that,because the company’s clients will notaccept that you do not have verified relia-bility on a VSAT.

BS: I have always been trying to avoidthe ‘GMDSS’ view of communicationswhile putting IT on board, but trying totalk to people about how dependent weare on IT in our operations.

But I have never had that aspect in mywork, like you said, that it is as importantas the main engine to have the communi-cations. That brings it to a new level whichI personally had never considered.

LB: I was at a seminar for tanker com-panies five or six years ago, with the peo-ple who Martin is working with, and oneof the well known owners stood up in theseminar and he said; ‘you must under-stand, if there is a hole in the bottom of theboat, we have a problem. If the internet isdown it is catastrophe’.

Digital Ship: In the last few years therehas been an economic downturn global-ly, not just in shipping, and this obvious-ly puts pressure on budgets. How doyour companies find the balancebetween using technology to save costsbut having to invest in it to get those costsavings in the first place? And how doescrew welfare fit into this process?

PF: We did our internet project purelyfor crew retention, we didn’t even talkabout business at that time. We had theFleetBroadband installed or VSATinstalled, but we still used the Fleet 77 forbusiness traffic because we need the inter-net fast for the crew.

Now we are moving everything over toFleetBroadband and to VSAT, but thecommercial and business side was not anissue at the time we started, it was purelyfor the crew. We wanted to give theminternet and cheap calls.

It is a matter of keeping the crews, forsure. Before we started up our internet proj-ect I had a lot of complaints from a lot of crewmembers, saying ‘Oh, we have heard that theNorwegians, they are installing these satel-lite systems, and they have 10 Megabitsand they have free telephone calls’.

TA: We were more cost driven actually.When we would go out to the vessel weused to say to the crew ‘we have thisbecause of you’, but that’s another story.

But you can say that we increase thecosts about 25 per cent maybe, somethinglike that, but then we haven’t had IT guyson the vessel, they don’t have one vesselvisit per year. Maybe one vessel visit perthree years, something like that – mostlythey can do things remotely from the office.

That is the most cost effective way ofdoing it actually, and even in the future youwill see that you can do lots of remote mon-itoring of engines and all the maintenancework and all of that. That is a big, big issue.

We had quite high communicationscosts before the VSAT so it was quite easyfor us to show the figures of how we couldsave to the business. And then of courseyou get a lot more things, you are gettinga chance for the crew to stay in touch withhome and have a telephone, and thingslike that. But that is more ‘nice to have’ forus than necessary.

PF: I have noticed with the broadband,before the crews made a telephone callthat was two or three minutes to their wifeand the cost was £5. Now they phone theirwife for half an hour, or three quarters ofan hour. So even though it is cheaper tomake the phone calls, now the phone call

is just longer.KS: We work for a number of different

owners, and we have been having discus-sions with the owners for years on thebenefits of VSAT and the cost savings ofVSAT. Only now, where the data volumesthat they want to push through the e-mailis higher, are they noting that this is actu-ally a benefit for communication costs.

As noted earlier, crew welfare is a sig-nificant issue. With the lower prices avail-able through using VOIP systems overVSAT, seafarers don’t seem to make thesame connection between the length of thecall and the price now.

They stay on the phone for an hour,rather than just saying ‘hi, how are you?Thanks very much, I will speak to younext week’. A telephone call home is notseen as something precious any more, it’sjust something to use.

PF: It seems to be that there is a tenden-cy for the first priority to be the internet,the second priority is satellite television,then there is the food, and then you havethe main engine!

People were sitting around in cornersfor many years, just doing the radios andGMDSS and so on. Then suddenly thefocus had moved towards ‘Why can’t Iwatch the Danish television in Alaska? Iam paying the licence fee’.

I remember trying to move a Canadianvessel from Canada to Aberdeen in themiddle of the ice hockey season. I had tosend a guy around Aberdeen trying tofind a satellite television card with thisspecial Canadian ice hockey channel on.

LB: Almost 45 years ago when I wassailing along the Australian coast, up anddown between Cairns and Adelaide, wewere always amazed that some of theAustralian vessels had enormously tall TVantennas, it was like a base station for cel-lular; standing next to the funnel.

So why was this? Well, according to theunions, in the agreement between theunions and the ship owners, the vesselwould never sail so far out that theywouldn’t have full TV reception.

MM: Our companies are cost driven;the main focuses are about lowering thecall bills and providing business.

My feeling is that crew welfare is lessprioritised due to the high communicationrates, but nonetheless the crew is demand-ing more – they need faster internet, andto always be connected to their families onshore. I guess the vessels without internethave a hard time to employ crew.

KS: I know one example we’ve had of aChief Engineer who was to sign onto aship but was not keen because it had nointernet whereby his previous ship did.

Internet provision is something weadvertise when recruiting seafarers.‘Internet access available’ is a major pointfor recruitment and retention.

BS: That is happening already, whoev-er you are employing, whichever national-ity, the first question they have for the HRdepartment is, ‘do they have internetonboard?’

KS: Having said that, I think puttingthese systems onboard is largely deter-mined on the business case. This is no dif-ferent than other forms of investment.

There is a lot of pressure from the per-sonnel department, from feedback theyreceive from the seafarers saying that crew

‘We did our internet project purely forcrew retention, we didn’t even talk aboutbusiness at that time’ – Peter Faurhøj,

Maersk Supply Service

p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 14:20


Digital Shipwelfare is such an important subject. Withgreater restriction on life at sea internet isseen as such an advantage.

BS: We made some calculations to seehow much traffic is from the crew and howmuch is from business. In our case, whichI’m sure might be different in other indus-tries, but in our case business traffic is about5 per cent of the available bandwidth.

File exchange, the e-mail system,remote support, remote connecting,remote fixing, Windows updates,antivirus updates and all those things –that is approximately 5 per cent of theavailable bandwidth.

KS: We did calculations and we lookedat the data throughput on the e-mail onone of the ships before we made the choiceto put the FleetBroadband 500 on, andthere was approximately 100 MB of e-mailtraffic per month to and from the vessels.

Now we look at the VSAT systems wehave and we can see traffic throughput of30 GB a month, and again 100 MB of thatis business traffic. So it shows you howmuch the crew use it, or how little, in somerespects, that the business uses it!

BS: We offer the crews broadband,every brochure is saying we have ‘broad-band at sea’. But if the guys sit down intheir cabin and they try to launch theirlaptop like they think they are at home,they are not going to get anywhere.

It is the same argument that you wouldhave with the television set not working. Weare getting to that point because they thinkthey have the broadband, so they should beable to do whatever they do at home.

KS: Seafarers are used to having 50 Mbspeed of connection at home and then theygo onboard and they get 1 Mb. We havehad complaints because it takes longer toopen up a feature on a website onboardwhen compared to home. As previouslynoted, it is difficult to manage expectations.

MM: I guess when the younger crewstart to be employed by the ships it isexpected to have internet. I think it is theolder ones who maybe don’t think about itquite as much.

KS: I agree, I think it will be for theyounger crew looking ahead to encouragethem to come to sea. Older people some-

times don’t really see an obvious benefit ofhaving internet access on the ship becausethey never had it before. This feeling canrapidly change after sailing with internet.

Digital Ship: How do you manage thismixture of business and crew traffic, byprioritising certain communications orsplitting different usage into differentnetworks?

KS: There are two separate networks;we have an admin network and a crewnetwork, and so we can shut one or theother off and we can prioritise traffic onone or the other if we want to.

We may prioritise the admin networkbut we also prioritise the traffic that comesout of the PC we use for e-mail, it has ahigher priority over everything elseonboard.

The crew VoIP phones do have their own priority, but it is not as high as the busi-ness communications. The OperationsDepartment value the business needs greaterthan welfare, which is understandable.

BS: We have a priority on things likeSkype, it is still possible but it is at the bot-tom of the chain. If you got up at twoo’clock in the morning you will be able todo a Skype call. But if you try it at fourthirty or five o’clock in the afternoon, it isalready crowded, everybody is going onthe internet.

We have four audio streams availablefor the whole ship, for crew, but no videostreaming. Additionally, for all the crewthere is no Windows updates allowed,they must come with a fresh computerwhen they sign on onboard.

KS: We have banned things like exe-cutable files from being downloaded. Wenoticed a massive amount of traffic fromWindows updates on personal laptops,because everybody onboard had their lap-tops set to auto-update. If you have aService Pack update for Windows XP itcan be a couple of hundred MB, easily.

BS: We use Vipersat technology, andwe’re connected to a fixed shared pool ofbandwidth, which is shared betweeneight, nine or ten ships. A pool is typically1 Megabit.

Depending on the availability and the

usage, if there is only one ship using thepool they will get 1 Megabit, but thatwon’t happen that often, it’s not very oftenthat a ship gets up to 500 kbps.

KH: Something we have observed isthat companies seem to be either from the‘black list’ side or the ‘white list’ side.

Blacklisting things when you find themis probably quite onerous for the IT guys toactually crack down on, especially if theyare going through the normal internet port.The white listing side is also anothermethod of attacking the same problem, butprobably not as popular with the crewbecause there are obvious limitations.

BS: I have been working the whole ofmy career to free the limitations. I mean allaround the Inmarsat technology; it is ahigh cost that needs to be governed.Naturally, you need to be in control ofyour costs and you should be! But it feedsa whole branch of people living off con-trolling your bandwidth.

Digital Ship: Apart from the crew, whatother areas can you base an IT invest-ment business case on?

BS: We have put together a serious busi-ness case over the last month and it has justbeen approved for a project at MaerskTankers. Nothing will ever be approvedunless you have a solid business case.

Looking at the performance of thetanker industry, they are all in the red anddoing poorly, but if you have a solid busi-ness case, as we have, you can do it.Moving away from dialling up the e-mail,dialling up the file transfers – the amountthat can be saved relative to the invest-ment of rolling out a new platform can letyou build a solid business case. Then thereare no options for management but toapprove this.

But the big challenge I think is to con-vince the management to spend one buckto save two. That is a challenge in a poormarket, but having a solid business case isthe way to do this. I have learned throughmy short time in Maersk that we don’tspend one buck if we don’t need to.

When Maersk Tankers came intoBroström and they saw our IT set-up, theywanted to close everything down because

it cost money. But after a while, after see-ing the remote access, remote control, costcontrol, the mix of Inmarsat communica-tions – they saw the possibilities, and itturned into the opportunity of doing thisbusiness case that we have successfullybeen driving through management.

We are running a project on the remotesigning of the Bills of Lading, for example.They save a couple of hours in port by justsigning on the way out, using a bank secu-rity key like you use when you do bank-ing, they can sign it remotely.

Captains are using instant messaging.Small questions that would usually gener-ate an e-mail and need an hour or so for areply, we can actually contact the captain onYahoo messenger and ask him. We canhave a yes or no answer immediately.Making the business case isn’t easy, it isvery difficult to get a price tag on all of thesetools, but it does show that it is possible.

LB: I think this underlines what wetalked about in the first question, that theship owners are still generally quite con-servative. The means are there but we arenot using them properly and this has beena constant struggle all the time – to getpeople to take charge of the situation andto utilise what is available with programs,with remote monitoring.

I had one good example from a Ro-Rovessel, the captain said ‘ we paid for thesystem a long time ago because the chiefengineer and I have been provided with acompany credit card, so we do all the pur-chasing’. They search on the internet, findwhat they need and they order and theypay by card and they get it deliveredonboard. That is one simple application,but they use it properly.

MM: There are many areas (to add to abusiness case) – lowering the call bills andalways being connected, being able tomeet the demands from business regard-ing all applications that are needed toexchange information between the vesselsand shore, constantly having or gettingthe latest information.

It can allow the crew to be able to makeorders direct from suppliers, and intro-duces the possibility to do online drugtesting, or take live photos from ship tosend to shore for security reasons.

Digital Ship: Beyond the areas that wehave looked at, with things like remoteaccess and maintenance for example, arethere other particular operational areaswhere you see communication systemspossibly being used to drive efficiency?

TA: Something like CCTV can be used tooffer medical assistance, you can have aremote link to a hospital. If something hap-pens onboard you have to deal with it, butwith the video if someone gets ill or some-thing like that you can connect yourselfdirectly to a doctor. You could do surgeryonboard with the help of this guy in the hos-pital, having maybe four cameras onboard.

You can diagnose him for example, askhim this and that, look for that, whatever.It is very challenging, but we need to havethis, actually it is a customer driven thing.

BS: The IT challenge is that businessdoes not really know what we can offerthem sometimes, I think. When I see thechallenges like populating databases onthe shoreside and for our operators andfreight department, there is so much more

The panel discusses some of the onboard activities before the advent of maritime broadband

p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 13:50

SATCOMS


that we can do together. So I think wehave a challenge of informing our ownorganisation and finding what they wantto do with the IT.

Many, I am sure, do not even know thatwe are always on, that the vessel is a remoteoffice, it is not a ship any longer, it is a remoteoffice. It is a mind set, you have to acceptthat the ship is now connected to the office.

We were talking about conservativeattitudes – this is still an important thingand we have not developed answers to allthe challenges. There are so many morepossibilities in assisting and using ‘typeonce’ technology that we are not usingtoday. We still type a lot onboard and thesame again in the office.

PF: There was a very interesting com-ment at the Digital Ship conference inHamburg, from a German ship owner.They had introduced remote monitoringand the superintendent could watcheverything on his screen in the office. Butthis only caused the superintendent to beoverworked and the engineer onboard theship, his focus on the engines was longgone – ‘if something is wrong the superin-tendent will probably tell me’.

It is dangerous to remove too muchinformation or responsibility away fromthe vessel. The superintendent was veryoverworked with information from thisvessel, what to do with all this information.

KS: We have got a remote link withValmarine. We set up a test VSAT vesselto alert Valmarine and give them access totheir integrated management systemsonboard. This allows them to look at theproblem and potentially diagnose it beforethey spend thousands of dollars going tothe ship to actually diagnose the problem.

If Valmarine can diagnose the problemremotely and provide a solution, thisgreatly reduces cost. Unnecessary techni-cian travel is something we try and avoid.They can turn up on the ship knowingvery little about the problem and then

thinking ‘okay, I need to get this part, thispart and this part, I will need to go awayand come back in two weeks’.

If you have got the ability to do the kindof remote management we’re talking aboutfor those systems it allows you to potential-ly save a fair amount of money when theyactually turn up to resolve an issue.

KH: There are the two sides, throughremote management you can have a tran-sition of responsibility, as Peter men-tioned, but then on the other side if youdon’t have remote management you maybe missing out on cost savings. If some-thing goes wrong with the large powerplants that we are talking about, for exam-ple, as a guide for cost you just write anumber and keep adding zeros.

So I guess we are seeing a trade offhere, you may see someone onshore inher-iting more responsibility, but you mightactually find a dollar value in the failsafemechanism.

When we first started the new DTSservice (Dynamic Telemetry Service) forFleetBroadband we were very encouragedthat we got, from end users and applica-tion providers, a lot of ideas on the possi-bilities. We had thought about remoteengine and systems management, but wethen had people talking about remotemedical and biometrics coming across thistelemetry system.

We had our ideas, and obviously wesee things through Inmarsat glasses, butwe are just very surprised at number one;the response from the industry and num-ber two; the diversity – people have said‘if we have got a telemetry link onboardthe vessel, then we want to monitor ourLAN onboard the vessel, we want to havereal-time network management systemscoming across the link’.

Another part that is very interesting issafety. GMDSS was created so that ifthere is a problem on the boat you hit thebig red button and shore can be told that

there is a problem. Now people are asking, ‘how about if

we could monitor all these things continu-ally? We could have sensors onboard thevessel generating alerts so someone backon shore could go, oh that is a bit strange’before someone hits the big red button. It’snot a safety service but it feeds into thegeneral visibility of the vessel, which hassafety benefits.

KS: I had a discussion with one of theSuperintendents where he said that thereis more IT equipment on the bridge thanthere is anything else onboard now. And ifyou look at it you have got ECDIS, you’vegot all the integrated management, youhave got potentially the ship LAN – thereis so much IT on a ship now.

If you can monitor the majority of it thecost savings that you could have in thelong term could be significant.

BS: But who is the driver in this again?Is it our business, or is it MAN B&W orWärtsilä or any other engine maker? Or isit the IT side that should be able to offerthese possibilities?

I have had several calls from MANB&W and Wärtsilä to ask to be allowed togo onboard using the IT systems to takedifferent readings and technical data fromthe systems onboard.

We have two networks, a crew-net,which is wireless, and a wired business-net for the e-mail, remote support filetransfer etc. I don’t want them on any ofthose systems basically, so in a future set-up I am going to need a third net onboard.

I will need my business net, securelyprotected, and then the crew Wi-Fi netwhere the crew are running their data, andI will need a suppliers-net where I can letthem do whatever they like.

SJ: When it comes to cost savings, thereare some of the tasks in offshore opera-tions where these young guys, RV opera-tors etc, they’re very well paid so some-times you can make a very positive costsaving to keep one of the shits ashore.

That is actually being done in theMexican Gulf right now and is somethingwe look very closely at. Some of the tasks,with good ship to shore communication,can be done from shore and we can actual-ly have less people onboard. That is some-thing that, for us, can be very cost effective.

It can generate a higher cost for commu-nication but we can save money by havingless people onboard, and that is somethingyou will see a lot of in the future because itis expensive to keep people onboard a ves-sel instead of having them on the same sys-tem in your office remotely controlling thesystem on the ship. That is already happen-ing but it will be developed more and moreacross our business.

PF: In many cases in the offshore indus-try, they don’t even go for 2 megabit any-more. I know one ship where they have 70people onboard and they want to be onthe internet, all of them at the same time,and the challenge is that they are com-plaining ‘it is too slow’.

Of course it is too slow – when I am athome, I have a 2 megabit line at home andwhen my son is playing one of theseshooting games on the internet, my inter-net radio is dropping out all the time.When there are 70 people onboard the ves-sel and they are on the internet at the sametime it is going to be slow.

Digital Ship: Training is one of the majorissues for vessel operators in the currentmarket, and looking ahead over the nextfew years – can communications technol-ogy have an impact on training provi-sion, particularly with regard to comput-er based and multimedia training?

PF: It is still a matter bandwidth. Someof these applications are not made for lowbandwidth, you need an awful lot ofbandwidth in order to participate in any ofthese online education systems, or videoconferences.

There is a bouquet of demands therewhere we could use a little bit more band-width, and of course education, crewretention and office training is in there.You have all these applications whichhave a high demand on the bandwidth.

In the beginning everyone was veryhappy with our bandwidth, but it was new.Then they were all using internet aboardthe vessel so it got slower and slower. Andnow they want more bandwidth.

LB: I think that training will becomemore and more important. We can seearound the world that all the maritime col-leges are lagging behind.

The industry is moving very fast, thelegislation is moving very fast, the classifi-cations societies are demanding more andmore, the vetting inspectors are comingaboard every other vessel, especially ifyou are onboard tankers.

And you also have a situation wherethe crew members are distributed virtual-ly all over the world today; you take fromCroatia, you take from Ukraine, you takefrom Belorussia, you take from thePhilippines and so forth. So it is very diffi-cult for all the training institutions in dif-ferent ports in the world to have the stan-dard that is required.

I think it is more a matter of time beforemore and more people realise that this isextremely important. And you also havethe training situation where in the newSTCW convention, it is not enough thatyou just have the certificate, you mustprove to the inspection, to the surveyors,that you also have the required ability.

So when a US coastguard inspector iscoming on board he is taking you up on thebridge or he is taking you down to theengine room and saying ‘show me how youare doing this and this and that’. It is not justshow me your certificate; show me you cando it. And that is where training and remotetraining is coming in so quickly now.

KH: I think we should also ask whattraining is best? Because you can get train-ing systems which are very glitzy andglamorous, and they are of course going torequire a lot of bandwidth. Then you havevery simple systems like when I was atschool which is: ‘here is the book, read it,then here is your test, complete it’. That isnot very intensive on bandwidth.

You could do training with video and soon, but whom among you is the one saying‘yes, we want training, and we want it inthis particular format’? The cost/benefitneeds to be worked out based on not onlythe cost of supplying it, as in buying thetraining materials, not only the cost of get-ting it communicated, as in getting the linkup and pulling it across, but also the cost ofthe time of the seamen themselves.

You could have them sitting there watch-ing days and days of video content, would

‘The IT challenge is that business does not really know what we can offer themsometimes’ – Börje Silverfjall, Maersk Tankers

p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 13:50

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SATCOMS


they learn anymore than reading a book?They will probably learn less as they tuneout. What is the best strategy for training?

KS: I think it is a combination of both.We have got about half a dozen fleet train-ers who basically go around every singleship in our fleet and do safety training.

With greater focus coming for ECDISetc, the training needs will significantlyincrease. Whilst we do not envisage fullonboard training replacing shore trainingthere is scope for a significant increase.

One to one training with a personalinterface is very beneficial but refreshercourses may not be required to be deliv-ered in the same way.

BS: It needs to be interactive, so youcould be sharing a desktop or something.We should make it happen, we shouldmake it possible. From our point of view,all of us sitting here, we should be able tomake it possible.

It is up to the business and we shouldbe able to tell the business what we can do.What can we offer? Can we share a desk-top, can we do real remote training? Whatcan we offer our business? Then it is up tothe business to do it.

KS: It goes back to the driving issuethat, as the IT part of the company, we areonly the facilitators. If the business end ofthe company doesn’t want to do it all,what we can do is give them the ability todo some of it. It is their choice at the end ofthe day whether they want it or not.

Digital Ship: The ability to demonstrateskills and competences was mentionedas a driver of better training – are thereother regulatory demands that you see asalso driving the demand for vessel con-nectivity?

TA: Absolutely. You can see it now,when you do a rig move for an oil compa-ny for example; they are telling you to goto their home pages and download theprocedures and everything and you can’tfind it anywhere else.

You have the Coast Guard in the Stateswho want you to provide them with alltypes of papers and documentations, andthey can only be submitted electronically.

BS: There have been captains in ourfleet who have been threatened with a fineif they don’t do it, because people think

that they are online. It is something whichis unbelievable to be confronted with.

LB: And also in case of emergencies,let’s say a grounding or whatever, theycan also call for video footage and all that.If they know that you have the facilitiesonboard they will definitely require it.

Digital Ship: Could that then be used asan argument from shipping companymanagement as a reason then to not putthese technologies onboard?

LB: There are pros and cons in every-thing as you know. I have been discussingthis with large tanker companies and theyhave standing orders to follow.

With one large tanker company forinstance, the first thing, if they have anaccident, the captain’s standing order is tocall the office, usually from the Inmarsatterminal, and let the line stay openbecause they don’t want anyone else to beable to call in.

TA: You can imagine that if you havesome type of accident and you need todump all data from the VDR directly tothe office and things like that, just to besure that you are the first to get the infor-mation on what has happened.

KS: Obviously it is legislated that everyship has to have VDR or S-VDR depend-ing on what kind of ship it is, and rightnow it is only microphones and datarecorders. What could potentially happenin the foreseeable future is that there willbe two cameras on the bridge, a camera inthe engine room, and they’ll need to bepart of the VDR record. This would givefurther information for investigations.

The important point is that the respon-sibility and accountability for such actionsremain clearly defined. It is not possible toremotely control or monitor vessel opera-tion in such a way.

TA: Exactly, because the coastguardwill pick it up immediately when theyarrive, they will pick out all the data. Soyou need some sort of portal to dump itdirectly into the office.

Digital Ship: Probably the biggest satcomstory in the last 12 months has beenInmarsat’s announcement that it is toinvest $1.2 billion in the development ofa Ka-band VSAT system called Global

Xpress – perhaps Kyle could share someof the latest details with us?

KH: The group here today has veryaptly described how the demands of themaritime industry, the merchant maritimeindustry, are not static, they are growing –sometimes more exponentially that any ofus would like, but they are growing andthey are not likely to slow down. Theymight go through ebbs and flows as in thepitch of the rise changes, but it is still a rise.

That is what we have been looking atand I think that everyone would believe atthis table that if Inmarsat is doing any-thing in the future we would be doing itright, and that is what our plan is withGlobal Xpress. We have taken the demandas we see it, we have taken the require-ments of industry and we have put thosethings together with the technology wethink is future proof.

There is a lot of capacity in the Ka-bandand that combined with the platforms thatwe are launching, the three Boeing satel-lites which are tried and proven satellites,which give us a monumental capacity,combined with a global reach means GX isvery much a step up in what is currentlyavailable in the maritime satellite commu-nications network.

I will say it because it is obviously oneon the main points; 60 centimetre domewith a capacity of up to 50 Megabits is animpressive capability, and also looking atthe price per terminal, around about theprice of FleetBroadband 500. So basically itis faster, it’s smaller than what you wouldgenerally see on the VSAT market for any-where near this capacity, although noth-ing really comes near it, and it’s cheaper.

It’s a tracking antenna, so it is basicallya similar technology to what we havebeen talking about here today, whether itis a FleetBroadband or a VSAT, but thereis a level of complexity above an L-bandantenna.

But that is what the industry needs, werequire something to look for in the future.So basically starting in 2013, and then withfull commercial availability in 2014,Global Xpress will be a reality. It will becheaper than any like for like Ku-proposi-tion, and can be combined with L-band,the blue ribbon service with very reliableGMDSS – there are currently no plans to

put GMDSS on Global Xpress.BS: Of course it doesn’t have the same

reliability in heavy rain as L-band, whichwould be needed for GMDSS.

KH: Yes, that’s an issue but in sayingthings like that about those environmentalfactors; there is considerable work fromboth our side, from all parts of the compa-nies involved in the delivery of this proj-ect, to combat those known factors withthis kind of technology.

This technology is used by the US mili-tary; they are not going to use it if it is notup to scratch. They use this kind of tech-nology in serious situations, as you wouldimagine, they use Ka-band satellites, highbandwidth, very similar to what we areusing, the Boeing satellites.

So in capability, in quality and in cov-erage, it will be well above what you seetoday with VSAT and will fit very wellwith our existing L-band and its multiplecapabilities.

FleetBroadband will continue to devel-op, we have just announced the DTS as Ihave spoken about today, and we have acommitment for non-SOLAS GMDSS bythe end of this year. We have a commit-ment for full SOLAS GMDSS by 2014before the Inmarsat-B service closes, andthere are another number of extensions tothe FleetBroadband product that we willbe announcing by the end of this year.

So as we move ahead with the future ofthose higher bandwidth services, L-bandis also definitely moving forward as well.So it is a very interesting future forInmarsat as well as the industry.

Digital Ship: Do you see this develop-ment as a real ‘game changer’, and whatkind of impact would you expect on themarket for both L-band and Ku-/C-bandservices between now and the 2014 com-mercial launch?

PF: Of course, it always has a bigimpact when Inmarsat throws somethinginto the arena, there’s always an impact onyour decisions. The last time, withFleetBroadband, we were almost closing adeal for VSAT when Inmarsat came bywith a cliff-hanger!

Every time the focus is moving awayfrom Inmarsat they have a tendency tothrow in a new offering – maybe a priceplan, or something.

I think it is interesting, we have an areahere with some large players and of courseit is divided with Inmarsat and VSAT.Inmarsat is the only player on one part ofthe fence and on the other part of the fencewe have a lot of players in the VSAT mar-ket, some big but a lot of smaller but verystrong players also.

What I am waiting for if the next stepfrom the VSAT suppliers, because theyneed to have something just as good, oreven better, than what Inmarsat havethrown into the ring with the announce-ment of Global Xpress.

If we can have 50 Megabits for a low, lowprice and small antennas then it could veryeasily be the death of the VSAT if they don’tcome up with something better. I think theVSAT industry has to come up with some-thing now or otherwise there will be veryfew new contracts in the coming years.

I could see at the Digital Ship conferencein Hamburg there are still a lot of compa-nies still in the test phase with VSAT. And

Lars Brödje, Telemar Scandinavia; Börje Silverfjall, Maersk Tankers; Thomas Andersson, Rederi AB Transatlantic;and Svante Johansson, MMT, discuss the merits of Ka-band

p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 13:50

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that is in Germany, so there must be a bigmarket for this in the Mediterranean or theFar East area where they have not yetdecided what to do.

They will have heard about GlobalXpress now, so they may even wait a coupleof years more until they decide what to dowith this. So I think it is now up to the VSATcompanies to find some cliff-hangers.

BS (to KH): You mentioned somethingon the cost of the terminals, but what willbe the way you go on the usage? Would itbe flat rate packages or will you usestraight usage on the system? What is thebasic intention?

KH: Well the easiest guide, as I can’treally tell you anything at this early stage,is to look at what the market is doing. Wecannot spend $1.2 billion dollars and priceourselves out of the market.

We will be setting an aggressive price,and we have to because of the competitionin the market. This theory doesn’t change,it is always about the price and that iswhat we will be looking at.

I don’t see a downside for the industryin this. It is basically a recognition that thisis what the industry needs and we willhave the capacity to supply it.

Digital Ship: As we have a number ofpotential customers here, is a flat fee forthis Global Xpress service somethingthat is an absolute must for you?

BS: You want to know what your costswill be, every manager wants to know that.

KS: When it comes to budgets the per-sonnel involved want to know exactlyhow much per month they are going to bepaying for their communications. Theywant a flat fee for the rental and then theycan make adjustments, but they want to beable to turn around and say ‘our basic datacost will be three thousand dollars a mon-th’, then they can budget for that.

If you are saying it is potentially goingto be a price per MB or whatever it isgoing to be, they cannot turn around andsay ‘we will put a budget in for this’ andthen two months later, the first time theyuse it it’s twice that.

If it was the case that it was not a flatrate, would it be taken up for anything buta business tool? Would they use it for crewinternet? Because if it is not – as in theexample I gave earlier, 100 MB of businesstraffic for 100 dollars is great, but 35 GB ofcrew data and there goes the budget forthe year.

If it’s a flat fee you can have a fair usagepolicy of ‘X’, and if you go over you getcharged extra for it. But to be honest, fromwhat I have heard from ourSuperintendents and ship managers, theywant flat fees.

PF: When you have to take the decisionto go for VSAT or FleetBroadband, it is abig advantage for VSAT that you knowthe cost down the road, that is important.

BS: The availability is a big issue to me,Inmarsat is the peak in quality and you payfor quality. In our environment we useVSAT as a bulk carrier, and then, in orderto achieve the very high uptime rates andin order to really achieve an always onsolution, we are topping up with high qual-ity bandwidth from Inmarsat.

This argument would change in thenew set up perhaps, but right now to keepthe vessels on, that is how we do it. We are

topping up with a dial-up function overFleet 77 or some other back up today, butin the future, with the Sat-Bs being discon-tinued and off market, we would have aFleetBroadband 500 or another new termi-nal beside VSAT.

KS: If you turn around and put VSATon the ship and it is not a fixed fee andexpect it will only be used for businesstraffic, the people on board won’t look at itthat way, they will say ‘okay, we haveVSAT, where is the internet?’

Then you start to get problems withcrew onboard complaining that they don’thave this or that, and that could cause youmore problems than the extra cost of VSAT.

KH: We are acutely aware that it is arequirement - it is a requirement in thisroom let’s say and pretty much a require-ment throughout the industry for that costpredictability. We recognise that, and weare recognising that even withFleetBroadband, where we are creatingnew price plans all the time – we have to.

But one of the things that I hope peoplealso recognise is that we offer the highestquality service. We have to have the blueribbon service, as it also includes GMDSS.We are not making knee jerk reactions, weare doing things in a clear considered andreliable fashion, and hopefully you willsee that in 2014.

Digital Ship: If all your ships had 50Megabit lines for a flat fee tomorrow,what do you think you would start doingwith it?

KS: You would see a massive increasein communication by the crew. Theywould want to be on iTunes all day.

There would be, as we’ve said, no limita-tions. If you have that speed there would beno limitations, you wouldn’t need to careabout ‘this update is taking up to 60 per centof my bandwidth today’ – who cares?

BS: Sometimes when you look at howmuch they are downloading and howmuch they are sitting in front of a comput-er, I wonder who is washing the whitepaint? I mean, who is doing the work actu-ally onboard?

KS: You have got to wonder what itdoes for the relationships between thecrew members as well, because if they aresitting in their cabin at night on the inter-net, talking to whoever or playing gamesor whatever, how much interaction isthere between the crew other than whenthey are working or when they are eating?That said, the life at sea continues toevolve over generations.

PF: I think that went down the drainmany years ago, on the supply vesselswhere we have satellite television and westarted to provide crew members with tel-evision in their cabin, they all ran out ofthe television room.

So the social part of being onboard a ves-sel I think it is more confined to the restau-rant now when they eat. They don’t sit inthe television room playing cards anymore.

LB: I think the main change that 50Megabit would bring to the industrywould be that there would be severalproviders of TV packages through the sys-tem; television would be the most impor-tant thing here, the biggest improvement.

MM: Probably most of the applicationswould be shore based. IP television andother high bandwidth services will be theoption for every vessel.

As a secondary thought, I think morenavigation equipment could be putashore, and the vessels could collect infor-mation from online services instead. Youcould have an online VDR which backs upvessel info in real-time to shore.

KS: With those kinds of speeds youcould look at having a real, proper net-work on the vessel – terminal services,

Citrix, and those technologies that youhave in the head office.

Digital Ship: So 5, 10 or 15 years into thefuture, when all of these ships are float-ing around with 50 Megabit connectionsand are able to access everything you aretalking about – where does this leave theindustry?

PF: As I said before, the industry is a littlebit conservative, so what you see today youmight see on the ships in five or ten years,but like everything else if it goes up to a cer-tain level it might not be an issue anymore.

Nobody speaks about the speed of acomputer anymore, it us just there, it isjust running. I don’t care if it has yester-day’s or tomorrow’s CPU, nobody caresanymore. I remember five years or tenyears ago everyone was saying; I have a186, or 286. But I think the capacity will goup and then we will just stay up there.

We’ll have the applications, we’ll havethe services, the ship will be part of theoffice and for the crew members it willalmost be like sitting at home – and that’sit. I don’t think we would see that much inthe coming years after we have the capac-ity that we need, it will just stay there.

