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Electronic Chart Systems News

24 Aug 2016

e-Navigation Underway (North America) 2016

San Jacinto College campus

San Jacinto College and the Seamen’s Church Institute will host e-Navigation Underway (North America) 2016, the third in the annual North American series of conferences focusing upon the development and application of e-navigation. The event will be held at the San Jacinto College Maritime Technology and Training Center, La Porte, Texas, a new facility that opened in Spring of this year. e-Navigation is an initiative of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the goal of which is to provide a decision support environment for the maritime community.

29 Jun 2016

Radio Holland Wins Contracts for Canadian Coast Guard Vessels

The CCGS Pierre Radisson, a 320' ice breaker from the Canadian Coast Guard (Source: John E Heintz Jr / Shutterstock.com)

Radio Holland Canada has won two major contracts to support the Canadian Coast Guard. Public Works and Government Services Canada, which is responsible for government procurement, has awarded Radio Holland Canada a multimillion dollar contract to supply Furuno ECDIS and radars for the Canadian Coast Guard fleet over the next five years. In a separate agreement Hike Metal Products of Wheatley, Ontario has contracted Radio Holland to supply the Navigation & Communication equipment for six new Canadian Coast Guard Search and Rescue Lifeboats.

14 Mar 2014

CEACT Allows Operators to REACT

How updated electronic navigation practices improve safety and efficiency – and optimize cargo movement – on US inland waterways. It was a cold winter night. Heavy gusts and snow did not allow safe navigation and forced the ships on the upper Mississippi to secure alongside the few remaining jetties. Safety is the key issue for all river transport companies but at the same time efficiency and timely delivery of valuable goods is of utmost importance. It was 1999 and an American navigation pioneer – Greg Dunkle – had realized the potential of electronic chart systems.

28 Aug 2013

Scottish SME Goes Global

Aberdeen-based MarineMTS has signed a supply and support deal with a Greek manufacturer of marine electronic equipment. The deal will see MarineMTS supplying software to Intermarine Electronics, which provides marine electronic equipment to a multi-million pound global market, and also to the Greek Naval Fleet. Intermarine will use Microplot 7, an exclusive product developed by MarineMTS, in its own-label ECDIS products (Electronic Chart Display and Information System). As well as providing the proprietary software product, the deal will see MarineMTS provide support and maintenance services to Intermarine over the next 10 years. The Microplot range of software is the product on which MarineMTS was founded, and to which the business owns all the rights.

22 Sep 2009

Jeppesen Marine Supports ECDIS Training

Jeppesen Marine is contributing to the training of the next generation of seafarers in electronic navigational charts and ECDIS by supplying systems and data to one of Norway’s maritime training institutions, Bergen Maritime Technical School. In addition to the C-MAP Professional vector database and ENCs that Jeppesen Marine already supplies for the school’s bridge simulators, the company will now supply 50+ C-MAP OceanView systems for route planning in an office environment. “I got the idea from the Norwegian Coastal Administration,” said Kåre A. Johnsen, the school’s navigation and bridge simulation instructor. “They decided to equip all pilots with laptop computers and electronic chart systems after the Rocknes accident.

24 Jul 2009

ENav: Improved Training and Auditing Will Enhance Navigation Safety

Modern electronic navigation systems have the potential to improve vessel navigation safety and ruce accidents. The potential of these new systems is unlikely to be realiz, however, if the officers keeping the navigation watch are not fully train and properly qualifi in their use. Thus, fully realizing the potential in electronic navigation will require improv training, a wider spectrum of knowlge across the industry and better procures by vessel owners and managers to assess qualification and proper use. At the same time, as incidents relat to the use of AIS or ECDIS occur, courts are putting owners and managers on notice that such training and monitoring is requir to avoid or limit their liability for accidents.

02 Jul 2009

Electronic Navigation: Improved Training and Auditing Will Enhance Navigation Safety

Modern electronic navigation systems have the potential to improve vessel navigation safety and ruce accidents. The potential of these new systems is unlikely to be realiz, however, if the officers keeping the navigation watch are not fully train and properly qualifi in their use. Thus, fully realizing the potential in electronic navigation will require improv training, a wider spectrum of knowlge across the industry and better procures by vessel owners and managers to assess qualification and proper use. At the same time, as incidents relat to the use of AIS or ECDIS occur, courts are putting owners and managers on notice that such training and monitoring is requir to avoid or limit their liability for accidents.

08 Oct 2001

New Technology to Debut at