BS: I think reliability is the key in this,that we are at 100 per cent or as close as wecan get to 100 per cent always on. Then theship server can be standing in the office, orin some mountain hall somewhere. All themaintenance of systems, would be done inthe office.

Citrix is already working, with thelatency problem of connecting a remotedesktop over satellite, and I think they willsolve these issues also – with them we aretalking about a year ahead.

Redundancy then becomes a big issue ofcourse. It will always require an antenna onthe starboard side and on the port side.

KS: If you lose your signal, with a 50Mbps connection, from any sort of faultlike a mechanical fault, maybe a drive beltsnapping; there is nothing you can do tofix that quickly unless you have a some-what trained VSAT technician onboard, orit turns out the ETO onboard has been ontraining courses for all these systems.

There is always going to be downtime ofsome sort, and we need to have systemsonboard that can cope with any eventuality.With the amount of IT onboard some shipswill end up with a dedicated IT person.

KH: In previous years the buck stoppedwith the chief engineer; if something wasbroken it had got to be fixed or nothingwas going to happen. He was expected toknow every single thing; everything wasmeant to be between his two ears.

Now there is a whole heap of peopleback on land who are probably secondguessing him to a great degree. So thatguy’s position as the chief engineer, orsomeone like him, his position is going tochange from a guy who knows a lot abouta lot of things, to a guy who just knowsenough that he can identify one enginefrom another – and he may also have an ITdegree or something like that.

He’ll basically be an extension of theorganism that starts in an office back onland. I wonder for him if that is an out-come of the kind of technology that we arelooking at putting onboard vessels, andwhether it is a good thing or a bad thing. Ithink that is for the industry to decide.

SATCOMS


DS

The sun shines in Gothenburg as the panel members conclude the meeting

p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 13:50

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p1-27:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 13:50

SATCOMS


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

Broadband drives convergenceof satellite services

HH istorically, the maritime industryhas been conservative and slowto adopt new technologies. Ship-

ping companies largely relied on provensolutions, but this situation has beenchanging quickly.

Over the last few years the maritimeindustry has been moving from fax, voiceand distress communications to higherspeed IP data networks.

Broadband satellite data communica-tion services are now gaining marketacceptance, with a growing number ofships adopting these new generation serv-ices to replace legacy satellite terminals.This is leading to strong growth in themaritime satellite communications market.

Mobile VSAT, especially Ku-bandVSAT, has been the rising star in the mar-itime satellite communications market.

For a long time, the use of maritimeVSAT systems was limited to high-endmarket segments such as oil & gas rigs,petroleum tankers and large cruise ships due to the constraints of a largeantenna, high capital investment and lim-ited coverage.

However, VSAT technology hasadvanced rapidly in the last several years,allowing for smaller, lighter, cheaper andeasier-to-install equipment. Other issues,such as coverage, have also been largelyovercome through joint efforts by VSATservice providers, equipment/antennamanufacturers and satellite operators.

Maritime VSAT system data rates arecurrently available up to 5 Mbps(although the majority of the offerings areat 64 to 256 kbps range), and the service isusually provided at a fixed monthly feetypically ranging from $900 to $5,000.

Some Ku-band terminals are now evencomparable in size to L-band products, forexample KVH’s recently-introduced mini-VSAT service has a Ku-band antenna assmall as 37cm in diameter. 60 cm VSAT isalso provided by several different compa-nies such as KVH and SpeedCast.

Overall, in the maritime VSAT marketin 2010 Euroconsult has observed doubledigit growth in both terminals and rev-enues. We estimate that there are current-ly about 9,000 active maritime VSAT sys-tems operating globally.

This growth is expected to continue inthe next decade, and by 2020 the globalmaritime VSAT market will almost triplein number of active terminals.

On the MSS / L-band side, high-data-rate systems, such as FleetBroadband fromInmarsat, and OpenPort from Iridium, are

also benefiting from the trend towardshigher speed data communications.

Inmarsat reported growth of 200 percent in FleetBroadband terminals in 2010.Inmarsat’s counterpart, US-based Iridium,also reported that its flagship maritimeproduct, OpenPort, grew by over 100 percent in active terminals in 2010.

At present, despite all the improve-ments from the VSAT side, L-band solu-tions still have some advantages com-pared to Ku-and C-band solutions.

Maritime VSAT still has considerablecoverage gaps and issues with the han-dover between different satellite beams. Inparticular, Ku-band coverage is largelyrestricted to coastal waters and the north-ern parts of the Atlantic Ocean.

Additionally, MSS (Mobile SatelliteServices) systems like those in the L-bandrequire less maintenance and are highlyresistant to environmental conditions,such as rain fade, which cause a reliabilityissue for Ku-band VSAT.

MSS terminals also still have significantprice advantages over VSAT systems.Moreover, MSS requires much less timefor installation - a critical factor for

some customers. In September 2010, the Copenhagen-

based shipping giant AP Moller-Maerskagreed to install Inmarsat FleetBroadbandon 200 vessels (following 170 vessels pre-viously installed). One of the key reasons AP Moller-Maersk chose FleetBroadband,according to the company, was the speed of installation. Prior to this deal,Maersk had successfully installed 100FleetBroadband terminals in 100 days.

Despite success such as these, the MSSbusiness faces increasing pressure fromthe Ku-band VSAT services, affecting rev-enue and ARPU (average revenue peruser), which has declined significantly.

Indeed, a number of recently-installedMSS broadband terminals are intended asbackup or gap-filler solutions to the VSATsystem.

However, Euroconsult believes thatthere is still potential for MSS services inthe lower-end maritime markets (e.g. fish-ing), and the maritime MSS industry willstill grow in both revenue and terminals.

MSS broadband service (at least 128kbps), in particular, is expected to grow atalmost 20 per cent annually in number of

terminals through 2020. While revenue isexpected to grow more slowly, MSS willstill represent over 50 per cent of the totalmaritime satellite communication marketvalue in 2020.

Operations and welfareFor both MSS and VSAT services, growthin the next 10 years will primarily come from crew welfare communications,and increasing data demand from shipoperations.

Shipping companies have been facingincreasing difficulties attracting qualifiedpersonnel due to the rough conditions atsea and the fact that crew members mustlive for long periods of time away fromfamilies and friends, opening marketopportunities for satellite communicationsfor crew welfare and entertainment.

Traffic for crew communications canrepresent as much as 80 per cent of totaldata traffic onboard a ship. TheNorwegian VSAT service provider, ShipEquip, recently reported that its customers’daily traffic averages 650 MB per vesselwith a large percentage estimated as crew-related traffic.

Speed of installation was a key element of AP Moller Maersk’s satcom choice, as the company managed to install100 FleetBroadband terminals in 100 days before expanding the contract

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Digital ShipIn this type of scenario, VSAT is defi-

nitely the most cost-effective servicebecause with a fixed monthly fee vesselcrew can have unlimited access (MSSservices are still based on pay-as-you-go

models, except for leasing services andsome special offers designed to retainlarge customers).

One example of the relative expensive-ness of MSS was described in the latest issue of The International TransportIntermediaries Club (ITIC)’s ClaimsReview.

In this example, a ship manager failedto exclude internet access when his shipwas upgrading the satellite communica-tions system. During the three-monthperiod before the error was discovered,the crew had open access to the internetand ran up an enormous airtime charge of $436,000 – more than 80 times theplanned budget.

On the operations side, satellite solutions are being used by commercialships for real-time meteorological infor-mation updates, route planning, enginediagnostics, and more recently electroniccargo declaration.

Smaller fishing ships also require real-time satellite communications to acquirefish pricing information to choose the bestdestination port while still in the middle ofthe ocean.

Satellite is also used for remote man-agement of certain operations which donot require permanent personnel. Remotemonitoring systems generally need only

low connection speeds (<20 kbps) butincreasing automation could require high-er connection speeds (i.e. 56-128 kbps).

That increasing automation may wellbe ahead. In one example, HyundaiHeavy Industries unveiled its remotemonitoring and control 'smart ship sys-tem’ in March of this year. Vessel opera-tors can remotely control engines andcontrollers and manage other importanton-board systems from offices on shoreusing satellite links.

The first ship to be equipped with the‘smart ship system’ is a 4,500 TEU con-tainership, recently delivered to APMoller-Maersk. The Korean ship builderannounced that it will also install the‘smart ship system’ on an additional 21ships ordered by AP Moller, as well as ontwo ships ordered by CMM Inc.

Convergence andcompetition

The convergence of satellite technologiesand hybrid L- and Ku-band terminals cur-rently observed may help overcome theMSS data volume and speed issues, andcoverage and reliability issues, related toKu-band maritime VSAT.

Such solutions use VSAT systems as thebackbone and the MSS services as backup,with traffic and network managementcentralised into one interface.

One example of this is Stratos Global’searly 2011 introduction of their new service called FBBPlus, which offers acombined package of FleetBroadband

500 and Ku-band VSAT for a fixedmonthly fee with a monthly traffic ceilingof 25 GB.

Further up the value chain, we haveseen unprecedented convergence betweenMSS and VSAT suppliers in the last few months, with Inmarsat preparing itsproprietary Ka-band VSAT service in 2013/ 14 to win back market share lost toVSAT providers.

In February 2011, the leading maritimeVSAT equipment manufacturer, iDirect,was selected to provide Inmarsat with Ka-band network infrastructure and terminalmodules. In March 2011, the largest mar-itime VSAT antenna supplier, Sea Tel, wasawarded contracts to develop, manufac-ture, test and distribute Inmarsat Ka-bandmaritime satellite terminals.

Later in March, Ship Equip, which isestimated by Euroconsult to be the secondlargest maritime VSAT provider in sub-scriber numbers, was acquired byInmarsat to facilitate the distribution of itsupcoming Ka-band maritime service.

Shipping companies, fishing vesselsand other maritime customers are benefit-

ing from the competition and the conver-gence between MSS and VSAT.

Many ship operators have reported thatthe migration to new generation MSSservices has helped them to reduce spend-ing, as service prices for new MSS prod-ucts are generally lower than for legacyproducts. Many other ship operators areenjoying the fact that with the samespending, their ships now have unlimitedsatellite usage once switched from MSSto VSAT.

On the supplier side, VSAT operatorshave experienced a period of fast growth,and are looking forward to winning morecustomers from MSS providers.Meanwhile MSS operators are forced tocede some margins to remain competitivein the market.

For long term perspectives, competi-tion among different satellite technologieswill endure, and the convergence of MSSand VSAT is expected to reshape the mar-itime satellite communication sector.

The entire industry value is expected togrow to nearly $2 billion by 2020, com-pared to $1.3 billion in 2010.

About the authorWei Li is senior consultant at Euroconsult and editor of MaritimeTelecom Solutions by Satellite - Global Market Analysis & Forecasts,and Mobile Satellite Communications Markets Survey – Prospects to2020. Euroconsult is a consulting and analyst firm specialising in satel-lite applications, communications, and digital broadcasting, providingstrategic consulting and analysis, comprehensive research reports andforecasts. Mr Li can be reached at [email protected].

DS

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SATCOMS

MM ost IT technicians who attendships would agree that theunexpected presence of viruses

on shipboard computers is a frustratingand often time-consuming problem. Theoriginal work schedule can be radicallyaffected by the sudden requirement toremove viruses from infected computersand repair the damage that has beencaused by them.

There are numerous ways in whichviruses reach shipboard computers – e-mail, internet downloads, CDs of ‘ques-tionable origin’ – but an increasingly com-mon problem is the USB Flash Drive, com-monly referred to as a ‘USB stick’.

While the USB stick is very convenientin terms of data portability it is also thepreferred media for many modern com-puter viruses to propagate from one com-puter to another.

A lesson learned, often the hard way, isremoval of the viruses from all onboardUSB sticks before attempting the same onthe computers – and that’s after the job offinding them onboard. Many hours can bespent ‘cleaning’ a computer only for thevirus to reappear as soon as a previouslyinfected USB stick is inserted.

It is not uncommon for a shipboardcomputer to be so badly affected by virus-es that the only viable, long term solutionis reinstallation of the operating system.

While this is normally a very effectiveway of eradicating viruses (and it oftenprovides the additional benefit of restor-ing the computer’s performance), it issometimes not an option because not allof the media required to re-install thesoftware applications can be locatedonboard.

Updating shipboardcomputers

Why are shipboard computers so suscepti-ble? The answer, in most cases, is that theanti-virus definitions are not updatedbeyond the initial deployment.

Anti-virus solutions are only fullyeffective when equipped with the latestdefinitions – these are the updates that theanti-virus system vendors distribute inresponse to new virus threats.

These updates are issued on a daily andsometimes hourly basis. Like other soft-ware vendors, many anti-virus systemvendors take it for granted that a comput-er will be connected to the internet.

For an increasing number of shippingcompanies ‘fixed price’ maritime datacommunication solutions like VSAT arethe answer – anti-virus software on ship-board computers updates itself automati-cally at no extra cost.

For many others however, withoutsuch ‘fixed price’ solutions, the problemcontinues to be the ‘pay as you go’ cost ofdata communication and the variable sizeof the update files. The size of update files

varies enormously between vendors and a single vendor’s update files can also significantly vary in size from one day tothe next.

When a ship, to keep its anti-virus defi-nitions up to date, has to download tenkilobytes one day and one megabyte thenext it makes accurately predicting thecost of having the anti-virus systemonboard a difficult proposition.

Many shipping companies create anti-virus update CDs for their ships – theseare sent out with the ships’ mail.

A common problem with this approachis the CDs going missing or simply notbeing used by the ship’s staff. And, withnew virus threats appearing all the time,the update CDs can be out of date beforethey have even been posted.

Additionally, with some anti-virus sys-tems a missing update causes ongoingproblems because subsequent sequentialupdates cannot be applied without themissing update. Managing such methodsbecomes an administrative headache forin-house IT staff.

An increasingly common method ofkeeping the ships up to date is incremen-tal updates sent to ships via e-mail orautomatic file transfer.

Numerous maritime solution vendorsoffer this tailored service using spe-cialised knowledge of their chosen anti-virus solutions and techniques to ensurethat the update files are as compact as possible.

In most cases, for ships with Local AreaNetworks, the anti-virus software on thecomputer running the maritime e-mailsystem is updated and other computers onthe network automatically update them-selves from the e-mail server.

This method is sometimes regarded astoo expensive for ships running older /slower data satellite communication systems, so the ‘CD in the mail’ contin-ues to be the only viable solution forthose vessels.

Virus preventionThe USB stick is only one of the problems– viruses can, for example, also reach shipsvia e-mail messages or on CDs of ‘ques-tionable origin’ taken onboard.

However, the good news is that it is lesscommon for virus-laden e-mail messagesto reach ships because the shore compo-nents of the e-mail systems check mes-sages for viruses using definitions that areautomatically and frequently updated viathe internet.

The importance of having anti-virussoftware on all shipboard computers andkeeping the anti-virus definitions up todate cannot be understated.

To deal with the ongoing threat fromUSB sticks there are software utilities (andoften equivalent features in the anti-virussolutions) that prevent data storage

devices from being used in the computer’sUSB ports – peripherals such as USB print-ers are permitted but USB storage devicessuch as USB sticks are specifically blocked.

With an increasing number of shipsconnected to the internet, and with theship staff being able to browse some or allof the World Wide Web, there is, poten-tially, a direct threat to the onboard ITinfrastructure – viruses and trojans can beinadvertently downloaded directly.

An internet connection on the vesselcan be helpful in terms of keeping the anti-virus system up to date but, unfortu-nately, the same pipe can become thebiggest threat.

There are numerous ways to preventparticular content being downloaded byship staff, like content filtering, andnumerous maritime vendors provide such services.

A highly effective solution is browsingvia shore-side proxy servers with anti-virus solutions monitoring content in twoplaces – shore and ship.

Restoration and recoveryA very effective solution for eradicatingviruses and restoring full system function-ality is the re-installation of a computer’soperating system and all resident applica-tions from digital images (sometimesreferred to as ‘ghosting’).

The solutions are normally simple to useso recovery is quick and uncomplicated.

A computer restored in such a way willno longer contain the user’s data (docu-ments, spreadsheets etc.), so some prefersimilar, but often less effective, solutions

that replace or repair the operating systemand applications while preserving theuser’s data.

A common solution enabling networkworkstation computers to be seamlesslyrebuilt or replaced is a network storagepolicy where all users store their individ-ual data on the ship’s central file server.

The benefits of thin client and virtualcomputing are also being realised by anincreasing number of shipping companies.

In such environments the ‘computer’used by the user is a virtual representationof a computer provided via software (thehuman interface components such as thekeyboard, mouse and monitor are real –but the computer itself is a virtualmachine provided by software running onthe ship’s main server).

Such environments are beneficial interms of virus protection because only onecomputer (in this case, the server) needs tobe kept up to date and new virtual ses-sions can be effectively like having abrand new ‘virus-free’ computer each timeyou switch it on.

Keeping the anti-virus systems up todate is important but it can never be aguarantee that a new virus won’t find itsway onto the ship, in which case it has tobe dealt with.

In such cases users are commonlyunaware that there is a new resident virusuntil the anti-virus software receives itsnext update and scans the computer. Anti-virus solutions are designed to detect andremove viruses but, at the same time,virus creators attempt to undermine ordisable the anti-virus systems that couldpotentially detect them.

As a real example: A colleague wasrecently attempting to install an anti-virussystem onto an infected computer.

The virus had disabled the networkcard and CD drive (and destroyed all set-tings that would allow them to be reinstat-ed) so the only way to add software wasvia a USB stick. Each time the USB stickwas put into the computer the virus putitself onto the USB stick and, from it,removed the installation image for theanti-virus software!

It’s in situations such as these that man-ual interaction is required. The benefits ofvirtual computing or options for restora-tion of computers from digital images area welcome solution to a problem thatmight otherwise take many frustratinghours to resolve.

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

Computer viruses – a modern day maritime curse?

DS

About the authorGary McDonald is technical director of IT@Sea UK, a company special-ising in all aspects of IT and Communications for the shipping and off-shore sectors. Mr McDonald has worked with a number of major shippingcompanies during his 15 years in the industry, including BP Shipping,Chevron, BG Energy, Andrew Weir and Bibby Ship Management.

Mr McDonald can be reached at [email protected], or viathe website www.itatsea.net

There are a number of ways in which anonboard computer can become infected

p28-38:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 13:01 Page 3

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SATCOMS


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

After the downturn – IT investments and returns

TT he global financial crisis forcedfleet managers to cut costs in allaspects of their operations. New IT

ventures came under particular scrutinyas IT managers struggled to justify thereturn gained from investing in new sys-tems and applications.

IT projects were cancelled or placed onhold as fleet managers channelled theirshrinking budgets into areas they felt moredirectly affected the running of their fleet.

IT budgets are very gradually increas-ing as the global financial situationimproves, nevertheless, both ship ownersand IT managers have continued to exam-ine the return on investment prospectswith rigorous attention to detail.

Efficiency and cost reduction are stillparamount, and IT managers are oftenunder huge budget pressure to prove thevalue of every penny they invest in ITinfrastructure for their fleets.

Today, IT managers must still perform ahigh-wire balancing act, with the need toprocure the right products to support crewson the one hand, and the need to balancebudgets on the other. Those in charge ofprocurement are acutely aware that inade-quate IT systems will negatively affect thefleet, especially at a time when there mayalso be reductions in staffing levels.

A good IT system should optimise ves-sel operations, boost safety onboard, keepyou connected to your corporate networkand enhance crew welfare.

This last point is crucial; without theconnection to other ships in the fleet andalso to the outside world, fleets may find itdifficult to recruit the best crew for the jobas they increasingly demand access tohigh quality communications equipment.

We have seen numerous exampleswhere the quality of the IT system hasbeen sacrificed in order to reduce costs.Services are outsourced to companiesoffering a cheaper rate who are not capa-ble of managing tailor-made, onboard sys-tems, resulting in IT chaos for the crew.

We have also seen an alarming lack ofinvestment in virus protection and abuseof administration rights by crew leading tobrand new systems being brought downby harmful malware just after installation.

Satcom choiceInstalling a broadband terminal, throughFleetBroadband or VSAT for example, isone option which will ensure your creware always connected and offers far moreflexibility of usage than previous genera-tions of technology.

A broadband terminal does require acertain initial level of investment as itmust be either bought outright or leasedand installed. However, it also gives youexcellent value from your onboard IToperations.

For example, VSAT services charge aflat fee, rather than having to pay for the

data or airtime used, and FleetBroadbandoffers ‘bundles’ which also represent bet-ter value for money. These allow compa-nies to control and predict their spendingfar more easily.

The benefits of broadband are betterappreciated by the industry than they oncewere and it is possible to demonstrate thelong-term savings that can be made byusing a broadband terminal. As a result, weare seeing more and more companies opt-ing to install broadband terminals.

If, as an IT manager, you are strugglingto persuade your fleet manager that

installing a broadband terminal is aworthwhile investment, speak to your net-work provider and ask for their advice.

For example, for FleetBroadband thereis a simple formula they will be able to useto demonstrate the saving to the fleetwhich plots the time and data the fleet cur-rently uses against potential long-termsavings.

Do work out how much your IT systemscost in terms of the fleet’s overall budget,and how much installation of a broadbandterminal would increase this by.

Usually, the costs for the communica-tions systems comprise less than 1 per centof the cost structure for each fleet. Theyare comparatively minimal costs whichhave the ability to dramatically influencethe efficiency of systems across the fleet.

In our experience, larger fleets feel theygreatly benefit from the predictabilitywhich comes with opting for a monthly

flat rate for internet use. If you want to prioritise your crew’s

needs and give them reasonable access tothe internet, including checking e-mailand sites such as Facebook, flat rates areoften the best option as they absorb peaksin usage and prevent you from facingunexpected costs at the end of the month.

Some providers also offer ‘bundles’which enable you to lease equipment andpurchase set amounts of airtime for voiceand data along with value-added solu-tions, at a fixed monthly fee.

This again allows communicationscosts to be regulated and at the end of thelease you are able to keep the equipment.In terms of cost it may not be the cheapestoption every month compared to low-usemonths on a dial-up service, but it willallow you to predict your cost and set amaximum limit.

Reducing costs However, despite the benefits of broad-band, the majority of fleets still onlyrequire the more basic use of telephoneand e-mail onboard.

Whether or not a broadband terminalhas been installed, IT managers often ask“How can we still implement the IT sys-tem we want, but with a smaller budget?”

In comparison to just one year ago, thereare many more ‘off-the-shelf’ tailored ITsolutions for maritime communications.

But in some cases these may be incom-patible with one another – for example,your web compression system may not becompatible with your crew welfare sys-tem, due to data encryption. For this rea-son, integrated packages are worth con-sidering, both in terms of the overall costand the ease of which they can be used bythe crew.

Integrated systems ensure that your ITprograms and solutions are compatiblewith one another, and included all in onepackage. Similar interfaces mean they willalso be easier to install, upgrade and easi-er to train staff to use.

I know of one company with more than80 vessels in their fleet who, when settingup a new IT project, used a series of dif-ferent providers for their onboard ITequipment. This was overly complicated,with every system needing completely dif-ferent installation procedures, training forcrew and different ways of using the sys-tems from day-to-day.

The project took two and a half years intotal to get up and running. After one yearthey decided to outsource the installationto a company specialising in maritimeelectronics – which drove up the cost fur-ther. The whole process was frustratingfor both their IT department and crews.

If you need an IT project that will be upand running quickly, integrated systemscan be very convenient. There is a lot offlexibility and simplicity in buying IT

solutions from one provider who assem-bles the different pieces, and with an inte-grated system you have the security ofknowing that if you want to upgrade youdon’t have to start again from scratch.

One way of cutting costs is through air-time reduction on pay-per-use services;reducing the amount of time crew spendon the telephone, e-mail and online, andtherefore the amount of data they use.

One of the most effective and consistentways of keeping airtime to a minimum isby using web compression software. Thisis a tool which allows the user to compressthe size of any internet files downloaded,including via e-mail, to lessen the cost,whether by restricting access to websitesladen with multimedia, or by automatical-ly reducing large file sizes.

This helps IT managers to avoid access-ing unnecessary content, lessen downloadtimes and ultimately reduce their costs.

Another way of reducing costs isthrough requesting your networkprovider to use a split billing system. Thisenables IT managers to re-invoice any con-tractor, or member of crew who may beusing a large slice of airtime.

Split billing can lead to huge costreductions, so ask your existing networkprovider whether this is an option underyour current plan.

Even during the peak of the financial cri-sis, we saw a consistently high demand forbroadband with remote access capability.

If you are encountering an issueonboard a vessel, you won’t always havethe right member of staff present to fix theproblem. This is true of a number of areas,from IT equipment to engine monitoringand even HR issues.

If an expert on land can monitor theissue remotely and advise onboard crewhow to fix the problem, it will save pre-cious time, resources and is more cost-effective.

Ultimately, providing the right combi-nation of IT and communications equip-ment for a fleet of any size will pose a chal-lenge for the fleet managers, IT depart-ment and network providers.

No matter what solution is best foryour fleet, all parties need to work togeth-er to reduce costs and guarantee return oninvestment.

If used to its full capability, the rightsatcoms package can optimise vessel oper-ations, boost safety onboard, keep youconnected to your corporate network and,perhaps most crucially, attract the bestcrew to your fleet. DS

About the authorReinhold Lueppen is direc-tor of value-added VizadaSolutions, for satellitecommunications providerVizada

The benefits of broadband are betterappreciated than they once were

p28-38:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 13:01 Page 5

Contact us on tel. (+47) 800 888 77 or send an email to [email protected]

www.maritimradio.no

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!

Tailor-mademaritime communication

p28-38:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 13:01 Page 6

SS torm Offshore, a shipping compa-ny based in Lyngdal, Norway, esti-mates that it has saved approxi-

mately 50 per cent on its satellite commu-nications costs since introducing mini-VSAT services from KVH to two of itsseismic support vessels at the end of 2009.

Impressed with these results the com-pany has now added to this with theinstallation of the satcom service aboard athird vessel this year.

The company installed KVH’sTracPhone V7 system to support crewmorale and business operations aboardthe seismic support vessels, which have aprimary function of ‘guarding’ a larger‘mother’ research vessel as it conductsresearch of the ocean floor using soundwaves.

Storm Offshore’s seismic support ves-sels are responsible for keeping up withmaritime regulations in regions aroundthe globe, and filing appropriate docu-ments to comply with those regulations asthe fleet traverses different research areas.

They are responsible for monitoring themother vessel’s operating area, bunkeringfuel, and maintaining contact with localauthorities as the fleet travels among har-bours around the globe.

The various types of documents that

the support vessels are required to file onbehalf of the ‘mother’ ship can be sizeable,and must often be filed electronically priorto the fleet reaching a given port or mar-itime region.

Failure to comply with the varyingrequirements of international maritimeauthorities can cause costly delays andsignificantly hinder the research mission.

As such, communications understand-ably forms a large part of the success ofthese support vessels’ mission. The vesselmust remain in contact with the mothervessel at all times, and it must also be ableto transmit and receive the necessaryforms for travel and research activitiesamong international ports.

In addition to this, the company wasanxious to make sure that its crew mem-bers aboard such vessels were as produc-tive as possible, and it was felt that allow-ing access to telephone and internet serv-ices to stay in touch with loved oneswould be a key element in maintaininghigh performance levels.

Operating a support vessel alsorequires several crew members to serve onthe ship at any one time, seafarers whosemorale, productivity, and job satisfactioncan be significantly improved just by hav-ing the opportunity to call or e-mail home,

or surf the internet while off duty.Requirements such as these are what

drew Storm Offshore towards a VSATsolution, a decision which KarsteinRasmussen, general manager of StormOffshore, says has proven to be very suc-cessful in supporting both crew communi-cations and operational duties.

“The vessels send daily reports to theclient (the charterer) as an electronic log,including details about the vessel’s activi-ties, information about the itinerary, andspeed,” he explains.

“Furthermore, the vessel is sendingmandatory, monthly QHSE reports to theStorm Offshore office, supporting ourdedication to outstanding QHSE monitor-ing and consistent results.”

“Our crew would definitely recom-mend this solution to their peers! They aremost happy to have free access to call ande-mail home.”

However, since each seismic researchoperation has a specific budget whichmust be adhered to, Mr Rasmussen hasbeen particularly pleased to see thatincreasing the vessels’ communicationscapabilities has not led to a greater spend– with monthly costs actually falling afterthe introduction of the new system.

He notes that crew members can send

much larger files than they did with theirprevious pay-per-use system, and StormOffshore has been able to provide crewaccess for the first time, all while reducingtheir costs significantly.

“The expensive, pay-per-Megabyteplans that we had with our old solutionmade it necessary to restrict crew mem-bers’ use of the communications system,”Mr Rasmussen explained.

“With mini-VSAT Broadband’s month-ly rate plan, they can make much more useof the system, even for personal activitiesthat would not have been feasible with theold system.”

“There are operational benefits to theairtime structure, as well. We can nowsend large files without trying to calculatehow many megabytes they will use. Forexample, we can now send a manual thatis 10 MB, which would not have been fea-sible with the old system because it wouldhave cost a fortune.”

Price reductionsKVH has recently announced an initiativewhich may allow users of its mini-VSATservice to reduce their costs even further,with the addition of a new metered pric-ing programme and packages for differentdegrees of data usage.

The pricing programme will apply tonew users of the mini-VSAT service usingthe TracPhone V7 60cm unit or the compa-ny’s latest antenna the TracPhone V3, a37cm VSAT system weighing just 11kg.

Users of the satcom system will now be able to make voice calls at a rateof $0.49 per minute, worldwide, and will pay $0.99 per megabyte for datatransmissions.

These data rates will apply on a 2 Mbpsdown / 128 kbps up satellite link on theV3 and a 2 Mbps down / 512 kbps up linkon the V7, under specific packages.

50 MB, 250 MB and 500 MB monthlypackages are available, costing approxi-mately $1 per megabyte in the package,with additional megabytes $1.99 after thatlimit is reached.

With a 1 GB package additionalmegabytes after the first thousand willcontinue to be priced at $0.99. Voice callsare $0.49 per minute on all packages.

These new packages are in addition toKVH’s existing fixed monthly airtimeplans, which are available at variousbandwidth speeds and pricing levels.

“Our pricing options, the fastest net-work speeds available, and two excellentchoices for hardware, make mini-VSATBroadband an economical option for justabout any mariner seeking outstandingsatellite communications for their vesselor fleet,” said Brent Bruun, KVH's seniorvice president for global sales and busi-ness development.

Digital May 2011 page 34

SATCOMS

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

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

Three Storm Offshore vessels are now installed with KVH’s mini-VSAT systemDS

p28-38:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 13:01 Page 7

Superior and proven technology

One brand - SAILOR® covers all your maritime broadband and satellite TV needsTop-tier partner network - Local availability and professional installationTruly global service network - Unmatched global service and support

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Don’t wait! The next-generation of satellite communications is here. Get all the details at:

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©2011 KVH Industries, Inc. KVH, TracPhone, and the unique light-colored dome with dark contrasting baseplate are registered trademarks of KVH Industries, Inc. “mini-VSAT Broadband” is a service mark of KVH Industries, Inc. 11_KE_TPV3_Intro_DigitalShip

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p28-38:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 13:02 Page 9

TThese days choosing a maritime broad-band supplier is not an easy job.Every airtime supplier will be more

than happy to supply a broadband terminalto shipping lines, and the variety available inthe VSAT market can make this task harder.

One company that knows this all to well,and has recently navigated the satcom selec-tion process is Swedish operator Broström.

Broström has been an important part ofthe Swedish maritime cluster for morethan a century, and is today an integralpart of Maersk Tankers and the AP Moller-Maersk Group, operating one of the largestproduct tanker fleets in the world.

Servicing all major regions around theglobe, this young and modern fleet includesice classed, double hulled and chemicalcapable vessels, all operating according tothe highest international standards.

Since the AP Moller-Maersk Group tookcontrol of Broström, all tankers under25,000 dwt, whether Broström or MaerskTankers, now trade under the Broströmbrand from its headquarters in Gothenburgand a branch office in Singapore.

Following the revised management sit-uation for this fleet of tankers, vessel ITmanager Borje Silverfjall and his teamdeveloped a new vessel standard infra-

structure, including an overhaul of the IT,communications and carrier platform.

This new standard is to be rolled out to122 vessels over a number of years, duringwhich time the vessels will be installedwith VSAT terminals, mainly during dry-docking periods.

The aim of introducing this new envi-ronment is to create more available band-width, for both business requirements andto allow internet access as part of the com-pany’s crew retention strategy.

The company also envisages imple-menting remote IT support systemsonboard the VSAT-equipped vessels.

Broström vessels had already been fit-ted with existing systems from a numberof VSAT suppliers prior to the introductionof this new infrastructure, however, inmany cases, these were not entirely com-patible with the proposed new standard.

And so, as part of its evaluation processfor the upgrade programme Broström pro-ceeded to conduct a test installation andevaluation of a communications packagefrom Netherlands-based companyElektrikom, founded in 1985 as a radio com-munication supplier to the marine industrybut now offering maritime VSAT services.

The results of this test installation

proved successful enough that theBroström team was convinced to moveforward with further installations of theservices as part of its vessel IT standard onBroström managed vessels.

One of the key aspects of the service whichpersuaded Broström to go forward with thissupplier was the provision of a ‘Quality ofService’ agreement, a prerequisite for thecompany in its consideration of terminalservices data traffic used on the vessels.

According to Mr Silverfjall it was alsoparticularly important that Elektrikom man-ages 19 satellites providing global coverageand operates its own teleport, which meansthat Broström only needs to call one numberif an issue arises with a terminal or a service.

A ‘Satroaming’ software system, devel-oped by Elektrikom, maps the footprintsof the satellites on a Google map andshows configuration details and the ships’position relative to the satellites.

Vessel support is further enhanced byglobally available static IP-addresses, whichallow the maintenance burden on the crewto be reduced as the complete VSAT link ismonitored and managed by one provider.

Elektrikom is also providing Broströmwith Websense browsing filters for inter-net access and a firewall on the communi-

cations backbone, which prevents compa-ny IP-addresses from appearing onunwanted websites.

This was something that was not offeredby other VSAT suppliers investigatedunder the project, with some providing rawinternet access over the satellite that couldcreate security issues and an unnecessarilyhigh usage of the bandwidth as a result.

Installation of the service is now wellunderway. Since the beginning of this yearBroström vessels sailing on European routesare operating with the satcom service bun-dled into pools shared among a maximumof 10 vessels, allowing the ships to share thebandwidth capacity between them.

Reports of the performance of the sys-tem in this configuration have so far beenencouraging, the company says.

Vessels on other routes, mainlyTransatlantic and Caribbean/Latin Americaroutes, use dedicated spot beams in theirsailing area, all with a committed rate.

Mr Silverfjall notes that he was pleasantlysurprised to find that even vessels in remotelocations using this VSAT service enjoy agood communications link – his team is nowrunning 38 vessels managed throughElektrikom, providing an effective part of theBroström standardised infrastructure. DS


Digital Ship

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

Broström -VSAT choice and quality of service

p28-38:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 13:02 Page 10

SATCOMS


DD SC-Equipped Marine Radiosmust now meet more rigorousTechnical Standards following

the introduction of new requirementsfrom the US Federal CommunicationsCommission (FCC).

As of March 25th, the FCC is prohibit-ing the manufacture, importation, sale andinstallation of fixed mounted (non-portable) digital selective calling (DSC)equipped marine radios that do not meetthe requirements of InternationalTelecommunications Union (ITU-R)Recommendation M.493–11 or higher.

In the case of Class D VHF DSC equip-ment only, the rules state that the require-ments of International ElectrotechnicalCommission (IEC) International Standard62238 must be met.

With the introduction of these new rulesradios built to RTCM Standard SC-101 canno longer be manufactured, imported, soldor installed; however, FCC will permit pre-viously-installed radios meeting the olderstandard to continue to be used.

On March 25th 2012 another deadlinewill come into effect, after which the FCCwill not accept new applications (but will

continue to process then-pending applica-tions) for certification of handheld,portable DSC-equipped radios that do notmeet the requirements of ITU–RRecommendation M.493–11 or higher, andIEC 62238.

This will be followed by final rulesenforceable from March 25th 2015, underwhich the FCC will prohibit the manufac-ture, importation, and sale of portableDSC-equipped radios that do not complywith the above standards.

Channel switchingCompliance with these new internationaltechnical standards ensures that DSC-equipped radios will incorporate a num-ber of new safety functions, including fea-tures that should help to eliminate dan-gers associated with automatic channelswitching, as addressed in US CoastGuard Safety Alert 02-10 of April 13, 2010.

In this Alert the Coast Guard noted that:“an automatic channel switching featurefound on certain models of Digital SelectiveCalling (DSC) equipped VHF marineradios may create an unintended hazard.”

“(This can happen) by automatically

switching from a working channel thatmight be in use at the time to Channel 16when the VHF marine radio receives aDSC distress alert, distress alert acknowl-edgment or other DSC call where a VHFchannel number has been designated.”

“This could happen without a ves-sel/radio operator’s immediate knowl-edge and could initiate an unsafe condi-tion by which the vessel/radio operatorswould believe they were communicatingon a working channel such as Channel 13when, in fact, they were actually onChannel 16.”

“Since this unsafe condition can hap-pen at any time, the Coast Guard strongly

recommends disabling the automaticchannel switching feature when maintain-ing a listening watch or communicating onthe designated bridge-to-bridge radiotele-phone, or while monitoring the vessel traf-fic services (VTS) channel.”

“Radios that lack the disabling featureshould not be used for bridge-to-bridge orVTS communications.”

“The Coast Guard strongly remindsradio operators and other users to alwaysensure they are on the proper operatingchannel when communicating or maintain-ing watch, particularly with DSC-equippedradios capable of channel auto-switching.”

Features incorporated into the newrequirements include provisions for mak-ing test calls, dual receiver functionality toimprove operation, and Global PositioningSystem (GPS) interconnection alarmsdesigned to ensure that distress alertsinclude a valid and accurate position.

The new requirements should alsoensure improved detection of distressalerts, a reduction in the rate of falsealarms, and reduced incessant alarmingcaused by DSC-equipped radios con-structed to the older standards.

The first tranche of a range of new FCC rules covering the specifications required for digital selectivecalling (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

New rules for DSC radios come into force

Adherence to the latest standards shouldhelp to ensure that operators are aware of

the channel their radio is using

TRUST AN ANTENNA DESIGNED

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In designing our new VSAT antennas, Intellian engineers started with a clean sheet of paper. Components and systems were analyzed and refi ned. Intense vibration, shock and stress simulations eliminated potential weak spots. Rigorous quality controls were put in place during manufacture. All done so you get sea-worthy – and trustworthy –performance right out of the box.

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p28-38:p1-14.qxd 03/05/2011 13:02 Page 11


SOFTWARE NEWS Digital Ship

www.marinesoftware.co.uk

Tallink-Silja Line has installed the MarineProject Manager software system fromMarine Software on the vessels Galaxy, SiljaSerenade, Silja Symphony and Silja Europa.

The UK-based software company saysthat the application will facilitate the pro-duction of drydock specifications and ten-ders, assist with final contractor selection,control repair works whilst in dock andproduce docking reports (both historicaland financial).

An office based system was alsoinstalled for the head office in Tallinn, aswell as four Superintendent laptop sys-tems. A two day training course was pro-vided in Tallinn by Marine Software forthe ships’ senior officers and technicalsuperintendents.

The ship system enables planning spec-ifications to be produced on board, whichare then sent to the Superintendent sys-tems to be incorporated into the finalMaster Specification.

The existing Marine PlannedMaintenance system on board the vesselcan send details of scheduled maintenanceand defects to the planning specificationas well as incorporating directly entereddry dock jobs requested by the crew.

During the production process theSuperintendent is able to send copies ofthe Master Specification to both the vesseland to head office, to enable oversight as

it is compiled.The final Master Specification is used to

produce tenders and receive returns fromall shipyards invited to tender.

As part of the implementation, a MasterTallink Specification was created byMarine Software for the Silja Europa froman existing Microsoft Word Specification.This will be used as a template to createfuture docking specifications.

A free contractor software version

download is available with the invitationto tender to enable shipyards to enterprices electronically directly into the spec-ification which can then be importeddirectly back into the Master Specificationfor tender evaluation.

The installation of the Marine ProjectManager means that the Tallink-Silja ves-sels have now installed the entire range ofsoftware modules currently offered byMarine Software.

www.boatracs.com

Boatracs has completed the installation ofBT Forms, its electronic forms product, on14 vessels for United Barge Lines (UBL),the inland transportation division ofUnited Maritime Group.

BT Forms is used to convert paperforms to electronic versions, for internalreporting and record keeping for regulato-ry compliance, allowing the vessel andshore to see the exact same information.

On the vessel the software uses 'smartforms' that verify and validate completeinformation before transmission, to reducemanual errors at the point of data collec-tion. The hosted BT Forms web applicationon the shore-side can then compile the datainto a variety of reports for managers.

The project for UBL included the con-version of UBL’s Master’s Daily Log intoan electronic form that captains can com-plete with their on-board PC.

“Feedback from the captains has beenexcellent,” said Rocky Gunter, director ofprofitability and financial analysis for UBL.

“We now have consistent and accuratevessel information and the ability to gen-erate valuable shore-side reports for oper-ational analytics. BT Forms is a big win fora maritime operation like ours – ease ofuse for our captains, streamlined opera-tions for management and better customerservice for our clients.”

Project Manager software for Tallink-Silja Line

Four Tallink-Silja Line vessels have implemented the application

UBL implementselectronic forms

Whether you have a fl eet of 5 or 500 vessels, CommBox is the solution for you!

For more information visit: www.kvh.com/commbox

KVH CommBox connects ships to fl eet headquarters so they can communicate securely, effi ciently, without interruption, and all with dramatic airtime savings!900 vessels worldwide use CommBox for:

KVH Norway AS

©2011 KVH Industries, Inc. KVH and CommBox are trademarks of KVH Industries, Inc. 11_KE_CommBox_1.2page_DigitalShip

Ultimate

p39-57:p15-25.qxd 03/05/2011 13:11 Page 1

SOFTWARE NEWS


Maritime purchasing portal sees 3,000 vessels join trial

www.sismarine.com

Norwegian software provider StarInformation Systems (SIS) has introducedits new Star Fleet Supply Managementsystem (Star FSM), with new electronicpurchasing functionality for the shippingindustry.

Star FSM can be customised to company-specific policies using the system’s businessrules engine, and offers contract manage-ment capabilities to allow for the automa-tion of standardised purchasing tasks.

For example, if the requested materialsare covered by a contract and the cost iswithin the budget limit, the process ofissuing a purchase order can be undertak-en automatically.

The new system also allows for quotecomparisons, so that where a contractdoes not exist quotes from several suppli-ers can be compared to find the best deliv-ery option.

SIS notes that a number of its customershad requested functionality for trackingdeliveries to agents and warehouses, inaddition to receiving goods on board theirvessels, and that this is being added to thesoftware.

This will be achieved through the cre-ation of a 'transportation module' that will

facilitate the management of receipt ofgoods by an agent or warehouse, the pack-ing and re-distribution of those goods, andthe return of goods from vessels.

"With automated purchasing, extensiveuse of e-commerce, and functionality forcontract management and transportation,we believe Star FSM will revolutionise theway purchasers in the maritime sector dobusiness," said SIS marketing manager,Pia Solheim.

"By speaking to purchasing personnelin shipping and offshore companies, welearned that with the systems available onthe market today purchasers spend toomuch time 'moving paper' and hence lacktime to negotiate good framework agree-ments and build strategic partnershipswith suppliers and freight forwarders."

"With this in mind we found thatadding new functionality to an ageing sys-tem would not be sufficient. Instead wedecided to start from scratch with newtechnology that allows for more flexiblesystems and enables automation ofprocesses in order to make purchasingmore efficient."

The Star FSM system additionally pro-vides KPIs for purchasing to the user, andcan be integrated with SIS’ other onlinetools for KPI and trend monitoring.

SIS adds electronic purchasing

www.onemaritime.com

Trials of a new online catalogue for shipowners, ship managers and ship suppliers toselect and order their onboard and onshorestores have seen more than 3,000 vessels tak-ing part, according to the company.

The One Maritime system was madeavailable to the shipping industry fromJanuary 1st 2011, and has been involved inlive trials with companies from 85 coun-tries worldwide since its launch.

Torben Brammer, One Maritime co-founder and CEO, says he is delighted thatso many companies and vessels havejoined the trial.

“We believe One Maritime representsthe next step in the development of onlineplatforms and we look forward to its usebecoming widespread throughout theindustry during the coming year,” he said.

“Our technology products haveallowed us to think of data sources and theuse of data in a much different way thanever before. With its unique searchengines and data migration technology,One Maritime has managed to build anonline platform that gives its users accessto a mix of data from multiple datasources at the same time.”

“It changes the way that catalogues, for

example, will be used by suppliers, manu-facturers and purchasers in the future,resulting in efficiency and time savingbenefits.”

The new ship stores catalogues portalcan be accessed online or by CD, offeringpurchasing managers and shipboard per-sonnel access to the ISSA Ship StoresCatalogue as well as a wide range of otherindustry purchasing information sources.

‘We look forward to its use becomingwidespread’ – Torben Brammer,

One Maritime

www.abs-ns.com

software service training consulting integration understanding

The trusted name in fleet management software for your 35,000 ton hardware.software for your 35,000 ton hardware.

p39-57:p15-25.qxd 03/05/2011 14:01 Page 2

p39-57:p15-25.qxd 03/05/2011 14:35 Page 3

Complete Coverage, Total Support

SeaCall Duetto gives you global VSAT integrated withFleetBroadband in one system.

Office Connect is at the heart of SeaCall and managesmarine broadband communications using a variety of smarte-mail and web applications. It gives you the opportunity toextend your company’s IT system to every vessel in yourfleet.

When using FleetBroadband, customer controlledrestrictions apply, protecting users from excess airtimeconsumption.

SeaCall Duetto’s standard bandwidth packages rangefrom 512/128 up to 3072/512 Kbps, delivering a widechoice of services such as: Internet access, incl. VPN, VoIP,crew calling and more.

Every SeaCall solution from Telemar is ready to go withstate-of-the-art features. No additional boxes or softwareare needed to achieve optimal performance.

SeaCall and SeaCall Duetto are both available at highlycompetitive prices, for outright purchase or a choice ofrental options.

Global Support – Installation, Service andMaintenance

Telemar, a global player established in 1947, is presentin all key ports and has companies in Italy, UK, Germany,USA, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sweden, Norway,Finland, Russia and the Caribbean.

Telemar is the world’s only VSAT operator to alsoprovide a complete range of Satcoms, GMDSS systems,Navigational equipment, IP-TV solutions and fixed priceservice & maintenance contracts.

Telemar gives you access to a global organisation and itspartners in all key ports worldwide. Installation, service andspares are available at short notice at minimum of cost.

Telemar is the world leader in service & maintenancecontracts, with over 2500 vessels with onboard, fixed price,service contracts.

Working with Telemar means integrated solutions, frompre-sales, consultancy and project planning through toinstallation, service and maintenance, as well as worldwidetechnical support.

SeaCall Duetto™ in brief:

• Global coverage* - 24/7/365 with VSAT and FleetBroadband

• Automatic switchover between the satellites, from VSAT and FleetBroadband systems

• Protection against over-usage of FleetBroadband

• VSAT standard bandwidth packages up to 3072/512 Kbps

• Fully managed installations worldwide

• Maintenance and technical support worldwide

• 24/7 global customer support and help-desk

• Fixed, competitively priced monthly fee

• Antenna and below deck equipment rental also available

• Guaranteed data volumes and additional Committed Information Rate (CIR) for voice

• Web-based access for customer management of ship’s usage

For equipment, which gets total global support talk to Telemar - The Telemar Group Phone: +46 31 89 28 10 e-mail: [email protected]

STAND B02-15

VSAT and FleetBroadband in one integrated solution

* Coverage maps are available at www.telemarseacall.com

p39-57:p15-25.qxd 03/05/2011 14:35 Page 4


linking between related documents, andincludes a search engine and subjectindexes.

“We are extremely happy to be able tooffer the new Panama digital regulationsto new and existing customers,” saidDavid Clayden, sales and marketing man-ager, Regs4ships.

“The creation of a regulatory productfor vessels belonging to the Panama FlagRegistry has long been an objective ofRegs4ships.”

“We recognised that the PanamanianRegistry has consistently maintained itsstatus as the largest flag of registration,currently possessing a massive 22.6 percent of the world fleet by DWT, far aheadof its nearest competitors Liberia (11.1 percent), the Marshall Islands (6.1 per cent)and Hong Kong (5.8 per cent) - all ofwhich are already provided for withDigital Maritime Regulation products.”

ABS and LR release joint software www.eagle.org

www.lr.org

Class societies ABS and Lloyd’s Register(LR) have announced the release of a joint-ly-developed software system, used toassess the compliance of bulk carrier andoil tanker designs with IACS CommonStructural Rules (CSR).

A joint company with offices inHouston and London, Common StructuralRules Software LLC, has been also beenformed to maintain the application anddevelop new common software which willassess vessels designed to comply with theharmonised CSR that will be submitted forindustry review in 2012.

The release of the joint software packagewill be followed by the provision of trainingsessions in a variety of maritime locations.

"Harmonised CSR presents an idealopportunity to establish usage of commonsoftware in support of the new Rules,"said CSR Software managing directorAidan O’Donnell, who has been with thisproject since its inception.

"Establishing consistent applicationfrom the outset will be easier through ourjoint development."

The common software is now available for download atwww.CommonStructuralRulesSoftware.com,and will be backed by anytime technicalsoftware support.

Lloyd's Register chief executive Richard Sadler signs the agreement with ABS chairman and CEO Robert Somerville

Digital Ship

www.regs4ships.com

Regs4ships has announced the launch ofits digital maritime regulations product forPanama flagged vessels.

This new offering, available via theinternet or DVD-ROM, includes a combi-nation of documents that must be carriedfor mandatory compliance with the flag ofregistry, as well as a number of best prac-tice guides.

The digital regulations product coversPanama Maritime Laws, Resolutions,Marine Notices, Merchant MarineCirculars and Forms; amended digitalSOLAS, MARPOL and STCW regulations;and guidance and best practice from acomplete archive of UK M Notices (formerchant ships).

Subscribers receive monthly e-mailupdates on changes in legislation.

The electronic format also allows for

SpecTec has opened its newest officein Rio de Janeiro. AMOS Brasil Sistemasde Gestão de Recursos e Consultoria deSoftware Ltda, or SpecTec Brazil, willserve as headquarters for the region. Anew local team has been formed to bemanaged by David Reyes, managingdirector, Latin America.

AVEVA has opened a new office inBogotá, Colombia. The office will act asthe main AVEVA hub for the Caribbean

and South American countries situated inthe north of the region, and as a regionalsales and support centre for the AVEVAPlant and Marine products, as well asproviding a range of integration and con-sulting services for AVEVA’s EnterpriseSolutions.

www.aveva.comwww.spectec.net

Digital regulations product for Panama

p39-57:p15-25.qxd 03/05/2011 14:35 Page 5

tems, which will dramatically improve ourorganisation’s ability to work effectivelyacross departments.”

“With the installation of IMOS, we willincrease overall efficiencies through itsoptimised business processes.”

In addition to the announcement of thisnew contract Veson Nautical also reportsthat it has launched Phase II of its IMOS6Bunker Management Module, to be used in themanagement of overall bunker operations.

The module provides workflow sup-port for bunker estimates, bunkerrequests, price inquiries and purchases,increasing access to information and per-formance analysis to support strategicdecision making.

“Bunker management professionals canwork with yearly budgets in excess of $300million, which can represent half of thecost of all voyages, so good bunker man-agement can make or break not only a voy-age, but a company’s profitability,” saidJohn Veson, president of Veson Nautical.

“We developed IMOS6 BunkerManagement Phase II after collaboratingdirectly with our customers and users, andincorporated their input into the product.”

“We are pleased to offer our customersa new module that will provide bunkermanagement professionals with the datathey need to make the best possible deci-sions as they interact with charterers, voy-age operators, and vessel crews.”

IMOS6 Bunker Management Phase II

SOFTWARE NEWS


www.veson.com

Oslo-based Stenersen Chartering AS, thecommercial arm of Rederiet Stenersen ASof Bergen, Norway, has agreed a deal toimplement Veson Nautical’s IMOS(Integrated Maritime Operations System).

The IMOS6 software will now be usedto manage chartering, operations, andvoyage accounting related functions forStenersen Chartering’s fleet.

Stenersen Chartering’s product tankerfleet numbers approximately 17 vessels,

which vary in size from 13,000-19,000 dwtand carry refined oil products such asgasoline, jet fuel, naphtha and diesel oil.Stenersen Chartering manages tankerchartering and operations.

“We selected Veson Nautical over thecompetition because IMOS most effective-ly fulfilled our requirements for a config-urable, flexible commercial marine sys-tem,” remarked Lars Rinde, managingdirector for Stenersen Chartering.

“Further, IMOS6 is designed to connectseamlessly with our existing software sys-

Stenersen Chartering goes for Veson aggregates bunker data, allowing opera-tors and charterers visibility across theentire fleet.

It supports bunker testing processes forboth pre-test and post delivery tests, witha work list tracking the status of all out-standing tests. Test results are captured inthe system, along with operational detailsfor each bunker lifting.

Bunker requests can be received directlyfrom the vessel or a voyage operator, withautomatic alerting of these requests built intothe system and providing colour-coded noti-fications of approaching purchase deadlines.

An in-line purchase viewer providesaccess order status and all lifting details,with user-tailored views for bunkerrequests, alerts, purchases, and liftings.

“It is not unusual for bunker specialiststo negotiate the purchase of thousands ofmetric tons of fuel every day, and managemonthly budgets of $25 million or more,”remarked Jamie Sheldon, IMOS productdirector for Veson Nautical.

“When companies monitor bunkerusage by vessel, instead of at the fleetlevel, they risk missing valuable informa-tion. They miss the opportunity to aggre-gate bunker purchases and increase theirpurchasing leverage.”

“Phase II ensures those opportunitiesfor competitive negotiation are not lost; italso promotes better evaluation of negoti-ating results by allowing the specialist tocapture market benchmarks along witheach purchase. Purchase reporting toolscompare prices paid to market bench-marks by port, vessel, operator, and fleet.”

Veson Nautical has extended its software package with the addition of a new Bunker Management module

CONVERTINGMULTIPLECHALLENGES

MarLiant: non-stop computingfor the high seas

INTO A SINGLESOLUTION

Cost-effective redundant client-server solutionfor sea-going vessels & offshore installations

www.netwavesystems.com/marliantnetwavenetwavet Donau 106-108

2491 BC The Hague

The Netherlands

T +31 (0)70 327 16 64

F +31 (0)70 301 81 48

E [email protected]

p39-57:p15-25.qxd 03/05/2011 14:35 Page 6


Digital Ship

www.eniram.fi

Greek tanker operator Maran TankersManagement and German container lineHamburg Süd have both agreed new con-tracts to install Eniram’s DynamicTrimming Assistant (DTA), used to opti-mise trim and to consequently reduce fueland emissions.

DTA provides the bridge with a visualdisplay of the optimum trim of the vessel,calculated in real-time and taking intoaccount a range of affecting variables.

As affecting factors like weather, seastate, draft, speed and bunker levelschange, so does the vessel's optimum trim.Using this dynamic optimum trim meas-urement the bridge can make adjustmentsto the vessel in order to stay within theoptimum trim.

Staying within the optimum trimparameters can help the vessel to reducebunker consumption for a given speed.

Maran Tankers Management beganwith its first installation of the DTA tech-nology on the VLCC vessel MaranCanopus.

"With the installation of DTA onboardMaran Canopus we hope to achieve a fuelsaving of between 2 and 4 per cent," saidMiltiades Sfantsikopoulos, superintendentengineer at Maran Tankers.

"This could translate into US$200-400Ksavings in fuel per calendar year, as wellas a significant reduction in air emissions."

Maran Canopus currently operates on a

worldwide spot basis; long voyage legstypically involve loading in the PersianGulf, discharging in the Gulf of Mexico,ballast to West Africa and then loading fordischarge in India followed by ballast con-ditions back to the Persian Gulf.

The company has previously proven tobe an early adopter of energy efficiency ini-tiatives and allocates significant resourcesto the continual improvement of the envi-ronmental performance of vessel operation.

Programmes the company have beeninvolved with include vessel performance

monitoring, training of seafarers andoffice personnel on best operational, envi-ronmental and energy management prac-tices, and the deployment of other tech-nologies and solutions on new vessels forimprovement of energy efficiency andreduction of environmental impact.

"We hope that the Eniram system willprove to be a useful tool for further voyageperformance optimisation," said MrSfantsikopoulos.

Meanwhile, Hamburg Süd, an existinguser of the DTA system, has ordered 12

Greek and German operators implement trim optimisation

Hamburg Süd has seen an average 3 per cent reduction inbunker consumption through the use of the technology

additional installations and will deploy thetechnology on all of its post-Panamax con-tainer vessels by the end of Q3 this year.

Hamburg Süd was the first containerline to install the DTA system. Since late2008, the vessel operator says it has seenan average 3 per cent reduction in thebunker consumption of vessels equippedwith DTA, in comparison with non-DTAequipped sister ships.

The wider installation of DTA is alsoexpected to save over 50,000 tons of CO2every year across the post-Panamax fleet.

Hamburg Süd will take delivery of fivenew 7,100 TEU ‘Santa’ Class vessels thisyear, and three more in 2012. All of theseships will be equipped with DTA oncethey are launched.

“Over the past 12 months, we have con-sistently seen significant fuel savings on allvessels on which we have installed DTA,”said Fred Deichmann, managing director,Columbus Shipmanagement, HamburgSüd’s vessel management division.

“As we have sister vessels sailing onthe same routes, it is possible to see thereduction in bunker consumption thatdynamic trimming has made on those ves-sels equipped with the Eniram system.”

“We see this system as a ‘must-have’ onany new vessels entering our fleet toensure that they are as efficient and envi-ronmentally friendly as possible. As aresult, all of the new 7,100 TEUs vessels,the biggest in our fleet, will be fitted withDTA as they enter service.”

www.bimco.orgwww.videotel.co.uk

BIMCO (the Baltic and InternationalMaritime Council) has linked up withmaritime multi-media training providerVideotel Marine International to producea new BIMCO eLearning DiplomaProgramme (BeDP).

The new Learning Management Systemcomprises a web-based e-learning packageto deliver the new diploma programme.

Maritime students will be able to accesstraining provided by online specialistexperts and tutors selected by BIMCO, with

the diploma course being aimed at studentsand young people entering trainee orinternship programmes and wishing tolearn more about the shipping industry.

Online course meetings are held at des-ignated times with tutors providing tar-geted guidance and instruction.

Each training module representsapproximately three months’ training –about 30-40 study hours – followed by afinal, written examination leading to theaward of a BIMCO Certificate. Four cer-tificates can be combined to achieve theBIMCO Diploma.

The BeDP course work will be rolled

out to Videotel client vessels via itsonboard computer training systemVideotel on Demand (VOD), to preparestudents for enrolment in the BDP oncethe seafarer disembarks his or her vessel.

The partners say that it will be offeredat "competitive" prices, with discountsbeing applied to employees of BIMCOmember companies.

The programme will be backed-up byonline forums and workshops, which it ishoped will also provide networking oppor-tunities for young shipping professionals.

"The new programme will enable stu-dents to build on their knowledge, acquire

increased professional competencies andongoing personal development at theirown time and place," said TorbenSkaanild, BIMCO secretary general.

"It is a new and exciting educationaltool which will deliver the best possiblelectures, covering all aspects of the con-temporary maritime industry."

"The BeDP marks a new and excitingdevelopment in BIMCO’s training andeducational mission, offering the most up-to-date technology to members’ employ-ees and facilitating the transfer of knowl-edge to all corners of the planet withoutcostly and extensive travelling."

BIMCO and Videotel launch e-learning system

Fleet Management Solutions

Maintenance & Inventory Docking Management Voyage

Q l R l b l K l d I

ProcurementCrew Management

Quality ~ Reliability ~ Knowledge ~ Innovation

Visit us at the Norwegian Pavilion during Nor-Shipping

24.-27.5.2011

p39-57:p15-25.qxd 03/05/2011 14:35 Page 7

SOFTWARE NEWS


www.teromarine.no

Norwegian shipping company Eidsvaag ASis to upgrade its software system from TeroMarine, moving to Version 2 of the producthaving used TM Master Version 1 since 2005.

TM Master V2 is a fleet managementsolution, with two-way replicationbetween the office and the vessels.

The system was developed on theMicrosoft .Net platform, and uses a ‘com-ponent organisation’ structure based on theinternational standard SFI Group System.

“When TM Master V2 was presented tous, it opened a brand new user interfaceand it simplified the day to day operationand building of the databases,” saidJohnny Bremnes, technical manager atEidsvaag AS.

“The decision to upgrade to TM MasterV2 was therefore easy. A big advantagewith TM Master V2 is that the databaseconstruction and changes can easily bedone from the office and be transferred tothe vessels immediately.”

Mr Bremnes says that the company hasparticularly benefitted from the dailyoperational information presented by thesystem, arranged in areas like mainte-nance, certificates and history on compo-nents, or technical information.

This creates an overview, based onfirst-hand information, of the condition ofthe fleet.

“Since the system is based on the SFIstructure, it will make it easier for theusers to use the system across the fleet andstandardise jobs and descriptions,” MrBremnes said.

“(And) the possibility to mark class relat-ed jobs on components is highly appreciat-ed by the class societies during surveys.”

“We also use the Crew and Certificatesmodules, and find these very useful tokeep track of expiry dates etc. The systemis always under improvement and adap-tion to our vessels.”

Following Eidsvaag’s decision to moveto the new version of its software TeroMarine has also announced a furtherupgrade of its fleet management package,as it plans the introduction of Version 2.6.

This release introduces a number ofnew modules and functionalities, whichTero says makes it the most comprehen-sive upgrade since the launch of TMMaster Version 2 in 2007.

“The new modules and improved func-tionalities will strengthen the first-handinformation about the fleet’s conditionand maximise the financial results in thecompany,” said Inghild Arnesen, market-ing coordinator at Tero Marine.

To reduce time spent on manual report-ing a Voyage e-log has been introduced,which manages access to updated infor-mation relating to vessel voyages.

A new module for purchasing, TMProcurement, has also been added, whichintegrates with other modules in the soft-ware, such as maintenance and docking.

“The module is tailored to the needs ofthe maritime industry, and streamlines theentire procurement process from requisi-tion to delivery and payment. Now theentire procurement process can be man-aged from the vessels as well as from theoffice,” said Ms Arnesen.

A module to manage registration ofcrew details such as hours of rest, workpermit, safe job analysis and risk/ conse-quence analysis has been introduced, ashas a module for measurement and analy-sis of trends and consumption to monitoron board equipment.

“The development towards conditionbased maintenance is evolving rapidly,and this module is a powerful tool to reg-ister consumption and trends and cutdown on unnecessary maintenance,” saidMs Arnesen.

“Tero Marine is continuously workingon innovative improvements of TM Master,it’s all about staying one step ahead.”

Eidsvaag AS upgrades to TM Master V2

Eidsvaag vessels use the software to replicate data to shore offices

www.spectec.net

SINANJU has become the latest newSpecTec customer after agreeing a deal toimplement the company’s AMOS2Enterprise Suite.

SINANJU is a provider of barging andshipping services in Singaporean waters,having expanded since starting operationsin 1992 to become an owner and operator

of steel bunker tankers.It currently operates a total of nine

tankers and is now largely focused onbarging and shipping services as its corebusiness.

The AMOS2 project at the companywill include the creation of an interface toSINANJU’s third party accounting sys-tem, as well as database construction andtraining.

SINANJU to implement AMOS2

www.intergraph.com

Aker Solutions has agreed a multi-yearcontract with Intergraph to implementIntergraph’s Smart 3D technology, includ-ing its SmartMarine 3D system.

The first project deployment is expect-ed during the second half of 2011.

SmartMarine 3D is used for offshoreand ship design. Based on rules andautomation, the system assists in optimis-ing design and productivity while short-ening project schedules.

"Intergraph’s Smart 3D Technologywill help Aker Solutions to continuouslywork to improve productivity and quali-ty through standardization and knowl-edge-based engineering," said Jann Kåre Slettebakk, chief information officerin Aker Solutions’ field developmentbusinesses.

"In order to be successful, we need toolsthat enable us to benefit from lessonslearned and best practices, while increas-ing our overall engineering capacitythrough automation. The objective is todeliver better products to our customers."

Gerhard Sallinger, Intergraph Process,Power & Marine president, also com-mented: "Aker Solutions is among agrowing number of industry leaders thatare adopting Intergraph Smart 3D tech-nology as its next-generation engineeringplatform, because of the unique abilitiesit provides."

"Intergraph is looking forward toworking with Aker Solutions and theirinput to future product direction.Intergraph believes that Aker Solutions’industry knowledge will help to drivefurther productivity improvements inSmart 3D technology."

Aker to add 3D technology

www.ma.com.sg

Maritime Associates reports that it hassigned a contract with Greenwave ShippingPte Ltd, for the supply of its VMOSnet FleetManagement software package.

Greenwave Shipping is a subsidiary ofJapanese shipping company m/s KoyoKaiun, an owner and operater of chemi-cal tankers.

The software system to be delivered toGreenwave will include modules forDocument Management, HSSEQA, PMS,Requisition & Purchasing, and Crewing.

Maritime Associates says that it hasalso been contracted to develop an inter-face between the VMOSnet purchasingmodule and Koyo Kaiun’s accounting sys-tem, to assist in integration of the softwarepackages.

Greenwave contract for Maritime Associates

p39-57:p15-25.qxd 03/05/2011 14:35 Page 8

www.spectec.net

SpecTec has donated an AMOS ShipdexInterface (ASI) software system to theMercy Ships Organisation.

This donation is the latest developmentin a 15-year partnership between the soft-ware provider and the charity, which hasoperated hospital ships in developingnations since 1978.

The AMOS Shipdex Interface is aSpecTec module designed to leverageShipdex Protocol datasets. Shipdex is a set

of International Business Rules developedto standardise the production and theexchange of technical and logistic datawithin the shipping community.

ASI is capable of reading and importingShipdex datasets into an AMOS BusinessSuite Database, without the need forretyping of the manufacturer’s technicalinformation.

As such, Mercy Ships will use ASI to automatically populate its databasewith a Shipdex dataset for MAN Diesel &Turbo engines.

Software donated to Mercy Ships

www.grc.qinetiq.com

The Öswag shipyard in Austria hasagreed a deal to implement theParamarine marine design software sys-tem, for use in the design of inland water-way ships.

The system will be used for stabilitycalculations and damage stability on theships, which will primarily operate on theDanube and the Rhine.

"We carried out an extensive review ofmarine design software tools for use inthe design of passenger vessels, cargovessels and work boats for inland water-ways," said Harald Böhm, chief projectengineer, Öswag.

"Based on a combination of marketreputation, functionality and ease of usewe selected Paramarine. In addition, itsability to integrate with our CAD/CAMtool Siemens NX, enables us to speed upthe whole design process and improveaccuracy."

An updated version of the Paramarinesoftware has also recently been released,to extend the software’s functionality withenhancements to its reporting, concurrentdesign and documentation capabilities.

The new functionality in ParamarineV7 is intended to improve and enhancethe design process, with a focus on reduc-ing cost whilst speeding up the wholedesign cycle.

The latest release introduces the abilityfor ship designers to work concurrently onthe same vessel design, which QinetiQGRC, the developer of the Paramarinerange, says will reduce the length of the

ship design cycle and improve design con-figuration control.

Paramarine V7 also includes the abili-ty to integrate with Siemens NX software,so ship designers can conduct navalarchitectural analysis quickly using themaster geometry dataset as defined within NX.

The reporting functionality of the soft-ware has been overhauled, to allow usersto quickly create reports on any data heldwithin the tool. The reports can be export-ed to Microsoft Word, produced as PDFsor printed directly from Paramarine.

The new reporting capability will auto-matically update its contents - links to thedata are ‘live’ and any changes in theunderlying calculations will cause thereport to automatically refresh itself.

This means that changes to the under-lying vessel geometry will automaticallyrecreate the contents of the report with theupdated calculations, requiring no furtheruser input as the design evolves.

"The selection by Öswag for use in thedesign of inland vessels further demon-strates the versatility and flexibility ofParamarine software underpinned by itsease of use," said Vittorio Vagliani, man-aging director, QinetiQ GRC.

"Additionally we have been able to rapidly respond to Öswag’s specificrequirements for the incorporation of theRhine River requirements further demon-strating that when customers purchaseParamarine they not only buy a best inclass solution but they also get access to abusiness that can support their specificrequirements."

Austrian shipyard goes for Paramarine


Digital Ship

www.boatracs.com

Boatracs reports that it has partnered withTransIT Solutions, a software provider forthe transportation and logistics industry,to accelerate the development of a newweb-based software solution for the mar-itime industry.

Boatracs will build on the core architec-ture of TransIT Solutions’ TransFusionNetwork product, a web application forthe shipping and logistics industry, to cre-ate a 'Software as a Service' offering thataims to help vessel operators manage theiruse of operational information.

TransFusion features mapping, mes-saging and tracking and other functionali-ties that are already integrated withQualcomm’s OmniTRACS and Mobile

Computing Platform (MCP) satellite solu-tions. Boatracs has been a strategic mar-itime distributor for Qualcomm since1990.

This new product will allow access todata across multiple devices, as well asintegrating other maritime informationsystems such as AIS (AutomaticIdentification System).

“These types of partnerships betweenbest of breed companies greatly acceleratetime to market,” said Irwin Rodrigues,CEO of Boatracs.

“Thousands of vessels already dependon the reliability of our solution for datamessaging, vessel tracking and maritimefleet management. We are committed toenhancing this value even further withthis initiative.”

creating seaworthy software

www.autoship.com

Catch informationas it happens.

Visit us at

Nor-Shipping

Booth T-05

Stability & Strength AssessmentCargo Management & Load PlanningShip Design & ProductionWorld-Wide Service & Support

Boatracs to develop web-based software

www.spectec.net

SpecTec has agreed a contract withOceanex Inc to implement the AMOS2Staff Management software module forcrewing services.

As part of this project, SpecTec willimplement the AMOS2 Crewing Databaseand configure the system to match theexisting AMOS2 Staff Management data-base currently being used by Oceanex,both onshore and aboard the company’sthree vessels, M/V Oceanex Avalon, M/VCabot and M/V Oceanex Sanderling.

As part of another recent projectOceanex has already introduced a newlydeveloped interface between AMOS andits CODA Financials system, which allowsitems like vouchers to be transferred fromthe AMOS system to CODA.

Oceanex is an existing user of the full AMOS2 Enterprise ManagementSuite having started working with thesoftware in 2009 through the introduc-tion of modules like AMOS2 StaffManagement, AMOS2 QualityManagement Systems and AMOS2Maintenance & Purchase.

Oceanex to implement SpecTec crewing software

www.shipadmin.com

Norwegian software provider Shipadminreports that it has signed an agreementwith TS Marine, its first customer inAustralia.

Perth-based TS Marine was recentlyacquired by Fugro, and has chosen to useShipadmin’s Captains Secretary softwaresystem onboard its latest acquisition, theSouthern Ocean.

Southern Ocean is a DP2 multirole con-struction/intervention vessel. The vessel

has 2,400 m² of deck space, two large off-shore cranes (250T and 110T) and is able toaccommodate 120 personnel.

"I am very honoured to welcomeFugro-TS Marine as a user of our solu-tions," said Per Magnus Grøsvik, generalmanager, Shipadmin.

"Southern Ocean is a very large vessel,able to perform a huge number of tasks, anywhere in the world. To see that it will use our program proves that Shipadmin has developed the rightsolutions."

Australian customer for Shipadmin

p39-57:p15-25.qxd 03/05/2011 14:35 Page 9

SOFTWARE NEWS


www.edbergogroup.com

Rederi AB Transatlantic and Imperial ShipManagement AB are to use theMarineLink e-commerce service from EDBErgoGroup for purchasing operations,after agreeing contracts covering 45 ves-sels, while Thome Ship Management willalso use the service as its sole e-commercesystem.

Rederi AB Transatlantic and ImperialShip Management will use the purchas-ing package to electronically handleinquiries, quotes, orders and order con-firmations, and to make use of varioustools for statistics and control, andreporting of KPIs.

It is also expected that the technologywill help Rederi AB Transatlantic andImperial Ship Management improveintegration with their logisticsproviders.

"We have chosen MarineLink as our e-commerce service, as EDB ErgoGroup is alarge, independent and reputable IT com-pany with a proven track record in e-com-merce," said Thomas Andersson, vicepresident supply management, Rederi ABTransatlantic.

"EDB ErgoGroup is an e-commerce spe-cialist, and is delivering professional e-commerce in many market segments.With their MarineLink platform, we reachthe benefits from a large scale operationand lower cost, the maritime industry spe-cialties, and rich functionality that meetsour needs."

EDB ErgoGroup’s three year contractwith Thome meanwhile covers the ves-sel operator’s entire fleet of about 150ships.

Thome Ship Management had previ-ously been a user of the MarineTransaction Services (MTS) purchasingsystem since April 2007, which was incor-porated into EDB ErgoGroup’s e-com-merce platform as MarineLink in 2010after it was purchased from WilhelmsenShips Service.

MarineLink says that it has sinceadded new functionality for invoice pro-cessing and logistics integration to the

previous MTS system.Thome was the first manager in

the shipping community to run two con-current e-commerce portals, havingimplemented both the MTS and Shipservplatforms.

The company says it pursued thiscombined electronic purchasing policyfor a number of reasons, firstly for com-mercial reasons, and then to have expe-rience using both systems, keeping theiroptions open.

However, early in 2011 Thome madethe decision to move to the MarineLinkeCommerce service as its sole e-com-merce provider.

“Advanced eCommerce delivered byMarineLink is our choice for addressingthe current and future needs of our pur-chasing operations, further improvingthe efficiency of our purchasing opera-tion and making savings,” said RyanDalgado, Thome’s procurement and sup-ply chain manager.

“We want to be the forerunner ine-commerce, with MarineLink develop-ing advanced e-commerce solutionswhich help us monitor our purchasingoperations through dynamic reportingtools, enabling us to deliver quality shipmanagement.”

Thome will use the system to handleinquiries, quotes, orders and order con-firmations, as well as receiving and pro-cessing electronic invoices and creatingreports and KPIs.

“EDB ErgoGroup MarineLink has agreat and wonderful experience workingwith Thome although it was a very chal-lenging encounter,” said Jonny Lotten ofEDB ErgoGroup. “More than 2,700 vesselsare now trading through EDB ErgoGroupMarineLink, and the EDB ErgoGroup e-commerce solution is managing more than15,000 integrated businesses performingover 250 million e-commerce transactionsannually.”

“(This) allows the companies to effi-ciently process orders, requests forquotes, invoices and logistics documentsthrough a single, electronic connection toall of its suppliers.”

Shipping companies chooseMarineLink for electronic purchasing

On-Demand ERP comes onlineww.otesat-maritel.com

Otesat-Maritel has announced the avail-ability of its ‘On-Demand ERP’ softwaresystem, which can be combined withCloud Computing services and is avail-able for a monthly fee.

The ERP offering, first launched byOtesat in mid-2010, incorporates aMicrosoft Dynamics NAV PlannedMaintenance System (PMS), ProcurementProcess Solution (PPS) and International

Safety Management (ISM) Administrator. All services are accessible anywhere via

the internet, and Otesat says that it is offer-ing the service under a flexible ‘Pay-as-You-Go/Pay-as-You-Grow’ model, wherecosts will be based on particular userrequirements.

In this way, Otesat says that it hopes theservice will allow small and medium-sizedshipping companies to use modern spe-cialised IT systems that may have previous-ly only been accessible to larger businesses.

Digital Ship Singapore

For sponsorship and exhibiting opportunities, contact

Ria Kontogeorgou, tel: +44 (0)20 7017 3401,

[email protected]

18 - 19 October 2011, Suntec Convention Centre

p39-57:p15-25.qxd 03/05/2011 14:35 Page 10

SCF Unicom – upgrading training with CBTSCF 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

CC yprus-headquartered SCF Uni-com has conducted a significantupgrade of its training systems, to

ensure that its standards not only meetthose required by STCW but in many cas-es exceed them.

This has included the introduction ofonline training systems, to increase thetraining options available to vessel crews indifferent locations and stimulate the contin-ued education of the company’s seafarers.

The introduction of new training tech-nologies is part of a continuous process atSCF Unicom, with the company havingalready completed an earlier upgrade of itstraining set-up last year in conjunction withNorwegian training technology supplierSeagull, supplementing its computer-basedtraining programme with the introductionof additional training modules.

The Seagull Training System (STS) hasbeen used to provide Computer-BasedTraining (CBT) packages to crews, with afull range of assessment tools and ensur-ing compliance with STCW and IMO stan-dards, since it was selected for use acrossthe entire fleet and in its recruitmentoffices in 2006.

SCF Unicom, part of the SovcomflotGroup has since implemented the trainingtechnology across its fleet of more than 90ships, including gas tankers, chemicaltankers, dry cargo and bulker vessels, plusall land-based offices.

This has been supplemented through therecent introduction of these new modules,now in use onboard Unicom vessels, cover-ing areas like Inspection, Mooring, BasicShip Handling, Hot Work, Piracy, H2SHydrogen Sulphide Awareness, MLC 2006,Team Leadership and Crane Operator.

To add to this, another training devel-opment at SCF Unicom involves thepotential use of INTERTANKO’sElectronic Tanker Officer TrainingStandard (E-TOTS) in association with theSeagull Training System, following anagreement between Seagull and the tankerowners association.

SCF Unicom is considering using E-TOTS next year, for training of a targetgroup that will include junior officers,those aspiring to become senior officersand officers new to the company, accord-ing to the company’s training officer,Captain Anatoly Trofimov.

Using these computer-based trainingsystems has been of particular importanceto SCF Unicom, he told us.

“In the fast-changing shipping environ-ment it is clear that a competent crewthese days gives you a competitive advan-tage,” he said.

“In this context it is of great importanceto provide effective training tools andequipment for the continuous onboardtraining of ships’ personnel.”

In this respect the Seagull system usedby SCF Unicom has been customised bythe Norwegian company to meet the spe-

cific requirements of its seafarers andoffice staff, with modifications whichincluded the assignment of trainingrequirements to individuals as well assoftware features designed to help withcompetence management and knowledgeassessment.

Company training policiesSCF Unicom’s policy is that mandatorycomputer-based training modules mustbe completed with an exam score of atleast 75 per cent and must be repeatedevery 36 months.

Recommended modules have to becompleted according to specific vesseltype and the seafarer’s rank and position.

In addition, SCF Unicom seafarershave been given remote access to SeagullCBT Modules, through the implementa-tion of the Seagull Training Administrator(STA Online).

“This means that seafarers can log infrom home to review online their trainingrecords status and can finish their

required training ashore, supplementingthe training already completed onboard,”said Captain Trofimov.

“Both the onboard and online trainingremote access results are stored in the samecentral database so that all training is record-ed and this allows us to access a trainingprofile for every specified crew position.”

To promote the use of the online train-ing system, presentations were made toSCF Unicom superintendents by Seagullat Unicom’s head office in Cyprus explain-ing the different types of training coursesavailable onboard and offering instruc-tions as to how to review the use of train-ing materials provided during routineshipboard inspections.

SCF Unicom says that it considers provi-sion of highly qualified and experiencedcrews to its vessels as a “top priority”, andsees the training provided to crewmembersat on-shore Training Centres and onboardas a key element of a crew’s competency.

In pursuit of this policy the companyhas now completed a trial period with

STA Online from which it has seen verypositive results, with a significant numberof seafarers having already completedCBT modules via the internet.

“The number of seafarers passing CBTmodules has considerably increased as aresult,” said Captain Trofimov.

“In the fast-changing shipping environ-ment it is clear that a competent crew thesedays gives you a competitive advantage.”

“In this context it is of great importanceto provide effective training tools / equip-ment which can be continuously andeffectively used by seafarers on board forenhancement of their knowledge andworking competency.”

The impact of the enthusiastic responseto the on-line initiative is reflected in animpressive set of training statistics.

In the three years to January 31 2010, atotal of 37,234 CBT modules were com-pleted by SCF Unicom seafarers – byJanuary 31, 2011 this had increased to73,539 CBT modules.

This means that within a one-year peri-od, 36,325 CBT modules were completed,a close to 100 per cent increase comparedwith the previous three years.

According to Seagull area sales manag-er, Dan Gunnar Hugvik, these results are atestament to how extensively SCF Unicomcrews have been using the online toolsavailable to them.

“Unicom is probably now one of theworld leaders as far as the use of onlinetraining tools in shipping is concerned,”he said.

“We are constantly reviewing with SCFUnicom their training needs and the resultis a continual process of enhancement. Weregularly sit down and review the mod-ules they use to make sure they fully covertheir training requirements.”

Crew evaluationIn another joint initiative, SCF Unicom isnow using another of Seagull’s online sys-tems after introducing a new version ofSeagull’s Crew Evaluation System (CES5.0) at its crewing offices in St Petersburg,Novorossiysk and Vladivostok.

CES is a computer-based knowledgeevaluation tool that consists of a databaseof several thousand questions which canbe used to assess the background knowl-edge of crew members covering Deck,Engine and General Services.

The system can be used in any man-ning office without installing any soft-ware, as only an internet connection isneeded. An extended report section isalso included, allowing head office to eas-ily generate reports on tests performed atall manning offices.

“The adoption of the STS training pack-age and CES evaluation tools are signifi-cantly assisting our efforts to sustain thecontinuous onboard training and educa-tion of our seafarers and maintaining aconsistent approach to crew assessment,”

said Captain Trofimov. “STS is a core part of the way we

approach crew evaluation and helpsenhance the effectiveness of our selectionprocess. Our masters all do their best tomake sure that onboard training is wellplanned and arranged so that the trainingworkload does not affect work activities.”

Going forward, SCF Unicom is alsoconsidering extending its use of crew eval-uation technology to include the use of anAbility Profiling programme, which actsas a support tool during recruitment ofjunior officers and the screening of marinecadets.

APRO is a psychometric assessmentprogramme developed in a research anddevelopment initiative headed by theNorwegian Marine Technology ResearchInstitute and supported by the Universityof Oslo, Det Norske Veritas and other keypartners in the shipping industry.

APRO is suitable for shipping compa-nies of all types, but can be especially use-ful for tanker operators, who have to com-ply with Tanker Management and SelfAssessment (TMSA) requirements.

TMSA stipulates that techniques suchas simulator training and computer-basedor psychometric test assessment toolsmust be in place to confirm competencefor the job before employment.

Working with Professor Roald Bjorklund,of The University of Oslo’s Department ofPsychology, who was part of the originalresearch and development team, Seagullhas modified the APRO test tool so thatthe test can be undertaken online.

“It is important to recognise that APROis a very specific tool that allows compa-nies to find out how people react in safetyrelated areas, measuring the time theytake to do tasks and the level of accuracyand the mistakes they might make, forinstance,” said Professor Bjorklund.

“Unlike some other psychometric tests,APRO is designed to help select peoplewho are able to act in the right way whensafety is critical. What Seagull has donewith APRO is very impressive, usingmodern IT to allow the tests to be used ondifferent types of computer screens andmost importantly online.”

“Results can be kept remotely, ratherthan on a local computer, and the resultsevaluated over a period of time, forinstance comparing them with a candi-date’s real life performance onboard ship.”

Adding tools such as these to the rangeof training systems already in use at thecompany will be another step in the con-tinued evolution of SCF Unicom’s trainingprogrammes.

With this and the other online trainingsystems in use at the company, SCFUnicom is providing a fine example ofhow modern shipping companies canapply the latest maritime technologies tomaintain and enhance the skills of the offi-cers and crews onboard their fleets.

CBT use by SCF Unicom seafarers has increased almost 100 per cent

in three years


Digital Ship

DS

p39-57:p15-25.qxd 03/05/2011 14:35 Page 11

WW hen the industry talks aboutcondition monitoring today itis often aimed at the vessels’

machinery items. However, the vessels’ hull structures

are as important as the machinery items. Ifthe main engine fails, the anchor couldstill be an option, but what about structur-al failures?

A well-chosen and effectively imple-mented hull maintenance strategy not onlyreduces the risk of incidents but assuresintegrity and safeguards the environment.

Ship owners, managers and operatorscontinuously need to monitor their vessels’structural condition in order to detect defi-ciencies in the hull structure at an earlytime and initiate necessary maintenanceactions.

Typically, monitoring is done byappointed crew members through period-ic visual inspections.

Because of the size and complexity ofthe tanks and cargo holds, the location andextent of coating breakdown, defects, cor-rosion, etc. are hard to document with suf-ficient accuracy using text descriptions andphotos only, unless their exact location inthe structure can be expressed reliably.

Tank structure inspections are criticalwork, and several operators have discov-ered material cracking and defective coat-ing in their vessels that must be addressedif these units are to continue operating forthe long term.

Planning, preparing, executing, report-ing on, and assessing hull structureinspections is a crucial process thatrequires utmost diligence. This is wherespecific hull integrity software comes in.

The latest hull integrity software sys-tems use 3-D models of the vessel to showactual plates and stiffeners, or frames ofeach tank or other space in the ship.

Using these 3-D models creates variousbenefits in managing hull integrity. For

example, inspection forms with images ofthe actual structural members of theinspected tank can be printed out to markfindings and positions on photos using apen during the inspection.

This information can then be enteredinto the onboard software, allowing theuser to interact directly with the 3-Dmodel. Drawing on a model requires lessskill and is less error-prone than describ-ing locations in text form. Attaching photoimages to a location in the model is a mat-ter of a few clicks.

Software systems also create the ability torepresent all of the findings visually, whichis particularly helpful when shipping com-panies need to prove to charterers that theirships are maintained to high standards.

Uniform ReportingStandard

Another advantage of using hull integritysoftware is that it allows information to beshared more easily.

The application can allow information onthe condition of hull structures to be madeavailable to any employee across the compa-ny once the inspection results have beenapproved and synchronised. Hence, thesuperintendent can easily associate anyphoto or finding with its location on the ship.

If this data is stored in a lifecycle data-base the hull condition data for each indi-vidual vessel can be traced over time.Sister vessels from the same fleet can becompared easily.

A dashboard overview of the entireship will also make it easier to pinpointany critical findings by crew or third-party inspectors.

While these capabilities can be useful inhelping to manage the performance of com-pany fleets, for shipping companies the truevalue of hull inspection can be seen onceyou apply a uniform reporting standard.

Pre-generated inspection forms, such as

a checklist based on IACS recommenda-tions and an accompanying guideline forrating defects, ensure that uniform report-ing can be achieved even across a fleet ofvessels with varying crews.

Since the images on the inspectionforms are based on the 3-D model of theactual vessel, the quality of reports pre-pared by crew members increases signifi-cantly. As such, hull integrity software cantherefore provide a major step towardsimplementing a truly consistent mainte-nance and risk management approach.

RequirementsThere are a number of elements thatshould be considered when consideringthe use of hull integrity software.

It is important that the package usedcomprises both shipboard and onshoresoftware using the same visual 3D repre-sentation of the vessel, and that you canarrange associated training for the appli-cations. A hull survey guideline shouldalso be included.

The software should support theinspection, reporting, and assessment ofthe condition of a ship’s hull with respectto a wide number of areas – things likecoating condition, corrosion, structuraldefects and findings on out-fittings shouldall be included.

A comprehensive database, synchro-nised with the onshore office, will also bebeneficial to allow staff to monitor the sta-tus of tanks, cargo holds and other spacesthroughout the asset lifecycle.

A straightforward and robust user inter-face is similarly essential if the solution is tobe accepted by users on board, and if youare to create the additional key benefit ofhaving a comprehensive flow of informa-tion from the vessel to the onshore office.

Integration of thickness measurementsinto the owner’s maintenance system is

another feature that should be required.Thickness measurement results should beeasily transferred into the software andshould also be shown on the graphicalship model.

This can be made possible by a soft-ware application created for thicknessmeasurement companies, an applicationbased on the same 3-D model of the ship.

Used by the thickness measurementfirm contracted by the ship owner, the toolmaintains historical data in standardisedformats for comparison and can be used tosupport the requirements of any ship type.

New capabilitiesHull maintenance software has been avail-able for several years – yet it has not beenadopted by the majority of the maritimeindustry to date.

However, the new capabilities that existin these programs today, such as the abilityto easily associate defects with structuralmembers and having a platform for theirvisualisation, may help to change that.

Ship owners, managers and operatorswill benefit from having access to both anintegrity tool and a communication aid.With this kind of support for the hullinspection process these systems can takehull maintenance to a new level.

In essence, you may call it a platform forhull structure lifecycle management.

3-D inspection allows users to interact with the model and represent findings visually

Condition Monitoring Support for the HullThe 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 takeadvantage of these capabilities for condition monitoring, writes Dr Christian Cabos, Germanischer Lloyd

About the authorDr Christian Cabos is deputy head ofStrategic Research and Development forGermanischer Lloyd in Hamburg. His par-ticular focus areas are the development ofcomputer aided engineering methods andProduct Lifecycle Management. Mostrecently he has worked on software sup-port for hull inspection and maintenance.

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DS

Software can provide an overview of the structural condition of the whole vessel

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Game based learning for maritimeThe 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

GG ame Based Learning (GBL) canbe very a powerful educationalmodel as part of non-formal or

informal e-learning with supplementaryand supportive scope to formal education.

The maritime industry should take fulladvantage of this emerging technologyproviding a new way for lifelong learningand distance education that supportsactive and critical learning.

Game based learning for seafarers is amultifactor domain combining education-al psychology, learning theories, instruc-tional design, computer game technology,and maritime studies research.

As such it demands the cooperation ofthree different scientific areas – educationdesign, computer science and maritimeeducation, having a common task of‘proper game design’.

However, GBL also faces a lot of prob-lems, which arise partly from the vast dif-ferences in how people think and operatein both arenas.

Instructional design that is connectedto education tends to be systematic, rea-soned, and grounded; and gaming experi-ence is more likely to be idiosyncratic,intuitive, and novel.

In educational games, game designincludes a major task, “embedding suitableeducational approach and instructional tech-niques, for specific learning outcome and stu-dent profile, into the scenario and game playwithout losing the fun and attractive part of it.”

This means that a lot of study has to bedone on the implementation of education-al games for seafarers, mainly on threemain domains and their intersections pre-sented in Figure 1.

The First domain covers ‘learning andeducation’, focusing mainly on learningtheories, learning format, teaching strate-gies and instructional design.

The Second domain is ‘Electronic

Game’, which covers game structure andthe characteristics that make it appealingas a means of learning.

The Third domain of study is ‘Seafarersand Maritime Industry’ which describesthe profession of seafarers and discussesits particularities.

These sections, and their intersections,define the scope of this article, which is anexamination of how to ‘design and devel-op educational games for seafarers’. Aframework for designing educationalgames is presented and applied to profes-sional maritime education for navigation-al safety training.

The result of this has been the creationof a 3D real time strategy game, which is

now in alpha version. The game isdesigned for adult seafarers and maritimefaculty students, applied in non-formaleducational settings, and has been evalu-ated by maritime students.

Maritime educationRegulators and shipping interests aim tocreate a safer, more environmentallyfriendly and secure maritime transporta-tion sector, and write conventions such asthe STCW, which requires specific levelsof knowledge, understanding and skill forall seafarers on each level of responsibility.

Despite this they have been confrontedwith the fact that human error is still themain cause of shipping incidents. Humanerror is present in 80 per cent to 90 per centof all shipping accidents.

Det Norske Veritas has recently con-cluded that “human error still continues tobe a serious challenge, accounting for 58per cent of major [insurance] claims.”

A seaman officer should have manyabilities in order to perform his duty, suchas high professional knowledge and thetechnical skills necessary for ship opera-tion management, prudence in relation topotential dangers and the ability to dealwith those dangers when an accident hap-pens, collaboration and leadership abili-ties, neatness, organisation skills andresponsibility.

He must also be equipped with cour-tesy and education in human relation-ships, time observance, as well as having astrong mind and physical power.

In order to train marine officers with thetalent and capacity required for sea service,Maritime Education and Training (MET)

assumes various courses necessary to shipoperation management will be completed.These include basic science, applied sci-ence, social science and language.

Completion of such courses is neces-sary to obtain standard qualifications,such as the various basic education levelsprovided for by international conventions,and is also supported by field educationthrough embarkation training. MET is alifelong learning process that supportsactive and critical thinking.

The idea of using computer games foreducation is not just a concept inspired byeducators and researchers, but is alsofound in leading game designers’ descrip-tions of the most basic incentives for play-ing computer games.

In the words of game designer ChrisCrawford (1982), “The fundamental moti-vation for all game-playing is to learn.”

What is important is to consider how tointegrate, and not just add, games to theeducational tool set, blending them withlearning activities.

Integration requires an understandingof the medium and its alignment with thesubject, instructional strategy, student’slearning style, and intended outcomes.Integration of games into curricula ismuch more likely to be successful thanmere game use.

Stapleton and Hughes posit a schema(Figure 2) that helps illustrate how the resultsof fundamental ID tasks from a game’s mainconventions facilitate the design anddevelopment of instructional games.

According to Kirriemuir andMcFarlane, the game environment cansupport both the mundane 'acquisition ofFigure 1: Domains of study

Learning and education

Educationalgames

Electronic games

Seafarersand new

technologiesSeafarers and maritime industry

Seafarers’ analysis,maritime education,performance context

Educationalgames for seafarers

Figure 2: Game main conventions and ID events

Gaming main conventions Story’s Intentional Learning (Instruction, Game-world)

1. Character2. Worlds3. Events

Play’s Incidental Learning (Practice, Game-play)

1. Stimulus2. Response3. Results

Game’s Intrinsic Learning (Performance, Game-structure)

1. Goals2. Tools 3. Rules

Gaming fundamental ID tasks1. Expose2. Inquire3. Discover4. Create5. Experiment6. Share

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facts' through drill and practice, and thecomplex acquisition of process skillsthrough simulation.

Defining the game genre we can targetdeferent educational approaches andachieve various learning objectives as pre-sented in Figure 3.

Designing educationalgames

In order to equip games with learningabilities we should integrate educationaltheory into the game design and considerhow to use Instructional Design (ID) mod-els in the game development process.

Here we will focus on three differentinstruction models, each one with a differ-ent role in the game design and implemen-tation procedure, in order to show that it ispossible for games to meet the demands ofthese ID models, and also present how IDmodels influence and benefit the develop-ment of Educational Games.

A game design and implementationframework based on these three ID mod-els provides a strong evidence that theGBL is pedagogically well grounded.

The first of these models is Gagné’snine events (Figure 4, top left), used tohelp us identify the in-game situationsthat must be fulfilled for successfulinstruction, and also associates each one ofthese events with its in-game event.

The second model is the ADDIE model(Figure 4, top right), which providesinstructional designers with a solid foun-dation for designing instruction, and ismost useful for the overall description ofthe product development process.

The ADDIE model has strong compo-nents and describes the overall procedureof instructional design and implementa-tion. A game development processgrounded in a solid Instructional modellike ADDIE can help to verify the con-struction procedure of complete instruc-tional products.

The last of our three models (bottomFigure 4) is Dick and Carey’s model,which is more analytical than ADDIE andtells the designer how to break instructiondown to smaller components and synthe-size these components.

For this reason it is used in analytical

game design, as it involves more intricatesteps in order to address the total effec-tiveness of mastering objectives or goals.

In order to adopt game design to spe-cific maritime education objectives, wehave classified the learning objectives into3 levels of application: ‘Wisdom’,‘Operation’ and ‘Support’, that corre-spond to a Constructivist, Cognitivist andBehaviourist approach (see Figure 5).

These learning objectives are based onSTCW’95 requirements, where featureshave been determined in terms of‘Administration’, ‘Domain knowledge’,‘skills and attitudes’.

Games can support these educationallevels based on different game worlds,structure and play, and under variousgame genres.

Nevertheless, the process and resources

that are necessary to apply pedagogy ingame design and development differ sig-nificantly depending on the applicationlevel – as illustrated in Figure 6.

Collaboration of gamedesigners and educators

In order to produce educational gamesbeyond edutainment we need cooperationbetween commercial game develop-ers/designers and instructional design-ers/subject matter educators.

These two groups can work togetherunder a proper game design and develop-ment framework. The goal is to create‘stealth learning’ in games that still remainamusing and fun to play.

The framework proposed here is basedon the instructional design of the ‘SystemsApproach Model for Designing Instruction’(Dick et al. 2001), which consists of thethree phases outlined in the last of ourmodels in Figure 4 – the Analysis Phase;Design Phase; and Production Phase.

Analysis phase results (as described inFigure 7) will create the concept documentthat describes the high concept of thegame, player motivation, game play,story, target audience/market, gamegenre, target platform and game goals.

The Design Phase follows the analysisphase (see Figure 8), and the results of thisphase form the basis of the IMS LearningDesign document.

Modern pedagogical theory insists onthe importance of scenarios, i.e. story-boards that define learning activities.

The IMS Learning Design Specification(IMS-LD) provides a very thorough frame-work for evaluating the capabilities ofsoftware tools within the learning designspace and also a platform-independentnotational convention to allow sharingand re-use of these designs.

Also, it will be necessary to create gamedesign documents (GDD), an extension ofthe concept document – these will have aproject overview and detailed descrip-tions of: Game world, Game play, Gamestructure, Art, Audio and TechnicalFeatures, Production Details.

Added to these documents we wouldalso have the Art Bible, the TechnicalDesign Document, and game prototypes.

The next phase, the Production Phase,will include complete formative evaluations.

The educators / instructional designerswill conduct small group evaluations to

Figure 4: Instructional Design models

Event Games

1 Attention utilize quality video and audio in the set-up

2 Expectancy provide background and description of how to ‘win’ provide overview, rules, and tasks/quests

3 Retrieval to working leverage the use of background information and levelsmemory

4 Pattern recognition, Present animated material that is encouraging, chal lenging,selective perception user-controlled and easy navigable with important information

5 Chunking, rehearsal, Offer optional hints, pop-up with alternate choices, suggestions.encoding “Help” sections, user guides and tutorials

6 Retrieval, Encourage interactivity by assigning tasks, quests, challenges,responding problems

7 Reinforcement, Tally scores, provide corrective feedback, provide rewards forerror correction achieving each level

8 Responding, Ensure achievement is assessed in a timely and meaningful way.retention Track scores/best scores

9 Retention, retrieval, Transfer skills and knowledge between levels and games.generalization

Instructional Game Stage Design Development

(ADDIE)

1 Analysis Concept

Development

2 Design Pre-production

3 Development Prototyping

4 Implementation Production

5 Evaluation Post-production

AssessNeeds toIdentifyGoal(s)

AnalysisLearners andContexts

Analysis Phase

ConductInstructionalAnalysis

ReviseInstruction

Write PerformanceObjectives

DevelopAssessmentInstruments

DevelopInstructionalStrategy

Develop andSelectInstructionalMaterials

Design andConductFormativeEvaluation ofInstruction

Design andConductSummativeEvaluation

Design Phase

Production Phase

Aspect Behaviourist Cognitive Constructivism

Learning Changes Process entirely in Discover and transform

process behaviour the head of the complex information

learner

Learn Facts, skills, Judgment, Theories, Process

what procedures Reasoning

Game Action, sports, Business, Strategy, adventure,

genre role-play, simulation open ended simulation

adventure tabletop adventure, strategy

Figure 3: Learning theory, object, and game genre

Support Operation Wisdom(Skills and attitudes) (Domain Knowledge) (Administration)Behaviorist orientation Cognitivist orientation Constructivist orientation

Calculus & Statistics Physics Navigation

Medical First Aid Meteorology Maritime Safety

Technical Drawing Chemistry Prevention of Marine Pollution

Electric and IT and Communication Cargo Handling and StowageElectrotecnics

Fire fighting Ship Engines techniques Ship Structure and Stability

Lifeboat Training Maritime English Naval Shipping Control

Personal Safety Law Shipbuilding

Communications Maritime History Maritime Business

GMDSS Geography

Search & Rescue Oceanography

Figure 5: Learning theories for maritime objectives

Ship Management (includesBridge Resource Management)

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determine the effectiveness of changesmade following the one-to-one evaluation,and conduct field trials of the Beta versionof the games.

Complete testing is required to fix allbugs, fine tune performance, and ensure thegame may be used in its intended setting.

During this phase game developers /designers will create and test prototypesduring the design, as well as various ver-sions of the games during production. Suchtests tend to focus on ease of use, docu-menting and fixing programming bugs,and ensuring the game is (still) fun to play.

The Production Phase should result inan Alpha version, where the game isplayable from start to finish, though theremay be a few gaps and the art assets maynot be final. However, the game engineand user interface are both complete.

Production of the Beta version focuseson fixing bugs and the integration of allassets. The objectives are to complete test-ing (including use on all supported plat-forms), bug fixing and performance tuning.

For the Gold version the product hasbeen reviewed and finalised and is readyfor production.

Alpha versionAn educational game for the maritimeindustry, called Trader Of The World(TOTW), has actually been developed inAlpha version, according to the aboveframework.

Following the Analysis phase, thepremise of the game was decided to be ‘aneducational game with embedded instruc-tional design and assessments that willstill be fun to play, (with) an interestingand intriguing game story and game playfor the target audience’.

It is a first person, business strategy,real time simulation game, in the follow-ing scenario: “You are the captain of amerchant ship. Find a cargo contract suit-able for your ship, make a contract, get tothe port where you will load the cargo atspecific date/time, deliver it to the desti-nation port, and then you get paid accord-ing to the contract.”

“Take care of your ship; buy food sup-plies, petrol, deck supplies and take careof your crew. A lot of incidents may ariseduring your travel, like crew diseases,navigation faults, port strikes, port traffic,bad weather, engineering problems, shipdamages and much more.”

“You can predict and overcome most ofthese problems if you take right decisionsand act consequently. Competitor captains

do their best too.”The aim of the player is to increase their

earnings, and gain the reputation of ‘bestcaptain’, starting your career at the begin-ning. The player must navigate, charterand administer their crew better thancompetitors, with game play also includ-ing travel cost estimation and commercial

management of a cargo ship.The game requires the Windows 7 plat-

form, a standalone pc with high qualitygraphics card, 2 GB RAM and a 17-inchmonitor. The target audience is seafarers

and maritime students from the merchantmaritime industry.

The design phase has also been com-pleted, resulting in the IMS – LD docu-ment illustrated in Figure 9.

Figure 6: GBL for all educational levels

Tasks Educators / Instructional designers Game Designers / Developers

Define learning goals, Assess needs, education scope. Combine learning goals with skills and knowledge Reconcile formal education lesson plans. entertainment goals.

Decide prerequisites and learning outcome Identify game complexity and genre.level. Identify suitable learning theory

Create learners’ profile Make Learner analysis (Entry behaviours, Identify game difficulty, levels, needs, learning method, attitudes, challenges, availability and interfacedemographics, and game experience)

Learning context and Instructional design, assessments, Decide hardware requirements, scope educational and instructional resources resources, networking

Performance context Game world settings and learning activities. Game world settings and learning Check the analogies between reality and Make a draft game story. imaginary game world. Draft IMS-LD document. System dynamic tools may be used

Basic instructional Design structure Game genre, game play. Decide game approach design approach method.

Figure 7: Description of the analysis phase from Dick and Carey’s model

Tasks Educators / Instructional designers Game Designers / Developers

Game play Generate objectives. Associate learning Game playactivities with learning objects and objectives

Game rules Factor analysis and system dynamics on Game structure player activities and game world events

Game world, Cluster and sequence the objectives. Define game levels by considering game andcompetition Communicate the organization of objectives instructional flow, duration, availability,

to developers. Create the IMS-LD document. relationships and difficulty.

Delineate Learner Assess What, Assess When, Assess Where Determine learner assessment. Decide game Assessment Methods and how rewards and penalties as assessments’ results.

Apply Grounded Identify instructional events associated with Integrate grounded instructional strategies and Strategies & Events the instructional approach or strategy events with story events to optimize GBL exploiting

selected during concept development. similarities and resolving differences in story andinstruction.

Begin Formative Expert reviews by subject matter experts as well as media, learning and human factors specialists. Evaluations One-to-one evaluations to obtain initial reactions to the content from learners.

Revision Re-examine the validity of the instructional Examine game levels. Check consistency of gameanalysis and the assumptions about the story and the clearness of game objectives. entry behaviours and characteristics of Examine user interface. learners. Review the instructional strategy. Examine player motivation, game flow and attractiveness.

Figure 8: Description of the design phase from Dick and Carey’s model


Digital Ship

Figure 9: Chartering concepts, facts, principles and procedures

Connection

Data

Information

Wisdom

Knowledge

Understanding

G.B.L.

Process the data (Support function)

Understand how system works(Operation function)

Realize risks and chances(Administration function)

cargoload

cargo

originport

destinationport

charterfee penalties

capacity

depth

kind ofship

bonuscost

fuelscost

wagescost

portcost

insurancecost

runningcost

estimatetravel cost

travel profit

ship capability

all availablechartering

profits

charteringagreement

ship characteristings

ship status

charteringdescription

charterdetails

selectchartering

offercheck

all charteringoffers

selecta charteringagreement

signcharteringagreement

checkif your shipis capable estimate

travelcosts

charter

IP

C

C

C

availablemoney

C

C

IP

C

IP

IP

IP

ship descrption

C

C

IP

IP

C

IP

P

C

C C

C

C C

C

P

C

C

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The screenshots shown in Figure 10demonstrate some of the different aspectsof the TOTW game.

In the top left screenshot we can seeindicators for, from left to right, theGMDSS device, GPS device, the compass,thrust indicators, fuel level and a minimap where the player can see his positionsand port positions.

There are also four controls coveringship’s overall status, engine department,deck department and food supplies. Herethe ship is in the harbour, and the playersees the dock, the crane and the town.

The top right and bottom left screen-shots show views of the 3D ship model,while the screenshot bottom right showsthe in-game electronic map.

This screen serves two purposes – thefirst one is to help the player find his posi-tion in the map. The second one is to pointand click on the map so that he sets thewaypoints that ship must follow. Theupper right of the map screen displays thewaypoints that have been selected (usingGPS coordinates).

Also, there is a contract screen thatpresents the available contracts in the mar-ket with all the details. The player has toestimate the costs of each contract in orderto accept the most profitable.

Real life evaluationThe TOTW game was demonstrated to 200male students, from 21 to 27 years old, atthe Marine Engineering Academy in ChiosIsland, Greece.

This Academy offers courses to stu-

dents in the field of navigation, ship han-dling, bridge resource management,mechanics and machine construction. Allof them were in the last year of their stud-ies and had 12 months of sea workingexperience.

To gather the students’ thoughts on theeducational game they were asked to fillin a questionnaire of 16 Likert Questions(a psychometric scale commonly used inquestionnaires) and personal demograph-ic data.

The research objectives of the question-naire were game attractiveness, businessmodel representation in game environ-ment, acceptance of games as an educa-tional mean in MET and familiarization ofmaritime students with Computer andComputer Games.

Each question has 5 possible answers: SDrepresents ‘Strongly disagree’, D for‘Disagree’, NAND for ‘Neither agree nordisagree’, A stands for ‘Agree’ and SA for‘Strongly Agree’. Results and conclusionsfrom these questions are shown in Figure 11.

Our conclusion from this project is thatEducational Games is a promising emerg-ing technology suitable for the educationalneeds of maritime education and training.

GBL can be used in the MET domainand applied not only to onboard (non for-mal) education, but also to informal mar-itime education as a supplementary toolaiming to achieve active learning and crit-ical thinking.

Educational Games can be adjusted to

almost any learning need if they aredesigned under a framework such as theone proposed in this paper, and devel-oped by a team formed by instructionaldesigners, field masters, educators, gamedesigners and game developers.

The results of the summative evalua-tion of the Alpha version of the ‘Trader ofthe World’ game developed by theUniversity of the Aegean were very satis-factory, and it seems that there is a greatchance to create and introduce such gamesin maritime education.

The next step in the research is thedevelopment of the Beta and Gold (final)version of the game, with improvements ingraphics, scenarios building, usability etc.

Then it can be fully evaluated by sea-farers and maritime students in order tohave the final feedback about the twomajor issues of the research: fun andimmersiveness of playing maritime educa-tional games, and the desired learningoutcome for MET.

Figure 10: Game screenshots

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Survey Issue SD D NAND A SA Conclusions

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 game will make it more attractive.

Business model 5% 16% 18% 28% 33% Bridge resource management and commercial ship representation in game management are ranked with high marks. Students want an environment environment where they will able to test and use their

knowledge.

Acceptance of games 7% 8% 14% 36% 35% It seems that students wish games were part of their education.as an educational mean for MET

Acceptance of games 14% 19% 24% 14% 29% It is not clear whether games are accepted as evaluation as knowledge method (such as simulations). It seems games suit better to assessment method non formal learning, as it was first assumed in this paper.

Use of games on board 14% 19% 24% 14% 29% This question needs further research. It is not sure that the for on going education question was clear to the students.

Familiarization of 7% 0% 15% 20% 58% Maritime students are getting well used to computer technology maritime students with and computer games.Computers and Games

Figure 11: Concept document – game questionnaire

About the authorsDr �ikitas �ikitakos is a Professor in the Department of Shipping Trade and Transport atthe University of the Aegean, Greece. E-mail: [email protected]

Ioannis Sirris ia a Ph.D. student at the University of the Aegean, Greece. E-mail:[email protected]

This article is based on an original academic paper – the original paper, with a full ist ofreferences, is available at http://www.thedigitalship.com/powerpoints/GBL.doc.

DS


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FLIPPERSAND SHIPPING.

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ELECTRONICS & NAVIGATION NEWS


The UKHO is to open its first over-seas office in Singapore, to provide localsupport for Admiralty distributors and itscustomer base across Asia. Registered asAdmiralty Hydrographic Asia Pacific Pte,the office will be based at 1 FullertonRoad, Marina Bay.

Comark Corporation has receivedType Approval from the AmericanBureau of Shipping (ABS) for its23-inch series of MDU marine displays.The MDU23 features an LED backlit dis-play, with all electronics coated to protectagainst moisture and corrosion.Touchscreen options are available, withthe unit also tested to meet ECDIS require-ments in IEC 61174.

Ocean Signal has appointed JamesHewitt as its sales and marketing manag-er for both the UK and overseas markets.Mr Hewitt previously worked withanother UK electronics manufacturer asexport sales manager before moving intohis new role.

Teledyne TSS reports that it hasbeen granted type approval by theRussian Maritime Register ofShipping for its Meridian Standardand Meridian Surveyor gyrocompasses.The Meridian range was already IMOand Wheelmark approved andincludes versions with High Speed Craftcertification.

Kelvin Hughes and ZenerMarine have signed a new distributionagreement to include a range of paperand digital charts and publications in theZener portfolio. Zener is an equipmentdistributor and service agent for KelvinHughes radar, ECDIS and VDR in Dubai- this agreement adds chart products tothat list.

Vesper Marine has added fournew partners to its international distribu-tion network - Marine Electronics inSwitzerland, Pochon in France,Electronics Marine in Chile and AlNakheel Electronics in the UAE. Allfour partners will distribute Vesper

Sim success for L-3

Furuno Norge has extended its deal with Hatteland Display by three years

Marine's line of AIS collision avoidancetechnology products to a reseller net-work, and provide marketing and techni-cal support.

Thomas Gunn NavigationServices has partnered with Vancouver-based Maritime Services to formThomas Gunn Maritime Services Inc. Thecompanies will offer North America-based shipowners and managers a com-bined range of products and servicesincluding Thomas Gunn MaritimeServices’ own Outfit Management Serviceto manage charts and publications.

Hatteland Display has signed athree-year extension of its cooperationagreement with Furuno Norge. Under

the agreement, Hatteland Display willcontinue to supply its high-resolutioncolour displays for Furuno Norge's navi-gation, fish finding and communicationsystems.

Comark’s 23-inch series has beenapproved by ABS

www.sperrymarine.northropgrumman.com

Sperry Marine has entered a cooperationagreement with Safebridge to provideonline training for users of SperryMarine’s VisionMaster FT ship navigationtechnology.

Safebridge software programs allowstudents to complete online training spe-cific to the navigation products installedon the ships they sail.

Users can log on to the Safebridge serv-er via the internet to access a range of e-learning modes, a guided tutorial on thelive system, self testing with feedback andfree play of the live system.

Upon successful completion of thecourse assessment, students receive a cer-

tificate of competence."As the new International Maritime

Organization (ECDIS) carriage require-ments are phased in, e-learning is a cost-effective training solution for ship owners,maritime academies, crew agencies andindividuals," said J Nolasco DaCunha,vice president of Northrop GrummanSperry Marine.

"The software allows students to train on all watch modes of SperryMarine’s VisionMaster FT system, mostnotably the (ECDIS). Users are takenstep by step through a number of modules as if they were using the actualtechnology, and are shown how to use each feature in various simulatedscenarios."

www.ukho.gov.ukwww.oceansignal.comwww.vespermarine.comwww.thomasgunn.comwww.comarkcorp.comwww.eagle.orgwww.kelvinhughes.co.ukwww.zener.aewww.tss-international.comwww.hatteland-display.comwww.furuno.com

www.mpri.com

L-3 MPRI reports that it has completed theinstallation of a Liquid Cargo HandlingSimulator (LCHS) in the Philippines,while also gaining approval for TankerOfficer Training Standards (TOTS) train-ing on similar simulators in Italy.

Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement’s(BSM) new Maritime Training Centre inManila has taken delivery of the new SafeCargo LCHS, having opened in early 2011.

The Safe Cargo system is comprised ofone instructor and six student worksta-tions, each fitted with dual monitor dis-plays and equipped with three ship mod-els, allowing training to be conducted inall the main liquid cargo disciplines ofchemical, gas and oil operations.

It is also one of the first installations to usethe new 5.0 version of the LCHS software.

To assist with system setup, L-3 MPRIis providing course materials for all threevessel types, as well as specialised trainingfor future instructors, both in the technicaloperation of the simulator and the trainingtechniques that should be used to ensurebest practices.

The simulator will be used to train andenhance the skills of personnel operatingBSM’s fleet of owned and managed liquidcargo vessels. BSM, one of the world’slargest ship management companies, cur-rently has over 7,000 Filipino seafarers inits pool.

BSM and L-3 MPRI have a long stand-ing relationship, with BSM having alsoinvested in LCHS systems and bridge andengine simulators in its training centres inCyprus, India and Poland.

In Italy, L-3 MPRI reports that its LCHSinstalled at the Italian Maritime AcademyPhilippines (IMAP) has been accredited bythe Registro Italiano Navale (RINA) foruse in the delivery of the Tanker OfficerTraining Standards (TOTS) training andassessment programmes provided by theAcademy.

IMAP provides training to Filipino sea-farers, and says that the simulator will beused to ensure that all personnel aretrained to the highest levels.

The models and course material avail-able with the simulator are fully compati-ble with TOTS.

To assist with the verification of per-sonnel against the TOTS requirements,IMAP and L-3 MPRI will collaborate todevelop the training and assessment crite-ria that will allow the progress of each stu-dent to be recorded and verified using theL-3 MPRI WISE Assessment System.

L-3’s WISE Assessment and WISEVirtual Instructor Systems are used toensure trainer assessments are consistentand include detailed records to supportIMAP’s requirements.

“The accreditation by RINA confirmsthat our LCHS system is fully capable ofproviding a platform for training andassessment courses that meets all the cur-rent international and industry stan-dards,” said Dennis Corrigan, senior vicepresident and general manager of L-3MPRI’s Training Systems Group.

“The Italian Maritime AcademyPhilippines is one of the first institutionsto receive this accreditation, and we arevery pleased to continue providing fullytrained personnel for its clients.”

Comar launches new AISwww.comarsystems.com

Comar Systems has launched its new CSD-300 display, designed for ves-sels that require AIS data as primaryinformation.

The unit can manage, sort and displayall AIS targets and locate specific vesselsby name, MMSI number or category.

The unit is supplied in two variants,either as a standalone display for connec-tion to an existing AIS transponder orreceiver on board, or as the CSD-300Rwhich has an integral AIS receiver.

Up to five selected targets can betracked, displaying track histories and live

detailed information on any one vessel. Variable parameters for CPA and

TCPA can be set and modified accordingto user requirements, and an internalaudible alarm can warn of potentialproblems.

Data is displayed on a 6.5-inch high res-olution display overlaid onto worldwidebackground cartography or as a ‘radar’style display with range rings. For moredetailed cartography, the unit has a slotfor a Jeppesen C-MAP C card.

There is also a ‘GOTO’ feature includedto take you directly to the vessel on thechart and to immediately access all thedata related to this vessel.

Sperry agrees online training deal

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www.kongsberg.com

The installation of a new set of navigationsimulators from Kongsberg Maritime hasbeen completed at the new Great BarrierReef International Marine College(GBRIMC) in Cairns, Australia.

The installation consisted of a 270degree DNV Class A full mission bridgesimulator, a 180 degree tug bridge, 8destktop navlab stations with part tasksimulators for ECDIS training and aninstructor station.

The simulator features exercise areadatabases of Australia's busiest ports, aswell as a library of ship-models to giveGBRIMC the flexibility to train differenttypes of crew and competencies. The fullmission bridge and the tug simulators areintegrated, so students may operate bothwithin the same exercise.

"The simulator is ideal for training at all levels, from coxswains to foreigngoing master and pilot training," saidKim Anderson, project manager,GBRIMC.

The GBRIMC simulator suite was fund-ed by the Queensland State Governmentand has capacity to cater for 124 studentsat any one time. It is closely connected

with the local high-school through theMarineTech programme, in order to helpyoung students forge a career path intothe maritime industry.

www.veripos.com

Veripos has been awarded a new two yeargeneral services contract by Naples-basedGeoLab Srl, extending the relationshipbetween the two companies following anearlier three-year agreement.

Veripos will continue to supply its rangeof GNSS positioning solutions in support ofGeoLab’s fleet of dedicated multi-role sur-vey vessels operating worldwide.

These systems cover a range of Veripospositioning capabilities, including itsApex and Ultra services using precisepoint positioning (PPP) methods fordecimetre-level accuracies, and Verify QC,software for real-time positioning andquality control information.

"It marks a further important stage inour relationship with Veripos who contin-ue to provide us with optimum levels ofservice and support together with highlevels of reliability and worldwide avail-ability," said GeoLab managing directorGiovanni Ranieri.

New Australian college completes simulator installation

Premier Anna Bligh (in the blue dress) and Capt Kim Andersen, project manager,GBRIMC (right), mark the new installation

www.ukho.gov.uk

The UK Hydrographic Office hasannounced that it is considering sellingthe equity holding of its AdmiraltyDeutschland GmbH subsidiary, whichincludes the SevenCs and ChartWorldbusinesses.

SevenCs provides electronic chart soft-ware and services for civil and militaryapplications, including a kernel for pre-senting electronic chart information andassociated data products, as well as arange of electronic chart production toolsused by hydrographic offices, port author-ities and inland waterway authoritiesaround the world.

Associated company ChartWorld pro-vides electronic chart subscription services.

UKHO says Admiralty Holdingswould like to divest AdmiraltyDeutschland so it can "concentrate on itscore business".

It is looking for a "highly focussed, inno-vative organisation" to acquire the compa-nies, which can "further develop the busi-ness and realise its exciting potential."

The combined companies have anannual turnover of over €5m, and are saidto be "profitable".

UKHO acquired SevenCs andChartWorld in January 2006, stating at thetime that it was keen to reduce the businessbarriers between electronic charts and thesoftware which runs and displays them.

News of this potential sale followedsoon after SevenCs own announcementthat its ORCA Master Electronic ChartSystem (ECS) is now compatible withUKHO's Admiralty Information Overlay,used to import navigational updates fromAdmiralty to an ECDIS or ECS.

In addition to managing navigationaldata the Overlay also displays updates from

the UKHO’s ENC validation programme.For this programme the UKHO’s carto-graphic teams checked over 11,000 ENCsagainst Admiralty’s paper chart equivalent,to make sure that both paper and digitalcharts are completely consistent.

As new navigational or ENC updatesare made available to the UKHO by for-eign governments and partner hydro-graphic offices worldwide, the teamscheck them and validate required updatesbefore the chart is corrected, or an updateis added.

The Overlay is now compatible withboth Transas and SevenCs systems, afterTransas was the first to announce avail-ability via the Transas Admiralty DataService (TADS).

UKHO is also working with a numberof other ECDIS manufacturers to ensurethe Admiralty Information Overlay can bedisplayed on their systems, and that fur-ther availability will be announced in thenext few months.

The new version of SevenCs ORCAMaster with Admiralty InformationOverlay compatibility is available forimmediate download, with a free six-month trial, from the SevenCs website.

The Admiralty Information Overlay isavailable free of charge to all customers ofthe Admiralty Vector Chart Service(AVCS) and Admiralty ECDIS Service.

"The Admiralty Information Overlaymarks another significant step forward indigital navigation because it delivers avital range of data to the mariner," saidAdmiral Nick Lambert, chief hydrograph-er at the UKHO.

"It ensures they can instantly see anyinformation which might impact their voy-age planning or execution on the ECDIS,allowing them to sail with increased safety,compliance and efficiency."

www.consilium.se

Consilium reports that it has supplied itsOil Spill Detection Radar to a number ofusers in Europe and Asia, with dealsagreed in the months following the com-pletion of testing with the NorwegianCoastal Administration and theNorwegian Clean Seas Association ForOperative Companies (NOFO) in 2010.

These customers include the FinnishIcebreaker Kontio, commissioned asstand-by vessel for EMSA (EuropeanMaritime Safety Agency), as well asother companies in Norway, Italy and China.

The most recent order has been for anOil Spill Response vessel for cleaningoperations in Rotterdam.

The Oil Spill Radar integrates a com-plete Oil Spill Detection function into

Consilium’s standard type approvedIMO/Solas Navigational radar.

The radar processing unit is supportedby a special Consilium radar sensor, withan increased rotation speed of the antenna- up to 44 revolutions per minute.

Ships in regular operations can use theprimary radar set as a traditional instru-ment for navigation and the secondaryradar display, interfaced to the primaryradar, can be switched to the Oil SpillDetection function.

Using both radar display functionssimultaneously, the vessel can act as anearly warning anti-pollution unit whilesailing along its route.

With real-time signal processing, theunit is also able to highlight the dampen-ing of the reflected microwave radiationon the radar display and to overlay thesame on the Consilium ECDIS.

UKHO considers selling SevenCs and ChartWorld

New users for oil spill detection system

Geolab extends positioning contract

The Consilium system can overlay oil spill information on the company’s ECDIS

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www.thomasgunn.com

Thomas Gunn Navigation Services haslaunched its TGNS Voyager 3 software,used to manage onboard navigationaldata, which was officially unveiled at theSea Asia event in Singapore.

Voyager is an automated onboard chart management system which providesthe mariner with a personalised databaseof charts, publications and Notices ToMariners (NTM's), organised in a foliosystem.

TGNS Voyager 3 is an enhancement ofthe existing Voyager 2 software, introduc-ing the ability to receive corrections forAdmiralty Vector Chart Service (AVCS) ,Admiralty Digital Products (ADP) andSeamanship M Notices.

The new TGNS Voyager 3 software willbe supplied to all Voyager 1 and 2 sub-scribers at no additional cost, followingtesting and sea trials.

Other enhancements in the new versioninclude an improvement of the TGNS cat-alogue to include a map display of BA

charts and AVCS cells. Vessels will nowhave the ability to manage their ownindexes and add charts and cells to theorder basket.

The Voyager service provides weeklyupdates to the ship's index, which con-tains NTMs and tracings via internet or e-mail.

The Voyager Data Server compressesthe data before sending it to the user toreduce the file sizes, with the ship onlyreceiving files relevant to its chart outfit.

Thomas Gunn notes that there will nolonger be a charge for the digital supply ofNP247 and NP234, as these publicationswill be supplied in Voyager without anyadditional fee.

"We have our own IT and research anddevelopment departments and we workhard to provide solutions for our cus-tomers," said Thomas Gunn, founder andmanaging director of Thomas GunnNavigation Services.

"Voyager 3 represents one such solu-tion and we are pleased (to introduce) it toour customers throughout the world."

Digital Ship

Raytheon Anschütz GmbHD-24100 Kiel, GermanyTel +49(0)4 31-30 19-0Fax +49(0)4 31-30 19-291

www.raytheon-anschuetz.com

R Anschütz

Synapsis Bridge Control combines proven reliability with most advanced and innovative technology which is needed for work within the natural forces at sea.

The new generation Integrated Navigation System stands for safe and predictable operation, highest fl exibility as well as for optimized system functionality with full data access at any bridge workstation. Worldwide dedicated service support included.

Please visit us at

May 24 – 27, 2011Hall B, Booth No. B03-12

INTEGRATED NAVIGATIONSYSTEMSfor Offshore and Research Vessels

Thomas Gunn launches latestsoftware version

www.transas.com

Kimberley TAFE Broome MaritimeSimulation Centre in Australia is to installa Transas Full Mission Simulator, upgrad-ing the existing simulation centre, whileTransas simulators will also be applied inthe development of a new container termi-nal in Turkey.

The simulation package for KimberleyTAFE includes a main bridge, secondarybridges and a tug station for training ofpilots and tug masters.

Within this project Transas Marine willdevelop rotor tug ship models and integratereal drop-in panel and steering controlsfrom Schottel for training of masters andintegration with pilots in live situations.

The simulator will have a number ofreplaceable panels which will allow thesystem to be used for simulation trainingon different vessel types, and a config-urable main bridge console that can incor-porate real steering wheels from SperryMarine and Raytheon Anschutz.

The system is based on a Navi-Trainer

Professional 5000 ship handling simulatorfrom Transas, featuring wind-generatedsea state and variable swell models withuser selected sea state spectrum, vesseland wave interaction, full scene and envi-ronment reflection, and three dimensionalbow waves and propeller wash and asso-ciated floating object interference.

New grounding, synchronous rolling,broaching and other modelling featuresare included, as well as integrated VHFand Intercom solutions, voice communica-tion and CCTV video recording for debriefand assessment.

The main bridge will use seven EyeVisSeamless wrap round screens to cover 280degrees, with two rear screens for full 360degree vision.

In Turkey, Dokuz Eylul UniversityMaritime Faculty has conducted a study todevelop a new ‘East MediterraneanContainer Terminal’ in MersinInternational Port (MIP), using theTransas Model Wizard (MW) software forcreating and editing simulation areas.

During the manoeuvring studies in thesimulator, numerous ship manoeuvreswere performed using different ship mod-els in five different revision plans.

After testing different scenarios, therequired changes to the plans were determined with reference to the experi-ence of the harbour pilots and internation-al regulations.

During the study, the modelling teamand authorised harbour pilots assessedapproaching channel depth/width, shipmanoeuvring basin, turning circle, stop-ping distance, and necessary bollard pull oftug boats for the new container terminal.

Transas simulators boost projects in Turkey and Australia

The Kimberley TAFE Centre has installed a Transas simulator

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In 2010 SpecTec sold 655 new AMOS licenses, with the new AMOS2 Enterprise Suite accounting for 22% of the total. We also upgraded to latest versions 398 AMOS Business Suite installations, and 34 AMOS2Enterprise Suite. It was a strong achievement, which saw SpecTec performing 3 installations or upgrades per each day of the year or, if oneprefers 5.2 installations or upgrades per each working day. A clear proofon what SpecTec can do.

In December SpecTec successfully completed the User Acceptance Test withHyproc, a company of Sonatrach (the powerful Algerian Oil&Gas Group)dealing with LNG, LPG and bitumen transportation, relevant to the deliveryof AMOS2 Enterprise Suite (all modules) to the company LNG fleet. In February, Hyproc validated the project go-live for the first vessels of thefleet. It gave us great satisfaction to obtain such results on this big andtough project driven by Ernst&Young of France on behalf of the customer.

Another important achievement was the Thenamaris contract, which will see AMOS installed on all ships of one of the largest Greek shippingcompanies.

UASC confirmed a contract for the nine 13.000 TEU vessels under construction at Samsung Yard. This contract was particularly importantbecause it was the first one including Technical Manuals to be generatedwith the Shipdex protocol and Database built by utilizing Shipdex Datasets.In addition, the project includes large number of interfaces to the Automation plant, reading data such as pressure, temperature, level(tanks), running hours, etc., and thus allowing Condition Based Maintenance Planning.

Moreover, for UASC SpecTec has created a very sophisticated bunker supply analysis and procurement system, which will be directly linked withthe on board tank measurements, to calculate fuel consumption and costs,comparison with other vessels of the fleet, and automated procurementfunctionality based on closer port and lower prices, and so on.

After the successful initial tests on ten ships, Yang Ming confirmed theorder for the installation of AMOS on all their 80 ships, including the 25new Bulk Carriers which will operate under the new subsidiary KM. On theCruise sector SpecTec USA signed a contract with Crystal Cruises, for thedelivery of a shore based Stock Control system. 2010 also saw the installation of AMOS on the astonishing Allure of the Seas, a real wonderfulvessel. All Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines ships have AMOS on board.

And to close the year in a perfect way, two very important contracts withleading CT companies have also been signed at the end of 2010, for atotal of 140 CT vessels.

By end 2010, SpecTec had 658 maritime and Oil&Gas customers, andcounted over 7000 active licenses (calculated as single installations); ofthese:

• 992 Bulk Carriers

• 610 CT vessels

• 243 ferries

• 222 Cruise ships (almost 95%)

• 2300 Tankers (1500 Oil Tankers, the rest LNG and LPG or chemical tankers)

• 220 oil platforms (jack-up, drilling rigs, offshore and onshore)

• Over 100 Navy ships (on 6 different Navies)

We are proud of such numbers which are completely unrivalled in theindustry. SpecTec is spending over than 4 million U$ a year in productdevelopment and R&D. Aside the main AMS Suites, three more productsare under development:

• Shipdex, the SpecTec brainchild protocol for Interactive Electronic Technical Publications, derived from the S1000d Aeronautical standard,which has reached a strong consensus amongst suppliers and shippingcompanies. SpecTec has invested substantial time and money in this project (which is NOT owned by SpecTec and is based on a non-profit principle), in order to solve the problem of populating Asset ManagementSoftware with technical data. When manuals are delivered in Shipdex format, all relevant data can be automatically imported in AMOS. Alreadyseveral MAN engines are available in Shipdex format and it is impressiveto see how the whole system works.

• AMOS-IS – Integrity Solution. This project is aimed at providingshipowners and oil companies with an ultimate control of their installations. For shipping lines, it includes hull stress, fuel consumptionanalysis and control, all the KPI, Inspections and Vetting and much more.For the oil companies, Risk Based Inspections, Asset integrity, Life CycleCost and Analysis, and so on. It is the ultimate AMOS project, the onewhich will propel SpecTec like a rocket into the second decade of thesecond millennium.

• AMOS-Mobile. This software allows stock audits and Work Orders reporting via hand-held terminals. It is already in its final testing phaseand ready for delivery.

We have also completed a Citrix acceptance test, which means that we cannow easily support Amos on a variety of platforms, including I-Phones andi-Pads.

2010 was just another great year of SpecTec continuousgrowth. 2011 is set to be even better, as within the first 2months several million dollars’ worth of new orders havebeen obtained. We plan to reach 330 Full Time employees,while rolling out a strong plan for further training andappraisal of our own employees, to cope with the increasingmarket demands and expectations.

We start our second century quarter with optimism andstrength, always bearing in mind that we have to protect ourcustomers’ and shareholders investments, and our staff jobs.SpecTec is here to stay, and for a long time more.

“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 rarerto 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 over7000 ships and oil and gas installations being supported by over 300 employees located in 27offices worldwide.

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www.alewijnse.nl

Alewijnse Marine Systems has signed acontract for the delivery and installation ofthe alarm monitoring control system, inte-grated dredging control system anddynamic positioning system onboard twonew, 14,000m³ dredgers to be constructedat Uljanik Shipyard in Pula, Croatia for theJan De Nul Group.

The two trailing suction hopperdredgers will have an LOA of 148m and ahopper capacity of 14,000m³, and will addto the Jan De Nul Group’s existing fleet of26 hopper dredgers.

With their dynamic positioning sys-

tems linked to twin 7,200 kW main dieselengines and a 1,500 kW bow thruster,these new vessels are especially suitablefor operating in shallow and restrictedwaters.

They have been designed for minimalenvironmental impact with particularattention paid to maximum efficiency ofpower consumption, low emissions andthe onboard treatment of waste, ensuringthat they qualify for a ‘Clean Ship’ certifi-cate.

The Jan de Nul Group has built 27 newvessels since 2007, with these newdredgers due for delivery in the secondhalf of 2012.


www.ecdis.org

ECDIS training provider ECDIS Ltdreports that it has gained accreditationfrom the Nautical Institute for its TypeSpecific ECDIS training course.

The company says that the TypeSpecific accreditation is the first of its kind,and is available now on a number of dif-ferent ECDIS systems including OSI, PCMaritime, Transas and Kelvin Hughes,with JRC, Simrad and Totem Plus all tofollow soon.

The Type Specific course lasts for oneday, comprising 8 hours, and includespresentations and practical exercises that

aim to build upon knowledge gained dur-ing the IMO 1.27 model course.

“The type specific ECDIS trainingoffered by ECDIS Ltd has now beenaccredited by the Nautical Institute (NI)who are satisfied that the training meetsthe high standards that are set out in theNI publication 'ECDIS & Positioning',”said John Dickinson, the NauticalInstitute's head of delegation at IMO.

“We acknowledge the continualresearch and development of ECDIS Ltdinto creating robust and comprehensiveECDIS training courses. Working with theleading manufacturers allows them toprovide the training solutions required.”

Type-specific ECDIS training approved

Alewijnse to supply onboard systemsto Jan De Nul

Training on a variety of manufacturers’ ECDIS systems has been accredited

www.martek-marine.com

Martek Marine has launched a range ofnew products to monitor gas and emis-sions onboard, with the introduction of itsMariNOx Evolution diesel engine emis-sions monitoring system and two newportable gas detector units.

The MariNOx Evolution diesel engineemissions monitoring system is based onexisting MariNOx technology, but with anumber of additional new features.

The installation and running of the newsystem has been refined through the incor-poration of a single, daisy-chain sampleline design, replacing the previousarrangement which required several sepa-rate sample lines.

Reducing the number of sample linescuts the amount of cabling needed onboard,which Martek says will reduce the cost ofthe onboard installation process and thepower needed to heat the sample lines.

MariNOx Evolution also comes withimproved DataLINK software to offerusers greater control over the emissionsmonitoring process through more accu-rate performance management of thediesel engines.

The latest software shipped withMariNOx Evolution makes use of theIMO’s new Energy Efficiency DesignIndex (EEDI) formula and this has furtherenhanced the accuracy of emissions levelrecording and trend analysis.

The first order for MariNOx Evolutionhas recently been completed and othercontracts have been confirmed for thenew generation system, which is nowMartek Marine’s standard emissionsmonitoring offering.

“In avoiding the need for multiple, sep-arate sample lines, MariNOx Evolutionrepresents a significant step forward,”said Steve Coulson, Martek Marine’s mar-keting director.

“This is a much simpler arrangement thatwill benefit customers and shipyards alike,by virtue of its less complex installation.”

As an optional extra, MariNOx Evolutioncan be configured to integrate opacity sensorinput, measuring the density of enginesmoke, directly into its control software.

“This makes MariNOx Evolutionunique in the market,” says Mr Coulson,“and we believe this new feature will

greatly assist shipowners in monitoringthe performance of marine diesel enginesin order to reduce environmental impact.”

Moving from external emissions todangerous gases onboard, Martek’s newportable gas detectors have been devel-oped specifically to address concerns overthe death and serious injury suffered byseafarers from oxygen-depletion in tanksand void spaces.

The Marine Quattro and MarineExtreme products are being introducedahead of the January 1 2012 deadlinewhen new amendments to SOLAS 1974are scheduled to come into force, wherebyship operators will be required to use bothfixed and portable hydrocarbon gas detec-tion systems onboard all new oil tankersof 20,000 dwt.

Martek says that it now offers bothportable and fixed solutions for VolatileOrganic Compounds detection, with thefixed version to be mounted in A/C inlets,accommodation areas and engine rooms -areas that are identified as having higherrisks of benzene.

However, while portable systems arealso to be mandatory, to meet IMO require-ments, only fixed installations are explicitlyrequired to be periodically calibrated.

The two new products from Martekinclude sensor diagnostics, meaning thatowners can calibrate multi-gas detectorsevery 12 months should they choose to doso, while single gas detectors should neverneed calibration during their lifetime.

“Portable detectors are now as essentialas their fixed counterparts and the com-mon practice of sending units to shore forrecalibration and receiving a replacementevery six months is becoming less attrac-tive as guidelines call for more regulartesting and certain models of detector andtraining aids make onboard calibrationsimpler,” said Mr Coulson.

“In contrast to the other portable gasdetectors, a single button push design hasbeen applied to Marine Quattro andMarine Extreme. This keeps everythingsimple for different crews with varyingskill levels and different nationalities.”

“In addition, gloved hands are able toturn on units with minimal fuss in com-parison to the main rivals who need twoor three buttons just to put the units intooperation.”

Martek launches gas and emissions systems

Digital Ship

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www.raytheon-anschuetz.com

Raytheon Anschütz has introduced a newseries of radar, ECDIS and conning sys-tems under the name ‘Synapsis’, built on anew system architecture and part of itsSynapsis Bridge Control series.

The new generation wide-screen, task-orientated Synapsis workstations arebased on a system architecture which usesstandard hardware and software for scala-bility, incorporating a standardised PCwith solid-state disk and passive coolinginstead of a fan.

Possible configurations range from astand-alone radar or ECDIS workplace toa full integrated multifunctional worksta-tion. A newly developed IntegrationPlatform is used to manage interfacingbetween the different systems and con-trols all configurations and tasks of theworkstations.

Integrated data quality management,with a sensor status display and manualor automatic sensor selection, is used toensure that all workstations use consistentand the best available sensor informationfor safe navigation.

The Synapsis ECDIS features newlyintegrated weather data and weather fore-cast symbols, that help to optimise routeand voyage planning, and can be inter-faced with a DP system to, for example,

share waypoints of a planned route.Features to display AIS own ship datainput, NAVTEX and online chart updatesare also included.

The Synapsis Radar has a radar videomerging mode to improve detection capa-bilities when using different radar sensorson board, as well as a SeaScout collisionavoidance function.

Raytheon Anschütz is also introducing aVoyage Efficiency Monitor for the joint dis-

play of navigation data with engine automa-tion data and loadmaster computer data.

In a typical configuration the VoyageEfficiency Monitor combines basic naviga-tion data and autopilot settings, wind anddrift, steering correction angles, roll stabil-ity, draft and trim, yawing, rudder resist-ance, rudder action and fuel consumption.

The company says that the combineddisplay can be used to enhance bridgeoperations, and improve voyage efficiency.

www.maris.no

TORM has signed a framework agreementwith MARIS covering a range of ElectronicChart Display and Information Systems(ECDIS).

Under the terms of the deal MARIS willsupply ECDIS to newbuildings andreplace existing ECDIS equipmentonboard a number of ships operated bythe Danish owner, incorporating MARISSolid State Drive ECDIS hardware, soft-ware, service, support and maintenance,as well as ENC services.

The initial agreement calls for the sup-ply and installation of 120 ECDIS systems,as part of a project which will also seedelivery of computer-based training modules, the Admiralty Vector ChartService (AVCS) and Admiralty DigitalPublications, and the MDS chart managerservice that supports AVCS.

These chart and publication arrange-ments will act as an interim solution untilUKHO completes the introduction of its e-Navigator service.

TORM has also committed to MARIS’‘Zero downtime ECDIS’ concept, whichinvolves the installation of three ECDISper ship. The installation of the third unitas a ‘hot spare’ is to ensure ECDIS servic-es are available at all times in the event ofa failure of one of the units.

“While IMO rules are clear, it remainsto be seen how individual Flag States andPort State Controllers will interpret them,”said Steinar Gundersen, MARIS deputychief executive (Corporate).

“The Zero downtime ECDIS concept hasbeen devised to avoid potential delays, sothat a ship can always proceed to the nextconvenient port of call, where repairs canbe undertaken. Any defective unit can thenbe shipped to the manufacturer at the shipowner’s convenience for repair.”

Synapsis Radar and ECDIS series from Raytheon

The Synapsis range aims to integrate workstations under a new system architecture

Two year licensing discussion on ENCtrack reaches conclusionwww.datema.nl

Dutch chart distributor Datema reportsthat it has finally managed to secure thenecessary permissions to proceed with theroll-out of its ENCtrack distribution sys-tem for Electronic Navigational Charts(ENCs), which was the cause of some con-troversy in the electronic chart worldwhen it was originally launched in 2009.

At that time questions were raisedabout the validity of ENC licensing underthe ENCtrack 'pay-as-you-sail' model. Thedebate centred on the use of charts in theplanning stage of voyage preparation andwas first raised by the UKHO immediate-ly after the launch.

In the preparation phase for that initiallaunch of the service Primar Stavanger, asDatema’s supplier of ENCs, had studiedits contracts with other nations and fellow

RENC (regional ENC Co-ordinationCentre) IC-ENC, and concluded that theintended mode of operation of ENCTrackwould be possible under the existingterms and conditions.

However, immediately after the launchthe UKHO took issue with the service andsought clarification with IC-ENC (ofwhich it is itself a member) as to whethersuch an arrangement should be permitted.

This led to an extended period of uncer-tainty for the product as Primar and IC-ENC tried to align their business terms,and the postponement of the full roll-outof ENCtrack.

Finally, after lengthy discussions, themember countries of IC-ENC did approvesuch licensing in 2010, under strict condi-tions. Datema says that it has since per-formed a number of tests and trials tomeet those conditions, and final approval

for the system was granted in March 2011. With the approval of IC-ENC, the cov-

erage of the service has now been signifi-cantly increased. Primar's approval of theservice at the time of the original launchhad meant that the ENCtrack service hadbeen permitted within particular ENCcoverage areas, but this was specificallyconfined to the Baltic area.

The ENCtrack service provides all avail-able ENCs to mariners onboard for viewingbefore licensing is required, with a trackingsystem used as a method of 'post payment'to charge for licences once the vessel hastravelled into the charted area.

With the new approvals of the systemhaving come into effect on April 1, 2011,Datema will now re-launch the service atthis year's Nor-Shipping, the secondanniversary of the original introduction ofthe system.

TORM agreesECDIS deal

www.navico.com

Navico has launched its new SimradARGUS Radar System, an IMO Radarincorporating solid state FMCW(Frequency Modulated/ContinuousWave) Broadband Radars for use on com-mercial vessels.

The radar system can detect targets asclose as 6 feet from the antenna on theshortest scale and can separate targets thatare 30 feet apart in range on the scalesused for navigation.

Navico says that this also makes thesystem particularly useful for anti-colli-sion and precision docking.

The introduction of the ARGUS systemmarks a new strategic focus for Navico onthe SOLAS vessel segment, where it sees aprospective ship protection market valueof up to GBP£12 billion.

"With Simrad Broadband Radar,shipowners finally have the ability tomonitor the entire surroundings of a ves-sel, significantly reducing blind zones,”said Leif Ottosson, CEO of Navico.

New radar fromNavico

Norwegian contracts for Veriposwww.veripos.com

Veripos has been awarded a three-yearextension to its general services contractwith Siem Offshore, and a two-year services contract extension by SimonMøkster Shipping, both Norwegian ship-ping companies.

Siem Offshore operates a fleet of spe-cialist support vessels operating globally,with Veripos to initially provide ten SiemOffshore vessels operating in European,Brazilian, Asian and African waters with

its dual-beam standard service under the deal.

This service will also be providedaboard another new-build vessel duefor commissioning shortly, the SiemAmethyst.

Siem Offshore says it has retained anoption to further extend the service to itsother fleet vessels as and when necessary.

The deal with Simon Møkster Shippingis for the provision of standard position-ing services to two of the Stavanger-basedcompany’s offshore support vessels.

Both vessels are already equipped withdual Veripos LD2 integrated mobilereceivers for deriving position used fortheir DP systems.

“We are delighted to be awarded thesecontract extensions which demonstratethe confidence gained by our valuedNorwegian clients in the quality of ourservices and support,” said WalterSteedman, managing director of Veripos.

“These awards follow on from a seriesof recent fleet awards for Norwegian ves-sel owners and operators.”

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Digital Ship

www.adveto.se

www.ukho.gov.uk

The United Kingdom HydrographicOffice (UKHO) and ADVETO have signedan agreement which will enable ADVETOto pre-fill its ECDIS-4000 system with elec-tronic navigational charts (ENC) fromUKHO's Admiralty Vector Chart Service(AVCS).

Under the terms of thedeal AVCS data will bepre-loaded into the ECDISprior to delivery of thesystem.

This will allow users ofthe ECDIS to access offi-cial ENCs in all waterscovered by the UKHOAVCS service withouthaving to populate thesystem after installation.

UKHO has previously agreed similardeals with other ECDIS manufacturers,such as Transas and JRC, whereby thosecompanies’ ECDIS units can also be pur-chased preloaded with ENCs.

"The agreement with UKHO is animportant step forward in our efforts toprovide good service to our internationalcustomers," said Kent Sylvén, managingdirector of ADVETO.

www.transas.com

Transas has announced a number of newECDIS training developments, as NordicTankers Marine (Denmark) has signed upto implement its ECDIS Training systems,while it has also added two new partnersto its recently launched Global ECDISTraining Network (GET-Net).

Nordic Tankers Marine has been sup-plied with 35 sets of Transas ECDISComputer Based Training technology, andhas also participated in a Transas 'Train-the-trainer' course held by Capt Peter Möller inMumbai, India, during which eight trainersreceived Instructor certificates.

Transas ECDIS CBT is based on IMOModel Course 1.27, covering the require-ments for ECDIS training in accordancewith the Manila Amendments of STCW. Atrainee receives a certificate proving thesuccessful completion of the CBT.

"Training is a key element in the transi-tion to ECDIS," said Hanus Mikkelsen,director marine HR, Nordic Tankers Marine.

"All our officers attend a 5-day ECDISgeneric training course ashore and nowECDIS CBT from Transas will be a perfectsupplement to enhance the users' knowl-edge and fulfil familiarisation on TypeSpecific equipment required by PSC andISM Code and, in the nearest future, alsoby some Flag States."

Meanwhile, Transas has welcomedEpsilon Maritime Services of thePhilippines and Alphatron Marine of theNetherlands as the latest partners in itsGET-Net programme.

Epsilon Maritime Services, owner oftraining facilities in Manila, runs a TransasApproved Training Centre and providesTransas ECDIS Equipment SpecificTraining and certification in Manila.

The entire investment is funded byEPSILON Hellas, and a new and upgrad-ed training facility is expected to be upand running by the end of April 2011.

Alphatron Marine will provide Transasand Alphatron Equipment FamiliarisationCourses in its new training centre located

in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The training centre is equipped with the

latest versions of Alphabridge/ TransasECDIS equipment and a bridge simulator.

Alphatron is currently applying forDutch Flag State approval to be able tooffer generic ECDIS training based on theTransas GET-Net training course.

Transas GET-Net is an internationalpartnership between Transas Marine andECDIS training providers worldwide itconsiders to be “outstanding”. All part-nering training centres receive detailedinstructor training and must pass a quali-ty audit.

Under the scheme the ECDIS trainingprocess will need to be approved accord-ing to standards based on a GermanischerLloyd certified training course, which fol-lows the ECDIS IMO Model Course 1.27and the requirements of the ManilaAmendments to STCW.

The first training centres to enter thepartnership were INTERSCHALT mar-itime systems AG (Hamburg, Germanyand Manila, Philippines), COSMOSTraining Center (Athens, Greece), eIMTraining Center (Piraeus, Greece) and MSGMarineServe GmbH (Hamburg, Germany).

Transas is looking at this project as away of creating a transparent network ofquality-approved ECDIS training centresahead of the first ECDIS mandation dead-line in 2012, which is likely to see trainingdemands for the technology soar.

“The GET-Net idea is to create a triplewin situation for training centres, ourECDIS customers and Transas itself,” saidBjoern Roehlich, training manager,Transas Marine.

“Together we offer a variety of options– shipping companies can choose prefer-able training type and location and benefitfrom the high quality set by TransasMarine and its partners.”

“It is also an answer to the increasedresponsibility for ECDIS training put onthe makers by Flag States and MarineAdministrations like the latest MCAMIN 405.”

www.martek-marine.com

Rix Shipping in the UK has installedMartek Marine’s Navgard BridgeNavigation Watch Alarm System(BNWAS) on the tanker Liz Rix.

SOLAS Regulation V/19, as amendedby MSC.282(86), requires a BNWAS to beinstalled on new and existing ships.

Under amendments to SOLAS newcargo ships over 150gt and all new pas-senger ships of any size constructed afterJuly 1 2011 have to be equipped with aBNWAS. Implementation will then bephased in, making BNWAS mandatory onall existing tonnage above a certain sizeover the following three years.

All existing passenger ships and cargovessels over 3000gt have to be equippedno later than the first special survey afterJuly 1 2012 and all existing cargo shipsover 500 gt by the first survey after July 12013. The final category of vessels, cargoships over 150gt, will have to comply byJuly 1 2014.

Martek’s Navgard BNWAS systemcomprises a bulkhead-mounted or con-sole-mounted control panel and anonboard PIR (Passive Infra-Red) move-ment detector with a 10m range.

“We spent a lot of time investigatingwhich BNWAS system we should install,”said James Doyle, Rix Shipping’s manag-ing director.

“We decided on Navgard because itcovered everything we were looking for ina system. It had all type approvals in placethat we needed and we established thatwe would not incur additional costs fromflag authorities. But by far the most impor-tant requirement for us was the ease ofinstallation.”

“Commissioning and set up was verysimple and the installation engineer guid-ed us through the initial set up menu sowe were ready to use the system straightaway.”

Navgard involves a modular installa-tion process, eliminating the requirementfor more complex interfaces, as the alarmsare linked directly to the control panel.The system can accommodate any bridgesize and layout.

The control and alarm panel is self-con-tained with no need for additional inter-face modules, while battery back-upcomes as standard. An SD-card is alsoincorporated to log all alarm event data inreal time, giving the operator a permanentrecord of bridge activity.

ADVETO ECDIS now available pre-filled with ENCs

The ECDIS can be delivered with electronic chartsalready installed

ECDIS training developments for Transas

Rix Shipping installs Martek BNWAS

NATO and EUNAVFOR have issued revisedguidance on operational use of AIS for ves-sels in high-risk piracy areas off Somalia.

The advice notes that, while RegulationV/19 of the SOLAS Convention requiresspecified ships to maintain AIS in opera-tion at all times (except where internation-al agreements, rules or standards providefor the protection of navigational informa-tion), another IMO Resolution suggeststhat turning off the system could be rec-ommended in piracy-risk areas.

Resolution A.917(22) states that “if themaster believes that the continual operationof AIS might compromise the safety orsecurity of his/her ship, the AIS may beswitched off. This might be the case in seaareas where pirates and armed robbers areknown to operate. Actions of this natureshould always be recorded in the ship’s log-book together with the reason for doing so.”

EUNAVFOR and NATO had, untilnow, recommended that AIS transmissionwithin the Gulf of Aden be left on withrestrictions, and outside the Gulf of Aden

in other parts of the High Risk Area beturned off completely, in accordance withResolution A.917(22).

However, that advice has been revised,with the aim of making sure that CounterPiracy Naval Operations are able to gatherdata from AIS transmissions to track realtime positions of merchant ships, thusenabling them to mitigate the risk of pira-cy to merchant shipping.

The new recommendation from NATOand EUNAVFOR is to leave AIS transmit-ting across the entire High Risk Area as setout in BMP3 of the IMO Resolution.

The advice states that "AIS transmissionshould continue to be restricted to ship’sidentity, position, course, speed, naviga-tional status and safety-related informa-tion. As noted, this is a change to the pre-vious guidance which recommended thatAIS be left on only in the Gulf of Aden."

"The decision on AIS policy remains atthe discretion of the Master, however, if it isswitched off during transit, it should be acti-vated immediately at the time of an attack."

AIS piracy advice revised

www.converteam.com

Converteam is to supply its C-Seriesdynamic position (DP) control systems totwo platform supply vessels (PSVs) whichwill operate in the oil and gas fields ofRussia’s northern seas.

The contract was awarded by TransasRussian Fleet Limited, which is acting asthe supplier of integrated navigation andcommunication systems to the AmurskiyShipbuilding Factory shipyard (a memberof United Shipbuilding Corporation,Russia) in Komsomolosk in Russia’s far east.

The two ships to be installed with theDP systems are under construction forGazflot Ltd, the exploration and supportsubsidiary of Russian oil giant Gazprom.

“This latest contract follows earlierprestigious projects with Gazflot includ-ing the supply of complete electrical sys-tems and positioning equipment for theirtwo newbuild semi-submersible drillingvessels which are now working on theSakhalin project in Russia’s Far East,”noted Converteam’s Paul English, vicepresident of business.

The two PSVs are expected to be opera-tional during 2012.

Gazflot vessels to install DP systems

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ELECTRONICS & NAVIGATION

www.safebridge.net

Intensive and type-specific online training with real-world scenarios on exactly

that bridge equipment installed on board your ship. Online training on

ECDIS, Radar and other maritime software for various manufacturers.

www.marineserve.de

Located in Hamburg, Germany, with ECDIS training offi ces in St. Petersburg, Riga andOdessa (and Manila opening soon).

Competent & fl exible maritime training – ECDIS, UKLAP, German Shipping Law...

Maritime training reaches a new dimension

Space-based Automatic IdentificationSystem (AIS) company exactEarth hasannounced that a satellite containing itsAIS payload has been successfullylaunched from Sriharikota, India.

The AIS payload, which was designedand built by COM DEV International inCanada and its European subsidiary COMDEV Europe, is integrated onto the IndianSpace Research Organisation's (ISRO)ResourceSat-2 earth observation satellite.

"Today's launch is an important mile-stone for us as we establish our full opera-tional capability," said Peter Mabson, pres-ident of exactEarth.

"This is the most advanced satellite-based AIS payload ever launched. Weexpect it to generate more than 1 millionAIS messages per day, utilising our ground-based message processing technology, as itorbits the globe every 90 minutes."

exactEarth has targeted June 1 as thedate for the AIS payload to enter service,at the end of an anticipated six-week com-missioning period for the satellite since itslaunch on April 20.

As part of its further expansion plansexactEarth has recently reached an agree-ment with SpaceQuest Ltd to purchasetwo new satellites equipped withadvanced AIS payloads.

exactEarth has had access to AIS mes-sage data and real-time spectrum feedsfrom two in-orbit SpaceQuest satellitessince the middle of last year, processing

the spectrum data using its de-collisiontechnology to generate AIS messages forits exactAIS service.

The two new satellites will add to thiscapability, and will also incorporateSpaceQuest's next generation on-board AISmessage processing technology to furtherimprove AIS message detection from space.

The launch of the satellites is expected tooccur by the middle of 2011 on a RussianDnepr rocket, with exactEarth assumingownership of the new spacecraft followingsuccessful in-orbit commissioning.

"We are pleased to expand our relation-ship with SpaceQuest. Their satelliteshave proven to be a reliable source of AISsignals that meet our needs for a high-per-formance, global data feed," said MrMabson.

"With this purchase, and the anticipat-ed deployment of two more exactEarthadvanced AIS satellites in the next fewmonths, we will have access to a constella-tion of six spacecraft in orbit by this sum-mer that is expected to produce in excessof six million AIS vessel reports per day."

Canadian dealNews of the most recent launch followedsoon after exactEarth had released detailsof a Standing Offer it had been awarded toprovide exactAIS data services to theGovernment of Canada, with a total ordervalue of up to CDN$4.7 million.

Under this agreement, the Canadian

Space Agency may purchase exactAIS datafor use across all Canadian Governmentdepartments to support a broad range ofapplications including maritime domainawareness, search and rescue, environmen-tal and fisheries protection, Arctic monitor-ing and marine security.

The Standing Offer provides for thepurchase of either historical or operationalAIS data services through the placementof specific purchase orders under theagreement.

The first such purchase order receivedfor the supply of exactAIS historical data,valued at CDN$1.57 million, was set to becompleted by March 31, 2011.

Further orders under the agreementmay be placed through until March 2013,however, the company expects that thebulk of the orders under this currentagreement will be received within the next12 months.

"This award further demonstrates ourability to meet our customers' require-ments with a robust and reliable data serv-ice," said Mr Mabson.

“Our unique AIS message de-collisiontechnology provides the highest qualityglobal vessel monitoring and detectioncapability which is critical for our cus-tomers' success."

ORBCOMMSpace-based AIS competitor ORBCOMMhas meanwhile announced its own plans

to expand its network after agreeing a satellite launch deal with SpaceExploration Technologies (SpaceX).

The two companies have announcedplans for SpaceX to carry the first twoORBCOMM next-generation OG2 satel-lites, incorporating space-based AIS detec-tion technologies, into orbit on the nextFalcon 9 launch this year.

The ORBCOMM OG2 satellites arebeing manufactured by an industry teamled by Sierra Nevada Corp and Boeing’sArgon ST subsidiary. A total of 18 ORB-COMM next-generation OG2 satellites arecurrently in production.

ORBCOMM OG2 satellites will offerenhanced ORBCOMM messaging capabilities, increased capacity, and the automatic identification system(AIS) service.

The planned Falcon 9 launch will placeORBCOMM’s first two OG2 satellites intoa 52° inclined 350 by 750 km insertionorbit. The satellites’ onboard propulsionsystems will then be used to stabilise theorbit at 750 km.

Falcon 9 is designed for the transport ofsatellites to low Earth orbit and GTO (geo-stationary transfer orbit) as well as forsending SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft toorbiting destinations such as theInternational Space Station.

SpaceX's Falcon 9 launch site is locatedat Launch Complex 40 at the CapeCanaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

Space-based AIS developments continue

DS

p58-69:p26-32.qxd 03/05/2011 14:56 Page 9


Digital Ship

TT he emergence of new technologyin the field of maritime operationshas seen most facets of fleet opera-

tions computerised or digitised in thequest to build, display and manipulatetechnology to our advantage.

It is therefore surprising that manyfleets are still navigating using papercharts, as the advantages and efficienciesavailable if ECDIS systems are used prop-erly for navigation are significant.

Following a number of high profilegroundings and the perception that ECDISsystems can save money, many fleets havemade the bold decision to embark on afleet wide ECDIS fit.

As the first to do so, they are pioneeringthe use of ECDIS at sea. In short, these pio-neers are showing that it is feasible to trustthis new technology and make it work.

However, for those that wish to followtheir example the task can seem more thana little daunting. Faced with a blank pieceof paper you now need to formulate a planto ‘go digital’.

The transition to digital is not a case ofsimply buying any ECDIS system andhoping for the best. This may seem theeasiest option, but I can assure you thatwhat looks like the light at the end of thetunnel is the headlight of an oncomingtrain.

Instead, this should be viewed as amajor project that requires significantthought and planning. The process can besimplified if we break it down one step ata time to ensure that all data is captured:Step 1: Capability Requirement (establish

what you need)Step 2: Additional Requirement (consider

the wider implications)Step 3: Consolidation (have we missed

anything?)Step 4: Equipment Purchase decision and

Fit programmeStep 5: TrainingStep 6: Digital Transition – Go paperless.

Step 1 – CapabilityRequirement

First, it is necessary to establish exactlywhat you need with regard to the ECDIS,both in terms of navigation and operations.

The point is that making the digitaltransition is more complicated than justchoosing a system to plan a route fromport to port - the equipment must be suit-ed to the nature of your operations.

Therefore, due consideration must begiven to thinking through all the evolu-tions that were conducted using papercharts to ensure that they can be achievedon ECDIS with suitable back up, redun-dancy and the robustness that is required

in your fleet. A list needs to be made of what your

expectations are from ECDIS. If they can-not be met, will you ever truly be able to‘go digital’?

In terms of navigation, essentially whatyou must consider is whether or not youwish to transfer your existing paper navi-gational methods and procedures toECDIS. If so, with regard to the equip-ment, ask yourself the ‘NavigationalIssues’ and ‘Operational Issues’ questionsin Table 1 (not exhaustive and in no par-ticular order).

Of course, not all of the considerationsin that list of questions will be relevant toyou, but care must be taken to ensure thatthe requirement is captured as not all sys-tems can achieve all of the capabilities.

ECDIS equipment capability hasadvanced considerably over the years andvaries from system to system. Not all sys-tems will be able to achieve the capabili-ties listed, but some can.

At this stage please consider takingindependent advice as to the most appro-priate system for your needs. However, toreiterate, first and foremost the systemwill be utilised as a navigation aid.Therefore, it is vital to ensure that the sys-tem can reflect your standards of chartwork and navigation.

If it cannot, then you may have tochange your tried and tested methods.Consider that if the chosen system cannotachieve your requirement, does that meanyou will be forced to make some papercharts available from time to time? If so,this would clearly defeat the aim, which isafter all, to go fully digital.

It is at this early stage that a decisionneeds to be made as to whether the plan isto equip the fleet with a single equipmentsolution, or whether different types ofequipment spread amongst the fleet willbe considered.

Clearly, the ramifications of fitting yourfleet with varying types of equipment willbe enormous, from different levels of

capability and an inability to transfer databetween systems to the need to producemultiple training streams for crews, tech-nical training for engineers and so on.

Step 2 – AdditionalRequirement

Experience has shown me that the cheap-est option on paper may end up being themost expensive overall when you add inthe other elements beyond the initial hard-ware tender.

Training, for example is a significantfactor, as is integration of existing sensorsand hardware. It may be too late to changeonce you have bought a system for thefleet so this is where you must ensure thelongevity of your system and do as muchas possible to future proof it.

Ask yourself again, what do you wantthe ECDIS to do? Consider the bigger pic-ture, and think about the hardware andintegration questions listed in Table 2 (onthe following page and again, not exhaus-tive and in no particular order).

Remember that the PerformanceStandards for ECDIS (IMO A.817(19),revised by MSC 232(82)) state that as aminimum, ECDIS should be connected tothe ship's position fixing system, to thegyro compass and to the speed and dis-tance measuring device.

Note that for ships not fitted with agyro compass, ECDIS should be connect-ed to a marine transmitting headingdevice.

When connecting to additional sensors,ECDIS should not degrade the perform-ance of any equipment providing sensorinputs, and the connection of optionalequipment should not degrade the per-formance of ECDIS below the set standard.

In addition to these hardware consider-ations, it is also important to recognise thechoices that need to be made in relation tothe additional software you will need torun the systems, as well as the electronicchart requirements you will have – Table 2also mentions a number of the questions

Digital Navigation – making the transitionThe transition to digital navigation and ECDIS can be a daunting one, as it requires a comprehensive change in theway 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

The importance of training cannot be overstated

NAVIGATIONAL ISSUES

� Can we plan berth to berth?

� Can we utilise headmarks, sternmarks and beam marks in our planning?

� Can we utilise wheel over bearings?

� Can the system construct accurate turns utilising Advance and Transfer?

� Can the system calculate turns when a tidal stream is present?

� Will it accept tidal and environmental information such as Admiralty Total Tide?

� Can it utilise our shape, characteristics and hydrodynamic data for precise navigation?

� Who will produce and input ship specific (perhaps confidential) information into the system?

� How will the navigator brief the port entry and exit if there is no paper chart to display?

� Can we network a printer to print out screenshots (for the navigator’s notebook, for example)?

� Can we print out passage plans and related information?

� How are we going to operate in areas of GPS denial?

� Does it work well without GPS?

� Can we manually fix position with visual bearings?

� Can we manually fix position with radar ranges?

� Can we plot a position using transferred position lines?

� Can we plot horizontal and vertical sextant angles?

� Can we accurately define safe water in confined waters?

� Can we construct Limiting Danger Lines?

� Can we construct Clearing Bearings?

� How will navigation be conducted in emergency for example, when operating from the

emergency conning position without paper charts?

OPERATIONAL ISSUES

� How are we going to plot our helicopter position?

� How are we going to plot the location of our tenders?

� Can we use the system for management of assets?

� Can we display weapon arcs and effective ranges for onboard security teams (anti-piracy)?

� Can we display overlays to aid counter piracy?

� Can it display bespoke chart products that may be available for your operations?

� Does it offer greater security with regard to login?

� Can I plot different grids for us on operations?

� Can it help with vessel protection with the growing aspiration to use ECDIS for anti-piracy?

� Can it make areas alarmable?

� Can we feed data from onboard command systems in order to improve spatial awareness?

� 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?

� Can it be used in conjunction with shipping databases such as Lloyd’s Register Fairplay?

� Can the system predict a MOB position using set and drift or is it just a reference point?

Table 1 – Navigational and Operational issues to consider under Step 1

p58-69:p26-32.qxd 03/05/2011 14:56 Page 10



you will need to look at in the area of soft-ware, charts and training.

Training is integral to a successful tran-sition from paper charts to ECDIS. Crewsneed to be properly trained in the use oftheir system in order to navigate safely.This is not something that can be takenlightly as training cannot be conducted ina few hours.

ECDIS presents a step change in the waywe conduct navigation at sea, and as a crit-ical system this needs great care and con-sideration in order to get the most out ofthe equipment whilst maintaining safety.

A Flag State approved IMO 1.27 ModelECDIS Course (40 hrs or 5 days) will berequired, as well as an Equipment Specifictraining course if different manufacturers’equipment has been fitted (recommendedduration 8 hrs or 1 day).

It is essential that training is consideredwell in advance of the ECDIS fit to reducethe period of time between training andonboard use to avoid skill fade.

Note that some Flag states such as theMCA now require equipment specifictraining in addition to the 5 day genericECDIS training course.

This ECDIS ‘ship specific equipmenttraining’ should relate to the make andmodel of the equipment fitted on the shipon which they are currently serving. Thatis to say, it will be necessary to attend atraining course for each different system a

Master or Navigation Officer is expectedto operate.

Although this has been part of ISM forsome time, the MCA specifically statesthat ‘trickle down training’ (i.e. one officertraining another) is not acceptable as,inevitably, it leads to incomplete knowl-edge of the equipment’s capabilities, andespecially the lesser used functions, beingpassed on.

It can be seen therefore that the trainingburden is significant if multiple systemsare in use throughout the fleet and whereFlag State approved generic training is notavailable on your chosen system.

Due consideration must also be givento the fact that the above courses are notnecessarily for life as they may need to beundertaken at stated intervals or if theequipment significantly changes.

The training element is going to take alot of time, particularly with a large fleet.However, you do not need to wait for thefit programme to start before embarkingon the training programme. By doing soyou will alleviate pressure and havetrained personnel ready to begin the nextphase of the project.

Step 3 – ConsolidationNow take a step back and make sure thatyou are not missing anything before pur-chasing the equipment.

What are the key elements that must besatisfied when choosing your ECDIS?

You must be able to place a tick in thebox next to all of the questions in the check-list in Table 3 (left) at the beginning of thisadventure, or you are slowly headingtowards an inevitable disaster!

Step 4 – EquipmentPurchase and Fit

All the work conducted producing therequirement is now complete and the effortexpended will hopefully be rewarded.

The next stage is to make a decision onwhich equipment is the most appropriatefor your needs, based upon the work con-ducted in the earlier steps.

If you are intending to conduct training‘in house’, then consider Step 5 prior topurchasing equipment as there are addi-tional purchases and considerations tomake. Once the decision is made theequipment can be purchased.

When constructing the fit programmeconsider what ships will be fitted first andlast. Of course, this may ultimatelydepend on the fleet operations, mainte-nance and refit schedule.

It is worthwhile documenting lessonslearnt from the first fit so that mistakes arenot duplicated throughout the fit.Furthermore, if possible, maintain someform of continuity of fit personnel to ensurethat standards are maintained with as fewirregularities between ships as possible.

Once equipment is fitted it is essentialthat the equipment is properly integratedwith sensors, aligned with Radar ImageOverlay (RIO) if applicable, and tested witha set to work package to ensure that whatyou have fitted meets with expectations.

Step 5 – ‘In House’Training

If you are considering conducting trainingyourself, or ‘in house’ training, then youmust consider the time and manpowercost of producing a stand alone ECDIScourse, bespoke for the equipment pur-chased, and also gaining Flag State courseapproval.

On top of this will be the investment inclassroom equipment and training con-soles, training licences for software, provi-sion of a bridge simulator, integration ofECDIS into the bridge simulator, and thecost of ECDIS instructors.

All the above takes considerable time,money and most importantly, expertise. Icannot emphasise enough the importanceof considering training at the very begin-ning of the process.

Step 6 – DigitalTransition

The final phase of the process is to con-duct the transition from navigating withpaper charts to being accredited to navi-gate paperless using ECDIS. Note thatthis depends upon your Flag State and itis therefore crucial that you seek advicefrom Flag, who may have to be involvedin this process to ensure that you meettheir standards.

It is recommended that a lead ECDISinspector be nominated to manage thisprocess and to act as liaison between theFlag authority and the fleet as required.

It may also be prudent to construct a

short ‘in-house’ accreditation process torisk assess the ship’s ability to ‘go digital’.

This would ultimately ensure that thecrew are confident and competent enoughto operate as safely using ECDIS as theycould on paper. This is the most enjoyablepart of the process as you see the results ofgood training and planning come tofruition.

Examples of assessed serials that couldbe included as part of any risk assessmentprocess include: System set-up; Safety set-tings; Administration; Documentation;Procedures; Berth to berth planning;Pilotage; Blind Pilotage; CoastalNavigation; Anchoring; Fixing; Operatingwithout GPS; and Loss of sensors.

The risk assessment serials could beconducted in a simulated environment,although the preferred option shouldalways be to conduct them at sea.

It is a recommendation that only whenyou are content that this has beenachieved should you authorise the reduc-tion of paper folios down to that requiredfor RCDS (Raster Chart Display System)mode or in accordance with your compa-ny policy.

SummaryECDIS is coming and it cannot be stopped.

Inevitably every fleet will make thetransition from paper charts to ECDIS indue course. This is not only due to theadvantages and efficiencies that can berecognised by using such equipment, butalso that new build ships are now beingfitted with them.

Going digital need not be a headache ifproperly thought out, planned andresourced. Take heart in that it is achiev-able and has been achieved by many fleetsalready.

What invariably seems an expensiveand lengthy process can actually end upbeing cheaper and quicker than perhapswas first thought.

� Is it ready now?

� Is it type approved ECDIS?

� Can it integrate with existing sensors?

� Can it employ my navigation

techniques?

� Does it come with a full training

solution?

� Does it offer proven pedigree and

global support?

� Have I balanced the best product with

the overall price?

� Is it ‘future proof’ and easily upgrad-

able for new techniques?

� Will the whole package allow my fleet

to ‘go digital’ with minimum fuss?

Table 3 – Essential checklist

About the authorMalcolm Instone is director ofoperations and standards withECDIS Ltd, a company offer-ing advice on various aspects

of the transition to ECDIS, as well as arange of accredited training courses(www.ecdis.org).

DS

HARDWARE

� Is there an ECDIS system that best suits your class of ship?

� How many vessels require fitting with ECDIS?

� What is the cost of fitting?

� Where are the vessels going to be fitted? (fit cost may vary with location)

� How many systems do you need – two per ship?

� What screen size do you require for the display?

� What are the requirements for display power, housings and brackets?

� What is the support package available?

� How long does the warranty last?

� Will the systems be networked on a LAN?

� Do you want an additional remote terminal for planning or emergencies?

� Do you need repeats in the Captain’s cabin, charthouse or operations room?

� Do you need a repeat in the machinery control room for MARPOL purposes?

� Do you want to store spare parts to support your fleet?

� How much are spare parts?

� What is the availability of spare parts?

INTEGRATION

� Do you require integration with a bridge Alarm Management System?

� Can it integrate with existing sensors such as GNSS, Log, Gyro and Echosounder?

� Can it integrate with existing Radar and provide Radar Image Overlay (RIO)?

� Can it integrate with NAVTEX?

� Can it integrate with the existing autopilot or Track Control device?

SOFTWARE

� Do you need specific planning software?

� Do you require Conning and Docking functionality?

� Do you require navigation tools such as Predictor and Trial Manoeuvring?

� Do you require an electronic Logbook function?

� How much are additional software licenses?

� How much are the inevitable upgrades to the software and presentation library?

CHARTS & MISCELLANEOUS

� Can the manufacturer provide equipment procedures and check-off cards?

� Can the system utilise the charts that you are used to?

� Do you require ENCs and RNCs?

� Do you require DNCs?

� Do you require Ice charts?

� Can it display the Admiralty Information Overlay?

� Will you require an additional (appropriate) folio of paper charts?

� How will folios be updated?

� Will it be linked to the internet for updating? (firewall and antivirus protector required)

TRAINING

� Is there training available with the manufacturer?

� Is there Flag state approved training on this equipment in accordance with STCW?

� Is there equipment specific training available on this equipment?

� Purchase an approved training course or produce one ‘in house’?

� 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

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SHIPBUILDING, MARINE, PLANT, OFFSHORE해양 종합 산업 전시회 “KORMARINE”

October, 26(Wed)~29(Sat), 2011BEXCO, BUSAN, KOREA

국제 조선 및 해양 산업전

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Integrated Navigation Systems offer a number of advantages to vessel navigators, helping to managethe 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

Digital Navigation – managing integration with INS

TT ypically a bridge is manned by asingle individual, who in recentyears has witnessed a significant

increase in the types of navigationalequipment available.

Until now bridge equipment innova-tion was developing under the concept of‘boxes’ – different devices required to per-form a particular function. The watch-keeper received information from a vari-ety of stand-alone systems, with differentuser interfaces.

One problem with this is the potentialfor confusion and information overload,particularly if the watchkeeper is notproperly acquainted with the operationalparameters of any one of those systems.

However, developing technology hasrevolutionised the way in which thebridge watchkeeper can maintain a safenavigation watch. The idea of anIntegrated Navigation System (INS) shiftsthe focus from the traditional ‘boxes’ con-cept to a task-oriented concept.

In other words, instead of a number ofboxes giving the navigator a portion of therequired information, each integrated sys-tem collects all the necessary informationfrom sensors (‘boxes’) and presents this nec-essary information adapted for the particu-lar navigation task at that moment, in orderto support the decision making process.

The development of INS is in line withthe IMO’s ‘e-Navigation strategy’, the aimof which is to integrate new and existingnavigational tools, in particular electronictools, into an all-embracing system that willcontribute to enhanced navigational safety.

Every shore-based industry has alreadybeen able to appreciate the benefits of thelatest IT and communications technology.The shipping industry was a bit slow andconservative to accept the changes offered,and now it needs to catch up.

However, we should not forget thatany newly available technology is just atool, which will only be beneficial whenimplemented under a clear operationaland functional design concept, and fol-lowed by adopted regulations, as is tradi-tional in shipping, to ensure the safety ofnew equipment.

The introduction of new technology mustdemonstrate operational improvements forshipping and not just showcase ‘new tech-nology for new technology’s sake’.

Navigation system designToday most manufacturers have moved tocomputer based design. Such an approachallows substantial changes to be made inthe human machine interface (HMI) andfunctionality without an extensive hard-ware redesign.

It also allows for a very efficient divi-sion of navigational bridge componentsinto 3 groups: sensors; controllers; pro-cessing and HMI.

The sensor group is quite likely to

remain unchanged in the foreseeablefuture as many navigational techniques,for example in measuring depth, willremain the same for the time being.

Even if there are changes, improvingreliability, accuracy etc, the output of thissensor will remain the same, as it will stillbe the ‘depth measured under transduc-er’. Controllers, for example steering gear,are also quite ‘stable’ components for thetime being.

In contrast to this, the signal processing,display and other functions available to theuser are based on software and computers,which allows for a variety of new functionsto be introduced in integrated systems.

The ‘human factor’ is another elementthat must be carefully considered in thedesign phase.

It’s fully understood that manning is acostly resource, so there is a need for‘intelligent’ systems that would pro-actively tell a watchkeeper that he is run-ning into danger, give warnings at variouslevels and provide informed advice toreduce human related errors.

The aim of an integrated system is toenable one person to gain a full overviewof the navigational and ship-keeping func-tions so that he can exercise better andmore reliable control, and be primarilyresponsible for the visual lookout and ves-sel seamanship, assessing the safety ofnavigation and routines.

Even on a modern ship the most impor-tant resource is the human. Systemdesigners have to build their systemsaround the capabilities of the human inter-face, such that it is able to provide intelli-gent options to the operator.

Standardisation is the key to betteradaptability and performance by thewatchkeeper onboard. Information over-load is dangerous in a risky business suchas marine navigation.

One possible way forward is to com-bine data sources to provide data andinformation fusion, reducing the informa-tion in the presented picture under the‘need-to-know’ principle. The real test ofperformance comes from the ability of asystem to carry out its functions accurate-ly, with reliably and integrity.

Integration benefitsAn Integrated Navigation System has anumber of benefits compared with astand-alone system.

First of all it gives the user better situa-tion awareness. A new level of reliabilityis achieved by means of several opera-tional levels. The display of an integratedsystem combines numerous layers of theinformation from different sources intoone situation display.

The navigational chart is presentedtogether with radar overlay, route infor-mation, targets, and own ship position,with information on ships’ manoeuvrabil-

ity etc providing a real time picture forgrounding and collision avoidance as wellas decision making support.

From January 2011 systems installed onboard should comply with the 2007 IMOrevised performance standard for INS,which incorporates SOLAS Chapter V/15guideline requirements to deliver safeoperations, free from the dangers of unde-tected human error and system or sensorfailure, supported by fail-to-safe principles.

Today we are waiting for the IEC teststandard allowing the industry to certifyproducts. The question is, in which direc-tion will this standard go?

There are two possibilities, with themore rigid alternative being that INS willneed to be sold as a product which mustcomply 100 per cent with the IEC test stan-dard. In this case INS will only be applica-ble for new buildings, and I doubt we willsee many systems introduced in the nearfuture as sensors and subsystems will notcomply with the requirements for INS.

The alternative is to use the INS stan-dard more as a guide with rules coveringhow integration should be done. This willimprove the situation on vessels sailingtoday, as there is no clear rule on how inte-gration shall be done during retrofit.

Today there is a mess on many vesselswhere different GNSS systems or headingdevices are connected to the Radar andECDIS in a haphazard manner. Integrationof these systems into MultifunctionalDisplays, that will enhance navigation safe-ty and provide redundancy, must be con-sidered for such retrofit vessels. If not thereis a risk that INS will never happen.

One of key tasks of a bridge system is toenhance safety and reduce workload forofficers on watch, and alarm managementis a key element here.

Distracting and confusing secondaryalarms can only cause complaints, which

was the reasoning behind the 2007 per-formance standard that introduced a newsystem known as ‘alert management’.

This standard builds a hierarchy ofalarms, warnings and cautions, and har-monises the handling, distribution and pres-entation of alerts within an INS. This allowsthe system to actually identify abnormal sit-uations which require action, and allows thebridge team to devote its attention to the pri-mary task of safe navigation.

The INS is flexible, and can be adaptedto bridge arrangements according to a par-ticular operational scenario – open sea,mooring etc – by selecting the requiredtasks in a particular workstation.

So, among other benefits of INS some ofthe most important are: having consistentHMI for all primary navigational func-tions; consistent data distribution; redun-dancy of functions; and shared digital datawith timely updates etc (for example ENCdata, used in ECDIS and chart radar, needto be up-to-date).

With these benefits the installation ofthe INS can allow for a reduction in thenumber of crew, the amount of electronicson the bridge and the number of suppliers,while at the same time the ship’s handlingreliability can be dramatically improvedand the ship’s cost recouped faster.

Integration is no longer about intercon-nection, nor simply the writing of soft-ware, but it is about integrating the wholesystem of work, including the crew andthe equipment, for effective bridgeresource management.

Once the INS system is approved thesituation will become much morestraightforward for all concerned. It isimportant to ensure that everything isright with INS, because such systems willbe necessary to provide the kind of plat-form required for the eventual imple-mentation of e-Navigation.

About the authorAnders Rydlinger is product manager navigation with Transas Marine Interna-tional, having previously served in the Swedish Amphibious Forces and CoastArtillery for 20 years.

From 1992-1997 Mr Rydlinger was responsible for trials and developmentof an Integrated �avigation System for Combat Boat 90, and was involved in the developmentof �avi-Sailor ECDIS from the customer side before joining Transas in 1997.

Integrated Navigation Systems offer better situational awareness

DS

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Digital Ship

II n an ever more connected world, soci-ety’s reliance on high integrity posi-tional, navigational and timing (PNT)

data is growing. The easy and cheap availability of

Global Positioning System (GPS) andother global navigation satellite systems(GNSS) has meant that their use as pri-mary sources of this data can be found inan increasing number of products andservices.

In the great majority of cases, the loss ofthese services in an individual applicationwill cause only local or isolated inconven-ience, but the possibility exists for wider,single mode or common mode failureswith more serious consequences.

The use of GNSS for a variety of pur-poses has become so convenient and ubiq-uitous that there is a strong tendencyamong users to treat it as a given. Therange of applications stretch from highlyaccurate surveying to in-car navigation,and from network synchronisation to cli-mate research.

Maritime applications include oceanand inshore navigation, dredging, portapproaches, harbour entrance and dock-ing, vessel traffic services (VTS),Automatic Identification System (AIS),hydrography, and cargo handling.

Safety of Life maritime applicationsinclude search and rescue, synchronisa-tion of flashing navigational aids, andnavigation in crowded waterways underlow visibility conditions.

Dependence on GNSS connects manyotherwise independent services to form anaccidental system with a single point offailure.

For example, at sea in fog or at night,jamming could cause collisions betweenships or with obstructions whilst causingemergency beacons to broadcast falsepositions, delaying search and rescue.

No-one has oversight of the increasingrange of services that are dependent onGNSS or the complex ways in which theyinteract, and therefore no-one can reliablyfully predict the consequences of a signifi-cant disruption of GNSS signals.

This is an unsatisfactory situation forimportant services that are dependent onGNSS.

A Royal Academy of Engineering study(Global Navigation Space Systems: reliance andvulnerabilities) has identified an increasingnumber of applications where PNT signalsfrom GNSS are used with little, or no, non-GNSS based back-ups available.

At every level, examples of reliance onGPS for positional, navigational and tim-ing uses without fully tested and exercisednon-GPS back-ups have been observed.

The trend is for GNSS to be used in agrowing number of safety of life criticalsystems. Unfortunately, the integrity ofGNSS is insufficient for these applicationswithout augmentation.

Non-GNSS based back-ups are oftenabsent, inadequately exercised or inade-quately maintained.

Although it is currently rare for safetycritical systems to be wholly reliant onGNSS, related services that are otherwiseindependent may have GNSS as a com-mon point of failure, with consequencesfor the performance of safety critical tasks.

Such conditions occur where, for exam-ple in the emergency services, navigationand positional data is required to help per-form safety critical tasks efficiently, eventhough its absence would not interferewith the actual emergency response taskonce the location of the emergency hadbeen reached.

Potential failureThe original implementation of GNSS, theUS operated GPS, comprises groundbased, space based and receiver segments,all of which are susceptible to failures ofvarious types.

There are also some common mode fail-ure mechanisms which can affect wholeclasses of receiver or even the entire satel-lite constellation. The risk of a commonmode failure affecting an entire GNSS con-stellation or even multiple constellationscannot be ruled out.

The Earth is subject to extreme solarevents from time to time and these havethe potential to disrupt the GNSS signals,and the satellites themselves. The disrup-tion may be temporary or may cause com-plete satellite failure.

Such super-storm events are not pre-dictable, but studies estimate that these so-called ‘Carrington events’ will occur witha probability in the order of once in every100-200 years.

Space Weather events of lesser magni-tude will occur more frequently. Morethan once per decade, at UK latitudes,there may be an interruption to high accu-racy GNSS services.

There should be no direct safety of lifeissues if the integrity subsystem informsthe users that the navigation solution is

degraded, but the absence of the servicewill have varying levels of impact, whichcould be mitigated if an alternative navi-gation system is available.

Risk from jamming is growing. AsGNSS becomes more widely used for rev-enue generation or protection, the rewardsfrom criminal activity aimed at disruptingthe system grow.

Already it is known that criminals haveused GPS jamming in connection withtheft of high value vehicles and the avoid-ance of road user charges.

The cost of jamming equipment is lowand while users of such equipment areconcerned only with the jamming ofdevices on a single vehicle, the area affect-ed by that jamming signal can be large.

It is expected that the introduction ofGalileo, with its additional frequencybands and compatibility with GPS willmake jamming more difficult, but not sig-nificantly so for the determined criminal.

The risk from spoofing is also emergingand may become serious.

Consequences of signalloss

A failure, or loss of signal due to some out-side influence, can result in a range of con-sequences depending on the application.

In a telecommunications network, asmall loss in the efficiency of data han-dling may occur while the system ‘free-wheels’ until a signal is restored; in a sur-veying application where timing is notcritical, some delays may occur before thesurvey can be properly completed.

In such applications, a temporary loss ofGNSS signals might be considered aninconvenience. However, where systemsare used in safety of life critical applica-tions, the consequences can be more severe.

In some situations, even if operators arewell versed in procedures for a loss ofGNSS signals, the number of interlinkedsystems simultaneously activating alarmscan lead to eroded situational awarenessof operators in what could well be anemergency situation.

Some systems which rely on PNT sig-nals from GNSS are robust in themselvesand procedures are in place to deal ade-quately with any GNSS based systemfaults that occur.

However, disruptive interference canoccur unintentionally and, worse still,deliberate interference is a real and grow-ing possibility. As opportunities arise forcriminals to make money, avoid costs oravoid detection, it is known that signifi-cant effort will be directed towards attack-ing GNSS based systems.

Potential and already known mecha-nisms for deliberate interference include:� Rebroadcasting (‘meaconing’) a GNSS

signal maliciously, accidentally or to improve reception but causing mis-reporting of a position.

� Spoofing GNSS signals to create a con-trollable misreporting of position, for example to deceive tracking devices.

System vulnerabilitiesAll GNSS are vulnerable to failure, disrup-tion and interference, and much work hasbeen done to assess the possible failuremodes and their effects on services, and todevelop strategies to detect failures andcorrect them.

The vulnerabilities of GNSS can broad-ly be classified into three different cate-gories:1. System related (including signals and

receivers).2. Propagation channel related (atmos-

pheric and multipath).3. Interference related (accidental or

intentional).GNSS have system-level vulnerabilities:GPS satellites have on rare occasionbroadcast dangerously incorrect signals, areduced number of satellites visible couldprevent availability of a position fix, andGNSS receivers can incorrectly processvalid signals to give unpredictable results.

GNSS signals are very weak: typicallyless than 100 watts transmitted from a dis-tance of 20,000 km to 25,000 km.

When received at the surface of theearth, the signal strength may be as low as–160 dBW (1 x 10–16) watts, with a spec-trum spread out effectively below thenoise floor in the receivers.

Deliberate or unintentional interferencewith this signal can easily defeat the signalrecovery or overload the receiver circuitry.

Furthermore, signals are vulnerable todisruptions in the atmospheric mediumthey pass through, and receivers can alsounintentionally lock onto reflections of thesignals, known as multipath, giving unex-pectedly large errors.

These causes can have quite differenteffects on users, such as partial or com-plete loss of the positioning and timingservice, poorer accuracy, very largejumps in position, velocity or time, and‘hazardously misleading information’(HMI) that is to say, believable data thatis dangerously wrong in safety criticalapplications.

Segment-specific issuesAs previously mentioned, each GNSS hasthree segments: ground, space and user,and each of these segments have vulnera-bilities to problems or failures.

The ground segment is responsible formaintaining the system time, controllingthe satellites, uploading navigation data(Clock prediction data and Almanac andEphemeris orbit prediction data) that willbe broadcast to users from the satellites,and monitoring the signals broadcastacross the globe.

The satellites carry clocks, signal gener-ation units and amplifiers and antennas to

With the influence of satellite based positioning, particularly GPS, growing ever stronger in the maritime worldas 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

Digital Navigation – GNSS reliance and vulnerabilities

The availability of GPS positioning is oftentaken as a given

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broadcast the signals, modulated with thenavigation data.

These systems are designed with highreliability in mind, and in the case of GPS,the ground segment and satellites aredesigned to be resistant to military attack,but nevertheless there are vulnerabilities –for example if bad navigation data isuploaded to the satellite, or if unpredictableerrors appear in the clock mechanism.

Unlike the ground and space segment,the GNSS user segment is extremelydiverse and uncoordinated, comprising allGPS receivers.

Different manufacturers design GNSSreceivers to different levels of quality, buteven the simplest GNSS receiver is a high-ly complex mixture of radio and digitalhardware and software.

The common thread is that all receiversare designed to interface with the broad-cast GNSS signals, as documented in the‘Signal-in-Space Interface ControlDocument’ (ICD) definition.

This diversity means that systematic vul-nerabilities in GNSS receivers will not affectall users, but still could affect one particularuser sector badly, possibly globally, wherereceivers from one manufacturer with alatent software bug are used widely.

In time, users will also become increas-ingly dependent on the various overlay sys-tems that are required to enhance the per-formance of GNSS, which potentially intro-duces more vulnerability into the system.

For ground (or sea) based users theGNSS signals must pass through theatmosphere, and this too causes a variety

of generally deleterious effects. If the atmosphere were invariant in

time and space due allowance could bemade, but unfortunately the atmosphere ishighly variable over many temporal andspatial scales.

The lowest and densest region of ouratmosphere, containing our weather sys-tems, is called the troposphere. Hereweather systems can affect GNSS signalscausing modest variations in signal delay

which can be largely mitigated using amodel. Hence the troposphere introducesan error term, rather than a threat.

The ionized upper region of the atmos-phere known as the ionosphere can alsocause disruptions to GNSS signals and ifuncorrected introduce the largest errors in GNSS.

The variability of the ionosphere, espe-cially at high and low latitudes and attimes close to the peak of the sunspot cyclecan be highly problematical. This variabil-ity of the ionosphere is one manifestationof space weather.

Multipath vulnerabilities can lead toerrors. Multipath describes the situationwhen a receiver picks up reflected signalsas well the normal signals direct from thesatellite.

GNSS signals can reflect off relativelydistant objects, e.g. buildings, and causegross errors in position accuracy if thereceiver falsely locks onto this reflectedsignal instead of the direct signal.

More subtle errors are caused when thereflective objects are closer and direct andreflected signals merge together, causinglower precision code and carrier phasemeasurements.

Multipath is ubiquitous and a very wellknown phenomenon to scientists andreceiver manufacturers who have intro-duced all kinds of measures in receivers tomitigate the effects, such as multipathrejecting antennas, receiver filtering andprocessing techniques.

However, multipath can still some-times cause surprising errors of tens to

hundreds of metres to unprepared users,and it is also one of the most significantbarriers to future adoption of autonomouscar navigation using GNSS.

Deliberate interferenceThere are three distinct forms of deliberateinterference with GNSS signals: jamming,spoofing, and meaconing.

Jamming is the most likely activitywhich will impact a conventional industri-al use GPS system.

Meaconing (delaying and rebroadcast-ing) and spoofing (false signal) whicheffectively rebroadcasts erroneous satelliteephemeris are currently less common thanjamming.

The crudest form of jamming simplytransmits a noise signal across one or moreof the GNSS frequencies, to raise the noiselevel or overload the receiver circuitry andcause loss of lock. Circuits and assemblyinstructions for GPS jammers are widelyavailable on the internet, and commercialjammers can be bought for less than £20.

Commercial jammers are increasinglysophisticated: some are designed to fit intoa pocket, some into car lighter sockets;most jammers are designed to block GPS,GLONASS and GALILEO (even beforeGALILEO is operational), others incorpo-rate jamming of all cellphone frequenciesas well, using multiple antennas.

Noise jamming can be overcome to somedegree by adaptive antennas and noise fil-tering in well-designed receivers, but somejammers are now transmitting GNSS codesrather than noise, to bypass the filters.

A GPS jamming unit used in trials by theGeneral Lighthouse Authorities, which

caused GPS receivers to report positionerrors of more than 20km. Photo: GLA

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Digital ShipCommercial receivers behave unpre-

dictably in areas where there is noise jam-ming. Trials by DSTL and Trinity Househave shown receivers giving false infor-mation rather than reporting an error (seearticle Digital Ship June/July 2009 issue,page 50).

Sometimes the errors are too large to bemisleading (ships’ positions shown to bemany miles inland, with speeds approach-ing Mach 1, for example) but there havealso been many instances of hazardouslymisleading information (HMI) wherevehicles’ positions are offset by a few tensor hundreds of meters, and courses andspeeds are incorrect by a few degrees anda few knots.

The consequences of HMI could be seri-ous if, for example, ships are navigating inlow visibility and broadcasting their(GNSS derived) position to other vessels.

In the United States, monitoring forGPS signal anomalies is routine and theoccurrence of jamming incidents, bothdeliberate and accidental is growing. Inthe UK, the Technology Strategy Board issupporting a project to establish a serviceto verify the extent to which GNSS signalscan be trusted by users.

RecommendationsBased on the results of the study thereport’s authors have made a number ofrecommendations with the aims of (a)raising awareness of the nature and mag-nitude of the issues; (b) proposing somepolicy interventions that could reduce therisks; and (c) increasing the resilience of

services that rely on GNSS.Raising awareness and analysing

impact – Critical services should ensurethat GNSS vulnerabilities are included intheir risk registers and that the risks are reviewed regularly and mitigatedeffectively.

National and regional emergency man-agement and response teams shouldreview the dependencies (direct and indi-rect) on GNSS and mitigate the risksappropriately.

Services that depend on GNSS for PNT,directly or indirectly, should documentthis as part of their service descriptions,and explain their contingency plans forGNSS outages (say, of duration 10 min-utes, 2 hours, 5 days, 1 month).

Policy responses – It is already illegal toplace GNSS jamming equipment on themarket in the EU, as it cannot be made com-pliant with the EMC Directive. The Directiveis transposed into UK national legislation.

The use of jammers is also a seriousoffence under the UK Wireless TelegraphyAct 2006. Ofcom also has the ability toclose remaining loopholes by putting inplace a banning order under the 2006 Actwhich would prohibit import, advertise-ment and mere possession of jammers.

The case for this is easily justified giventhe clear danger to safety of life services,which present a clear priority for Ofcom.The report’s authors recommend thatOfcom should introduce such a banningorder, ideally in cooperation with otherEuropean legislators.

The Cabinet Office Civil Contingencies

Secretariat should commission a review ofthe benefits and cost-effectiveness of estab-lishing a monitoring network to alert usersto disruption of GNSS services, building onthe results of the GAARDIAN and similarprojects and the US experience with JLOC.

The Cabinet Office should considerwhether official jamming trials of GNSSservices for a few hours should be carriedout, with suitable warnings, so that userscan evaluate the impact of the loss ofGNSS and the effectiveness of their con-tingency plans.

Widely deployed systems such asStolen Vehicle Tracking or Road UserCharging should favour designs wherethe user gains little or no advantage fromthe jamming of signals that are so impor-tant to other services.

The availability of high quality PNTsources is becoming a matter of nationalsecurity with financial transactions, datacommunication and the effective opera-tion of the emergency services relying onit to a greater or lesser extent.

Greater cross-government coordinationof science and technology issues related tonational security should explicitly recog-nise the importance of PNT, treating it asan integral part of the operation of nation-al infrastructure.

Increasing resilience – The provision ofa widely available PNT service as an alter-native to GNSS is an essential part of thenational infrastructure. It should be costeffective to incorporate in civil GNSSreceivers and free to use.

Ideally it should provide additionalbenefits, such as availability inside build-ings and in GNSS blindspots. The report’sauthors are encouraged by progress witheLORAN in this context.

The Technology Strategy Board (TSB)and the Engineering and Physical SciencesResearch Council (EPSRC) are encouragedto consider the merits of creating an R&Dprogramme focused on antenna andreceiver improvements that wouldenhance the resilience of systems depend-ent on GNSS.

This article has been adapted from the 2011Royal Academy of Engineering study Global�avigation Space Systems: reliance and vulnerabilities, prepared by a workinggroup consisting of the following group ofAcademy Fellows and other experts:

Dr Martyn Thomas CBE FREng(Chairman), Martyn Thomas AssociatesLtd; Professor Jim �orton, IndependentDirector; Alan Jones, Cotares Ltd; ProfessorAndy Hopper FREng, University of Cambridge; �ick Ward, General Lighthouse

Authorities of the UK & Ireland; Professor Paul Cannon FREng, Qinetiq;�eil Ackroyd, Ordnance Survey; PaulCruddace, Ordnance Survey; MartinUnwin, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd

Further contributions also came fromCharles Curry, Chronos Technology Ltd,and Professor Washington Ochieng, Imperial College, London.

The full report is available online atwww.raeng.org/gnss or copies are availableon request from the Academy.

DS

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

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

M in

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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

Safety communications and Arctic expansion

OO n the first day of the 15th sessionof the IMO Sub-Committee onRadiocommunications, Search

and Rescue (COMSAR), a ceremony tookplace to celebrate the expansion of theWorld-Wide Navigational Warning Serv-ice (WWNWS) into Arctic waters.

It was attended by the Secretary-Generalof the World Meteorological Organization(WMO), Michel Jarraud, the President ofthe International HydrographicOrganization (IHO), Admiral AlexandrosMaratos, and IMO Secretary-General,Efthimios E. Mitropoulos, as well as dele-gates to the sub-committee.

Following the introduction of theGMDSS there was a requirement to prom-ulgate navigational and meteorologicalMaritime Safety Information (MSI) and 16NAVAREAs/METAREAs were approvedunder the auspices of IMO.

Taking into consideration the effect ofincreased global warming and the changesin accessibility of the Arctic together withthe greater use of the North West and NorthEast passages by international shipping,five more areas were approved in 2010.

Over the past year MSI has been prom-ulgated as part of the ‘Initial OperationalCapability’, and the service will be in the‘Full Operational Capability’ from 1st Junethis year.

Responsibility for Arctic NAVAREACoordination and the METAREA IssuingServices has been assumed by Canada,Norway and the Russian Federation.

Each NAVAREA/METAREA has itsown national coordinator of navigationaland meteorological information(NAVAREA/METAREA XVII – Canada;NAVAREA/METAREA XVIII – Canada;NAVAREA/METAREA XIX – Norway;NAVAREA/METAREA XX- RussianFederation; NAVAREA/METAREA XXI –Russian Federation).

To receive MSI automatically, ships, inaccordance with the SOLAS Convention,must be fitted with the relevant communi-cations equipment - Navtex receivers forshort to medium range, and Inmarsat-C ormini-C terminals using Enhanced GroupCall (EGC) system for transocean andwhen outside medium frequency (MF)Navtex range, or in areas where Navtex isnot available.

Inmarsat-C and mini-C use the sameInmarsat-C communication system, withthe only differences between the two vari-ants being in the design and technicalcharacteristics of the mobile terminals.Mini-C terminals are smaller in size, haveless transmitting power and therefore con-sume less supply power.

Some models have integrated antennaand transceiver allowing for simpler instal-lation and greater flexibility with cable rout-ing, but they support the same communica-tion functions as Inmarsat-C terminals.

Furthermore some models are approvedfor GMDSS use, and all modern Inmarsat-C and mini-C models have integrated

(GNSS) satellite navigational receivers.EGC reception is part of the Inmarsat-C

system and used for broadcast of informa-tion to vessels. To promulgate MSI aninternational SafetyNET service is usedthat is a mandatory part of communica-tion equipment on certain type of shipsoperating outside Navtex areas.

To enable the EGC SafetyNET servicesand develop them, develop documenta-tion in its support, further develop opera-tional criteria and establish means of

approval and registration of MSIproviders, an International CoordinatingPanel was adopted by IMO.

Arctic communicationsNavtex receivers operate on the interna-tional frequency of 518 KHz and have acoverage area of about 250-300 miles. TheInmarsat satellite system operates withinthe physical coverage area of geostation-ary satellites with a guaranteed receptionarea that is between 76 degrees North andSouth (subject to antenna position andlack of obstruction).

In the Arctic there are two traditionalpassages from Atlantic Ocean to PacificOcean – the North-West passage along thecoast of the USA and Canada, and theNorth-East passage along the coast ofNorway and the Russian Federation.

Not all the parts of the both passagesare within the coverage of Inmarsat’s geo-stationary footprint, with the relativelysmall areas of passage outside coveragelying mainly between the boundaries ofadjacent satellites.

Some areas with low degree antennaelevation angle (less than 5 degrees) havelimited or non-guaranteed coverage.

To determine what the practical cover-age in the Arctic is, Inmarsat performed afew trials with ships operating in the area.These trial results showed that practicalcoverage in some areas may be extendedto 80 degrees North.

Calculations have also shown thatabout 10 per cent of both passages arebeyond Inmarsat coverage. About 16 percent of the NE route and 30 per cent of theNW route have limited coverage, and all

other sections have guaranteed coverage. So, while there are some limitations in the

Arctic, ships in the area will still need to useInmarsat-C and mini-C terminals to auto-matically receive MSI, as the availability ofthe satellite terminals on ships is mandatory.

For the areas that have marginal satel-lite coverage or are outside the footprint,Norway and the Russian Federation areutilising existing Navtex stations orinstalling new transmitters thereby ensur-ing that there is full coverage for transmis-

sion of this important safety information.Inmarsat is now working on develop-

ment of a new generation of maritime safe-ty services on the BGAN FleetBroadbandplatform, operating via the Inmarsat-4satellites. The additional coverage of thesesatellites will effectively reduce the existingservice gaps left by Inmarsat-3 satellitesand increase the Arctic areas whereInmarsat service is made available.

Receiving safetymessages

MSI providers address NAVAREA/METAREA warnings to the relevant num-ber of the area using a special syntax thatinclude ocean area code, message priority,service code, address and repetition code.

All existing maritime Inmarsat-C andmini-C terminals used to receive MSI,before the new Arctic areas were approved,have an encoded matrix of all NAVAREAs/METAREAs or an ability to set up thearea's number where the ship is navigating.

This allows mobile terminals to ‘recog-nise’ which area the ship is in and auto-matically receive the required MSI.

When IMO adopted new Arctic areas atemporary solution was implemented tochange the addressing of NAVAREA/METAREA warnings, since no equipmentwas available encoded with the new

matrix. Hence many models could not beused to receive new MSI addressed to theArctic areas.

The SafetyNET Coordinating Panelmade a decision to address NAVAREA/METAREA warnings to rectangular areasaround the new defined areas, so that allships with the existing equipment andwithout the new matrix encoded would beable to receive the required MSI.

There are now a few models on themarket with the new areas encoded and,generally speaking, new equipment willhave been upgraded before delivery.

Some models may be upgraded withsoftware or firmware upgrades, but somelegacy or older models that are not support-ed by manufacturers anymore may requirereplacement. Equipment suppliers shouldbe consulted with regard to the availabilityof these new areas on specific equipment.

MSI via EGC SafetyNET can be addressedin four different ways: to NAVAREA/METAREA number (there are 21 areas); torectangular area; to circular area; and tocoastal areas as Navtex messages.

Each type of MSI has its priority,address and repetition, and all these oper-ational issues are coordinated by the inter-national SafetyNET Panel.

MSI, depending on its type, is broad-cast using three priorities: Safety, Urgencyand Distress. All SOLAS compliant shipsin all areas, including Arctic areas withinInmarsat coverage, receive MSI via EGCSafetyNET automatically for the areawhere the ship is located. Ships are alsoable to set up additional areas to receiveMSI ahead of their intended voyage.

It is very important to note that sched-uled MSI, mainly with Safety priority, isbroadcast via a single or nominatedInmarsat satellite only if the addressedarea is within coverage of two or threesatellites. MSI with higher Urgency andDistress priority is broadcast via all satel-lites serving the area.

This means that it is very important tokeep the terminal logged in to the nomi-nated satellite if the area is served by morethan one satellite at the time of broadcast,so as not to miss required information.

In addition to reception of MSI, whichis a mandatory service under IMO regula-tion, Inmarsat-C is also used for SSAS(Ship Security Alerting System) and LRIT(Long Range Information and Tracking).In case of distress or emergency the sys-tem can be used to transmit distress alert(by using dedicated distress button) anddistress priority messages with automaticdelivery to the Maritime RescueCoordination Centre (MRCC).

About the authorPeter Blackhurst is head of Maritime Safety Services, Inmarsat, responsible forInmarsat’s provision of GMDSS and its public service commitment. He is also agovernor of the World Maritime University based in Sweden, a director ofCIRM, and a member of the Royal Institute of �avigation and of the Honourable

Company of Master Mariners. Prior to joining Inmarsat, Mr Blackhurst worked with the UK’sMaritime and Coastguard Agency.

DS

The new WWNWS Arctic NAVAREAS have come into effect

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Digital Ship

AmarconAmarcon is a provider of solutions to opti-mise routing and decision support for alltypes of sea-going vessels.

At Nor-Shipping this year the companywill be showcasing its OCTOPUS system, apackage of hardware and software prod-ucts to improve the safety and efficiency ofships operating at sea, while reducing costs.

Available off-the-shelf or tailor-designed, the system includes fuel and per-formance monitoring, dynamic positioningand ship motion forecasts, weather services,hydrodynamic analysis, and online infor-mation about vessel status and location.Visit Amarcon in Hall C at Stand 01-18c,in the Maritime by Holland pavilion.

Autronica Fire andSecurity

Autronica’s latest generation of its flag-ship fire detection system, AutroSafe 4,will be on display during Nor-Shipping.The system was designed to meet the newSOLAS Safe Return to Port guidelines, andfeatures a number of enhancements toboth networking and redundancy.

Recent developments with Autronica’ssafety management system, Autromasterwith ISEMS, including the ability to link theonboard system to a shore system, will alsobe on show from the Norwegian company.

Autronica has developed this new func-tionality through co-operation with theEU’s FLAGSHIP research project, which ithopes will improve safety managementduring emergencies and drills by enablingshore staff to better support safety officers.

With further integration of Omicronproducts into its offering, Autronica saysit is also expecting strong interest in its gasdetection systems during Nor-Shipping.The company acquired Omicron in 2009.Visit Autorinca in Hall C, at Stand 03-30a.

AVEVAAVEVA, a provider of engineering designand information management systems,will be showcasing its marine solutions atthis year’s Nor-Shipping.

AVEVA staff will be on hand to discussthe company’s range of marine integratedengineering and design technology, aswell as the company’s information man-agement services and recently launchedIntegrated Shipbuilding Strategy.

The Integrated Shipbuilding Strategyfocuses on the business lifecycle of anentire shipyard, exploring how shipyardscan optimise the design, procurement andproduction process through improvedinformation management.

Demonstrations at the stand will alsoinclude AVEVA MARS, a purpose-builtshipyard process management system,AVEVA NET, a digital asset managementsolution and AVEVA Review, a 3-D visu-alisation tool.Visit AVEVA in Hall C, at Stand 03-02a.

Beijer ElectronicsAt Nor-Shipping 2011 Beijer Electronicswill present its selection of marine industri-al PCs and monitors, and also plans tointroduce its graphic HMI (human machineinterface) solution ‘iX’ at the show.

In comparison with previous product gen-erations ‘iX’ features upgraded software andredesigned hardware, with the new designand functionality incorporating a widescreenformat and improved connectivity.Visit Beijer Electronics in Hall B, atStand 04-18.

ComtechAt Nor-Shipping 2011 Comtech will show-case its Comtech MarineNet Pro system,for voice and data communications in themaritime sector.

This new satellite broadband systemoperates over Thuraya’s satellite networkand provides vessels with broadbandcommunications capabilities.

Comtech MarineNet Pro will be avail-able with a range of different airtime pack-ages. Nor-Shipping visitors can have apreview of the service at the exhibition. Visit Comtech in Hall D, at Stand 01-01c,in the USA Pavilion.

DatemaDutch navigational chart and publicationssupplier Datema, founded in 1955 as part ofthe Nautical Safety Group, will re-launch itsENCtrack service at this year's Nor-Shipping.

First introduced at Nor-Shipping 2009,the roll out of the ENCtrack service wasdelayed by disagreements on the terms oflicensing, centring on its 'pay-as-you sail'concept.

After two years of lobbying and debate,Datema has now finally managed tosecure the necessary IC-ENC permissionsto re-launch ENCtrack, with officialapproval having come into effect on April 1, 2011. Visit Datema in Hall B, at Stand 01-17.

DocmapDocmap will showcase the new version ofits software system, Docmap 7.0, at thisyear’s Nor-Shipping.

This new software version is designedspecifically for handling the documenta-tion required by safety management sys-tems and incident reporting.

The Marine Suite version of the systemis pre-configured for the shipping indus-try with an additional module, DocmapSync, for off-line synchronisation ofremote databases (via e-mail, FTP or CD).

The integrated system can be used tocontrol documents integrated with report-ing and investigation of HSEQ occur-rences across the fleet, and includes func-tionalities for process control, KPI dataharvesting and reporting, and managingTMSA2 or OVMSA business processes.

With previous versions of the software

available in English and Norwegian,Docmap 7.0 is also available in Portuguesewith the aim of catering to offshore com-panies establishing themselves in theBrazilian oil sector.Visit Docmap in Hall B, at Stand 05-12.

DualogIndependent data communication providerDualog, established in 1994, will exhibit itsrange of software-based services for the mar-itime industry, including its flagship DualogConnection Suite, at Nor-Shipping 2011.

The company will display its data com-munication systems for ship-shore e-mail,data synchronisation, crew mail, antivirus, remote access, web optimisationand onboard IP security at the event.

Dualog’s software can be used to opti-mise available bandwidth and managecosts irrespective of communicationequipment type, and is currently used on1,700 vessels worldwide, backed by 24/7technical support.

The company has 40 employees, work-ing at its headquarters in Tromsø, Norwayand in additional offices in Oslo, Liverpool,

Malta, Vigo, Dubai and Singapore.Visit Dualog in Hall B, at Stand 05-16.

EMS KonsultEMS Konsult is a provider of software sys-tems based on the Sharepoint platform(2007 and 2010) and related consultancyservices, which the company says can beused to improve efficiency and documentcontrol related to the ISO 9001, ISO 14001and OHSAS 18001 standards, as well asthe ISM code.

Its software systems include atqmPortal (Total Quality Management),with features covering process approach,document management, risk manage-ment, requirements management, andcompetence evaluation.

An fPortal (Improvement handling) is alsoavailable covering non conformity reporting,management of improvements and actions,and administration and analysis, while thecompany’s rPortal (Environmental reporting)can be used for climate reporting and dataon HSEQ/GRI performance.Visit EMS Konsult in Hall A, at Stand01-17.

When the summer comes, the great and the good of the shipping industry gather together in some of the world’smajor 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

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EniramEniram will be demonstrating its recentlylaunched FLEET system at this year’sNor-Shipping, an onshore business intel-ligence tool that aims to help ship opera-tors optimise the operational performanceof their vessels.

The system allows for comparative energyconsumption within a fleet across a set timeperiod and the setting of KPIs, to create aconsistent view of performance and improvefuel efficiency and emissions reduction.

Eniram will also be showcasing itsDynamic Trimming Assistant (DTA)which provides a ship’s officers withdynamic monitoring and optimisation of aship’s trim.

Visitors to Nor-Shipping are invited tocome by the company’s stand and pick upa complimentary copy of its guide todynamic trim optimisation, and see someof the trim related savings potential seen onboard a VLCC carrier using its technology.Visit Eniram in Hall D, at Stand 05-22.

GL Maritime SoftwareGL Maritime Software will demonstratethe capabilities of its range of maritimesoftware solutions at this year’s Nor-Shipping exhibition.

This portfolio of systems focuses oncondition monitoring and operations sup-port, with the company’s software pack-ages including the GL ShipManager, GLHullManager, GL MachineryManager, GLFleetAnalyzer, and GL SeaScout.

GL says that its software systems aredesigned to be flexible to user require-ments, allowing them to be either integrat-ed as a single package or run as stand-alone solutions upon request.Visit GL Maritime Software in Hall D, atStand 03-21.

IntellianKorean maritime satellite communicationantenna system manufacturer Intellianwill exhibit its line of VSAT communica-tions and satellite TVRO antennas at Nor-Shipping 2011.

This will include its latest t110W 3-axissatellite TV antenna, offering greater cov-erage, programming and functionalitythan previous versions, and incorporatinga newly designed, multi-band WorldViewLNB (Low Noise Block-Down Converter)and a decoder for DVB-S2 digital TVreception.

Information will also be available on therecently launched v240c, a 2.4 metre anten-na developed in-house by Intellian engi-neers, the 60cm v60G with gyro free opera-tion, and the v110, with a wide elevationangle of -15 degrees to -120 degrees, for con-nectivity in high or low latitude regions.

Intellian says its VSAT antennas aredeveloped on an open platform design, towork with 'always on' high speed broad-band connections. The antennas work inconjunction with any CDMA or TDMAnetwork, worldwide.Visit Intellian in Hall A, at Stand 01-15.

Kelvin HughesMarine data supplier and equipment manu-facturer Kelvin Hughes will be demonstrat-ing its flagship ECDISPlus system at Nor-Shipping, a new ECDIS package developedto provide a single solution for those look-ing to introduce ECDIS to their vessels.

ECDISPlus enables customers to puttogether a bespoke package of charts, pub-lications and equipment, backed up byKelvin Hughes’ support and training.

Visitors to the company’s stand cantake part in practical ECDIS demonstra-tions and also visit an ‘ECDIS Clinic’where the Kelvin Hughes ECDIS ‘Doctor’will aim to solve their ECDIS problems.

The company will also be launching anew three year extended warranty acrossits commercial product range, demon-strating its latest radar technology andprocessing capability (including the solid-state SharpEye radar), as well as its latestdisplay technology aimed at the ice navi-gation market. Visit Kelvin Hughes in Hall B, at Stand01-26.

KNSKNS is a designer, manufacturer, and inte-grator of systems for the marine commu-nications industry, based in Korea, and atNor-Shipping 2011 the company will beshowcasing its VSAT antennas, equip-ment and parts for the shipping sector.

Originally starting as a venture of KT(Korea Telecom), KNS obtained its firstcontract with the South Korean CoastGuard before moving into the privatecommercial sector.

As it expanded, KNS opened a largerR&D facility in the Daeduk Techno Valley,a hub of research and development activi-ty in South Korea.

Currently KNS provides maritimeantenna systems for satellite communica-tions and satellite television to companies inapproximately thirty countries worldwide.Visit KNS in Hall A, at Stand 01-29.

Kongsberg MaritimeKongsberg Maritime’s exhibit at Nor-Shipping 2011 will feature its new K-Chiefautomation system, which utilisesKongsberg’s new multifunction graphicaluser interface to provide uniform control,using the same design language, across themajority of Kongsberg Maritime systems.

K-Chief may also be integrated with theKongsberg Maritime Vessel PerformanceSystem, which integrates several separatesystems designed to reduce fuel consump-tion and emissions in areas like fuel per-formance monitoring, engine performancemonitoring and energy management.

The company’s new cargo monitoringand control system, K-Gauge, will also bepresent at the show. K-Gauge can be inte-grated with the company’s integratedautomation and control systems (such asK-Chief) and incorporates level gauging,temperature and pressure monitoring,valve and pump control.

Kongsberg Maritime says it will addi-tionally present its latest bridge concept K-Master during Nor-Shipping, in additionto a range of position reference systemsfrom Kongsberg Seatex. Visit Kongsberg Maritime in Hall C, atStand 02-28.

MARISMARIS will present its ECDIS equipment,radar data processing and display systemsand Voyage Data Recorders at this year'sNor-Shipping.

Having introduced the world's firstLCD based ECDIS systems and theworld’s first fully approved S-VDR withoptional ECDIS, most recently MARIS hasintroduced its Voyage Decision System(VDS), an electronic information toolbased on MARIS ECDIS.

This system is used to plan, execute,document and analyse a ship's voyage,with the aim of reducing fuel consump-tion. MARIS says that VDS has document-ed fuel saving potential of up to 5 per centof annual fuel costs in certain cases.

MARIS now has more than 2,500ECDIS systems installed and in operationworld-wide, and offers update services forENC and ARCS via e-mail, with theapproval of the UKHO and Primar. Visit MARIS in Hall B, at Stand 05-17.

Maritime AssociatesMaritime Associates, a provider of consult-ing services in naval architecture/offshoreengineering, and software development/ICT services, will present the VMOSnetsoftware system at Nor-Shipping.

Created by the company’s own softwaredevelopment wing, VMOSnet is an inte-grated web-based fleet management sys-tem, covering a range of ship managementfunctions like voyage planning, dailyreporting, maintenance, purchasing, HSSE-QA, document management and crewing.

The VMOSnet office system is a web-based application, with the onboard versionable to be configured as either a web-basedsystem or to work on the vessel’s intranet.

The software package is already cur-rently in use on-board vessels and inoffices in Australia, Japan, Singapore,India and Finland.Visit Maritime Associates in Hall C, atStand 02-08, in the Singapore Pavilion.

MarlinkMarlink will launch its new ‘Local Numbers’service at this year’s Nor-Shipping.

Available to all customers of Marlink’sSealink and WaveCall VSAT systems, thenew service combines Direct InwardDialling (DID) with the local telephonenumber of the vessel operator’s office

location to provide cost-effective callingfor shore-to-vessel voice calls.

Local Numbers covers telephone num-bers from more than 50 countries and4,000 cities worldwide, with fixed month-ly costs and no additional per-minute fees.

There is no limit on the amount orlength of calls, and users can reach thevessel directly with no requirement to callvia an operator.

The service is maintained by Marlink’scustomer support team, with no useradministration required. Visit Marlink in Hall B, at Stand 02-12.

McMurdo McMurdo's Smartfind Global MaritimeDistress and Safety System (GMDSS)NAVTEX receiver, used to provide com-mercial vessels with NAVTEX maritimesafety information, will be on display atthe Nor-Shipping exhibition.

The Smartfind GMDSS NAVTEX has a4-colour LCD screen, with different NAV-TEX message categories colour-keyedaccording to the message type, navigationwarning, meteorological forecast orurgent search and rescue message.

ESM (Enhanced Signal Monitoring) isused to assist in message recovery andreduce text errors, while an automaticsorting feature and index message listingpage can help in locating new or previous-ly unread NAVTEX messages.

The Smartfind system interfaces withGPS and ECDIS, and has an optional hardcopy printer capability. A range of antennaoptions are available, including an optimisedprofessional two-band active antenna.Visit McMurdo in Hall C, at Stand 03-02c.

MNC MarineMNC Marine will be at Nor-Shipping 2011to showcase its IT management servicesfor maritime companies.

The company's technicians and engi-neers assist customers with installationand maintenance of maritime applica-tions, as well as providing complete hard-ware environments.

MNC Marine offers a specialised soft-ware service providing maintenance,monitoring and reporting functionality.Visit MNC Marine in Hall T, at Stand 12.

MTNAt Nor-Shipping 2011, MTN andNorwegian partner GIS will introduceMTN’s range of communications solutionsfor the shipping industry, including VSATsystems and onboard tools to help captainsand crew to communicate and work at sea.

The company says that its range ofvalue-add services will now be directlyincluded in its offering, includingStreamXcel Plus, a bandwidth analyzer,worldwide TV and a number of crewmorale services.

MTN's VSAT products are powered bythe company's global satellite network,providing guaranteed bandwidth for afixed monthly fee.Visit MTN in Hall B, at Stand 02-11.

NEK KabelNEK Kabel, founded in 1913 and based inNorway, designs and manufactures cablesfor maritime applications.

At Nor-Shipping 2011 the companywill showcase its cables for ROV, umbili-Kongsberg’s K-Chief 600 – Stand C02-28

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Digital Shipcals, subsea, pipeline control, petrochemi-cal, crane and lifting plants, floating, aswell as communication cables. These sys-tems come with DNV approvals.

A cabling system for ship installationswill also be on show at the event.Visit NEK Kabel in Hall B, at Stand 05-22.

Ocean SignalOcean Signal, a provider of communica-tions and safety at sea equipment, will pres-ent its SafeSea GMDSS product range forthe first time at this year’s Nor-Shipping.

Researched and developed by the com-pany’s own designers and engineers, theproduct line includes the SafeSeaE100/E100G series of Emergency PositionIndicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs), theSafeSea S100 Search and RescueTransponder (SART) and the SafeSea V100survival craft VHF hand portableradiotelephone.

Each product has an extended batterylife and uses non-hazardous batterieswhich can be easily replaced by the user asrequired. Visit Ocean Signal in Hall C, at Stand03-02b.

OCSOnsoft Computer Systems AS (OCS) willpresent its software systems for the ship-ping and offshore industry at Nor-Shipping 2011.

The company's software packagescover business areas such as HR, payroll,asset integrity management, maintenanceand ship management.

OCS invites attendees at the exhibitionto come to its stand for more informationon the software systems and their features,and a short presentation of those capabili-ties.Visit OCS in Hall B, at Stand 03-11.

Raytheon AnschützGerman navigation system supplierRaytheon Anschütz will exhibit its newseries of Radar, ECDIS and Conning sys-tems at Nor-Shipping, together with therecently launched Nautosteer AdvancedSteering control with the graphicalNautoPilot 5000.

The company’s latest generation ofSynapsis (Chart-) Radar, Synapsis ECDISand Synapsis Conning workstations arebased on a newly developed system archi-

tecture, which uses standard hardwareand software for scalability including astandardised PC with solid-state disk andpassive cooling instead of a fan.

The Synapsis (Chart-) Radar andSynapsis ECDIS also feature a range of newfunctions to enhance safety and efficiency.Visit Raytheon in Hall B, at Stand 03-12.

SAM ElectronicsSAM Electronics and its associate L-3 com-panies, L-3 Valmarine, Lyngsø Marine andAPSS, will feature their latest systemdevelopments at this year's exhibition.

Key exhibits include a new-generationNACOS and Valmatic Platinum vesselcontrol system for combined navigationand automation applications, and a LAN-based network assembly with standard-ised components to increase scalabilityand simplify installation and operation.

A stand-alone ECDIS specificallydesigned for retrofit and fully compatiblewith existing installed sensors is amongthe new products on show, as well asdiesel electric propulsion units, an Electro-Cleen System (ECS), and an IMO-approved ballast water treatment assem-bly developed by marine environmentcompany Techcross.Visit SAM in Hall C, at Stand 04-32a.

ShipNetShipNet will exhibit its maritime ERP soft-ware, in use by over 300 clients around theglobe, at Nor-Shipping 2011.

The company’s technology includessoftware to manage tasks ranging fromlong term operational planning to individ-ual maintenance jobs aboard ship.

All four of ShipNet’s product familieswill be showcased at the stand, coveringChartering and Operations, Accountingand Financial Management, TechnicalManagement and Procurement, as well asinformation solutions covering Terminaland Berth information.

Nor-Shipping will be the first opportu-nity many will have to see ShipNet’s newChartering and Operations solution,released in May, which now includes TaskManagement to allow for the allocationand tracking of particular functions.

A Voyage Estimation module is alsoincluded, that allows calculation and com-parison of different time and spot charterscenarios. Product manager FrankOtterstad will be on hand throughout theweek to deliver demonstrations of thesenew systems.Visit ShipNet in Hall D, at Stand 04-31.

SpecTecSpecTec Group will showcase its offering ofsoftware and services in the field of AssetManagement at this year’s exhibition.

The company’s flagship AMOS (AssetManagement Operating System) productis used to manage operation and control ofall Technical and Documentation aspectsof areas like maintenance, spare parts andstock control, purchasing and procure-ment, Quality and Safety documentationmanagement, voyage management andpersonnel management.

Having now been working in the mar-itime market for more than 25 years,SpecTec says that it is continuing to investheavily in research and development andis developing new software functionality

in close cooperation with many of its cus-tomers and partners.

The company is inviting exhibitionattendees to come to its stand and ask fora software demonstration. Visit SpecTec in Hall B, at Stand 01-20.

Star Information SystemsAt Nor-Shipping 2011 Star InformationSystems (SIS) will display its integratedsoftware systems for onboard operationsof all types of vessels, office based systemsfor fleet management and centralised pur-chasing, and web based systems for e-commerce and KPI and trend monitoring.

Since the company was founded in1997, SIS has provided software systemsto all types of vessels; from FPSOs andvarious types of offshore and land basedrigs, to cruise ships, liners, chemical andgas carriers, offshore support vessels, seis-mic vessels, dredging and fishing vessels.

During the exhibition SIS will also intro-duce a brand new purchasing system for themaritime and offshore industries, Star FleetSupply Management (Star FSM), aimed atassisting in maritime procurement. Visit SIS in Hall C, at Stand 04-32b, inthe Norwegian Pavilion.

Telenor Maritime RadioTelenor Maritime Radio will showcase itsrange of maritime communications offer-ings at Nor-Shipping, with servicesincluding radio inspection, radio certifi-cates, a training centre, a maritime radiolicense department, and Inmarsat point ofservice activation.

The company also operates a coastalradio service, consisting of five stationswhich are manned round the clock.

Telenor offers communication pack-ages that incorporate terrestrial radio dataservices and mobile broadband and satel-lite services, including Inmarsat FleetBroadband, Iridium and VSAT.

It will also exhibit its ‘SmartBox’, a net-work management tool developed incooperation with Virtek Communication(part of KVH).Visit Telenor Maritime Radio in Hall B,at Stand 05-24.

Tero MarineTero Marine will demonstrate its range ofinformation systems for the maritimeindustry at Nor-Shipping.

The company's flagship product will bethe TM Master Fleet Management Suite,an integrated marine information systemcomprised of a number of modulesdesigned to assist in the fleet managementprocess.

These include a planned maintenancesystem with functions such as trend analy-sis, risk analysis and work permit man-agement, as well as modules for inventoryand spare part control, dry docking, pur-chasing & ordering, crew management,handling of claims and voyage e-log. Visit Tero Marine in Hall C, at Stand 03-30g, in the Norwegian Pavilion.

Thrane & ThraneThrane & Thrane’s new generationSAILOR 6000 GMDSS Series will be dis-played on the Telemar Norway and RadioHolland Norway stands at Nor-Shipping.

The company says that the system is nowfully approved and started shipping in April,and features new VHF, MF/HF, mini-C andtouch screen message terminal technologies.

The company will also be showcasing itsThraneLINK network protocol, which wasintroduced as part of the SAILOR 6000Series at SMM. ThraneLINK is expected tosoon be introduced to other SAILOR prod-ucts, including FleetBroadband, andThrane & Thrane says it has already startedwork with third parties to develop a widerrange of applications for it.

As part of the SAILOR 6000 Series,ThraneLINK enables a single point ofentry to the various sub-systems, whichshould open up new possibilities in net-working of the various systems across avessel bridge.Visit Thrane & Thrane in Hall B, atTelemar Norway’s Stand 02-15 or RadioHolland’s Stand 01-22.

TransasAt Nor-Shipping 2011 ECDIS will be themain highlight at the Transas stand.

The company will present its solutionscovering all aspects of the upcomingECDIS carriage requirement, with itsofferings for type-approved ECDIS, offi-cial charts and chart updates, weatherservices, port documents and voyageplanning tools.

On the training side Transas will intro-duce its newly launched Global ECDISTraining Network (GET-Net) and ECDISCBT programs, while also emphasising itsservice support capabilities including anew remote-service concept, with fleettracking and other features.Visit Transas in Hall B, at Stand 02-22.

Uni-Safe ElectronicsUni-Safe Electronics will be displaying itsBNWAS BW-800 system at Nor-Shipping2011.

New regulations from IMO will requirecarriage of a Bridge Navigational WatchAlarm System (BNWAS) from 1 July 2011for new ships over 150 GT and all new pas-senger ships. A phased schedule of installa-tion deadlines from this date should see allrelevant ships installed in 2014.

Uni-Safe’s BNWAS BW-800 is DNVType Approved and complies with thesenew regulations, and the new IEC 62616performance standard.

The unit is small in size, to assist ininstallation, and Uni-Safe says that it hassuccessfully delivered more than 1,000BNWAS systems to date.Visit Uni-Safe Electronics in Hall B, atStand 01-28c.

VizadaVizada will showcase its range of mobileand fixed satellite services from multiplesatellite network operators at this year’sevent.

Through a network of 400 serviceprovider partners Vizada offers productsand solutions that aim to optimise vesseloperations, enhance crew welfare andboost safety onboard.

In particular the company will high-light its new Pharostar maritime VSATservice, its Vizada Solutions communica-tions software systems, and itsFleetBroadband packages.Visit Vizada in Hall B, at Stand 02-12.

Safety equipment from Ocean Signal –Stand C03-02b

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AAGeographical Information Sys-tem analyses and presents posi-tion related data. ECDIS is an

example of a GIS, bringing such technolo-gy to the mainstream of maritime use.

In its basic form, ECDIS is a particular-ly specialised GIS, giving information oncharted features that are relevant to mar-itime navigation, together with items suchas own-ship data and route plans.

However, IMO’s ECDIS PerformanceStandards allow other navigational infor-mation to be added to the display.

The standards specifically mention theoptions of providing radar and AIS data butalso mean that information such as meteor-ological data, tidal streams and MaritimeSafety Information can be displayed.

We commonly refer to the additionaldisplayed data as overlays, although thisimplies that the added information over-writes that originally on the screen.However IMO sets a major proviso to thedisplay of additional data – it must notdegrade the display of ENC information.

This immediately highlights a funda-mental problem. If standard ENC datatakes priority of display, then parts of theoverlay, even if vitally important, could beobscured. But if the overlaid data takespriority, vital ENC data may be obscured– contrary to IMO requirements.

In practice, even some overlays on typeapproved ECDIS equipment can make theviewing of ENC information difficult. Forinstance, in some areas the denseness ofoverlaid Class B targets, even when dis-played as ‘sleeping’, can degrade the visi-bility of charted data.

It is probably possible to dream upsophisticated data integration processesthat could alleviate the display problembut these are unlikely to be adopted in theforeseeable future.

It therefore means that ECDIS doeshave inbuilt limitations when displayingadditional information, which need to betaken fully into account by users.

Towards a solutionAn approach that partially alleviates thelimitations is to have at least two ECDISdisplays. Of course, for many ships, thiswill be the usual method of fulfilling back-up requirements.

It means that at any one time, whetherin route monitoring or route planningmode, one of the displays can be identifiedas the primary system and can generallybe restricted to showing basic ECDIS data,without additional overlays.

Displays not being used as the pri-mary ECDIS can then be used to showany combination of ENC and other data,with full awareness by the user that thatthe ENC data may not always be appro-priately visible.

Unfortunately, because of the require-

ments of the ECDIS PerformanceStandards, the necessary precedence ofENC data will continue to compromise thevisibility of overlaid data.

Maybe what is really required is a dis-play that acts much more as a generic GIS,using ENC data as its background.

This could be an additional display,perhaps based around a conventional PCor potentially a second ECDIS that is ableto be set to a non-compliant mode allow-ing overlaid data to take precedence.

The latter would necessarily need aclear indication on the display that it wasnot set as a compliant ECDIS.

A common approach taken by today’snavigation data providers is simply to pro-vide bespoke software to run on a bridge-based PC. Typical examples include theprocessing and display of meteorologicaland passage planning data.

The display background used by suchsoftware is not necessarily ENC data but,depending on the application, this neednot be an issue.

However, if the resultant data needs tobe transferred into ECDIS, such as a draftroute plan, the use of a PC can create inter-face and related safety issues, especially ifnon-type approved equipment is beingconnected directly to an ECDIS.

Provided these issues are not applica-ble or can be satisfactorily resolved suchsystems can provide very useful solutions.

Unfortunately, they remain bespokeapplications and are far from being ageneric navigation-related GIS. This isfundamentally because there are no inter-national standards for navigation-relateddata to be displayed over ENC data,except for tracked radar and AIS targets.

E-navigation GISPerhaps the best solution for the future isto include the definition of a generic GIS‘additional navigational data display’ aspart of IMO’s e-navigation programme.

Such a definition would ensure someuniformity in design and, in particular, safeinterconnection with other equipment, butthe details of the functionality of most GISapplications could be left to the supplier.

The applications would mandatorilyuse the data structure for e-navigation,which is currently envisaged to be basedupon IHO’s generic S-100 standard.Whenever possible, it would use stan-dardised e-navigation symbology toensure ease of use across all applications.

Any special display symbols that arenot defined within e-navigation would besupplied as part of the GIS software appli-cation or embedded within the data usedby the application.

The transmission of the data wouldalso necessarily meet generic e-navigationstandards, ensuring data integrity.

In general, the GIS display background

would use conventional ENC data.However, the GIS display would not bean ECDIS substitute, which would needto be emphasised in the e-navigationtraining of users.

An important GIS application would befor the display of officially supplied digi-tal Maritime Safety Information, whichwill eventually replace conventional MSI,typically received today via NAVTEX.

It is difficult to envisage displaying digitalMSI on ECDIS, such that it does not obscureENC data and so the use of the proposed e-navigation GIS display may be particularlyrelevant for such an essential purpose.

The GIS application for the display ofMSI may need to be defined in detail byIMO because of its particular significance.

Today’s ECDIS allows the insertion ofMariners’ Notes, with their presence beingidentified by ‘!’ or ‘i’ symbols on the dis-play, depending on their nature – caution-ary or informational. The information in thenote is accessed by clicking on the symbol.

The GIS application would need to beable to send compiled Mariners’ Notesdirectly to the ECDIS. This would necessi-tate a small change to the ECDIS standardsas it is currently not a requirement forequipment to be able to receive such data.

Depending on content, the Mariners’Note would either include the detail orindicate that full information was avail-able on the GIS display.

Importantly, the primary e-navigation

ECDIS display would remain uncluttered,except when temporarily displaying a par-ticular Mariners’ Note.

AdvantagesThe proposed e-navigation based systemhas several significant advantages. In par-ticular, it can allow a future e-navigationdirected ECDIS to become a much morestandardised tool.

Such an ECDIS would always allowsafe voyage planning and monitoring butwould have few inbuilt frills. In particular,the approach would considerably simplifythe familiarisation training of users whenchanging ship.

In general, innovation and change invoyage planning tools will lie outside thestandard ECDIS and become centred onthe e-navigation GIS display. For instance,specific applications could include the lat-est ideas on fuel saving, emissions reduc-tion, time optimisation and risk reduction.

Any use of applications on the e-navi-gation GIS would require appropriate usertraining. However, most of the applica-tions would not be subject to carriagerequirements and therefore their usewould not be mandatory.

Final checking of the voyage shouldalways be carried out on a standard ECDIS.Any apparent inconsistencies should beinvestigated as they could possibly be dueto issues with using the GIS applications.

In particular, these final checks will bemade without the possibility of confusionfrom the extensive overlays that may havebeen used during the initial planningprocess on the GIS display.

Nevertheless, certain basic standardsapplied to the GIS will ensure its intrinsicsafety and its compatibility with other e-navigation systems.

At present, enhancing individualECDIS equipment to provide improvedfacilities, such as an additional overlay,requires an update to the ECDIS software.

Because of type approval issues onsuch a vital piece of equipment this is adifficult and expensive route and so limitswhat can be done, severely restricting theimplementation of improved solutions.

The proposed GIS display would nothave the update expenses and difficultiesof an ECDIS, simply because of itsreduced approval requirements.

The ECDIS could then become a stan-dardised tool that would ensure overallsafety, with few changes needed in its life-time, perhaps eventually giving a sense offamiliarity and confidence approachingthat of the present-day paper chart.

Dr Andy �orris has been well-known in the maritime navigation industry for anumber of years. He has spent much of his time managing high-tech navigationcompanies but now he is working on broader issues within the navigationalworld, providing both technical and business consultancy to the industry, gov-ernmental bodies and maritime organizations. Email: [email protected]

The range of information available for display on a Geographical Information System (GIS) such as ECDIS can pose atechnological 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

Navigation and GIS

If additional GIS information obscures ENCdata on the display then the system can no

longer operate as a compliant ECDIS

DS

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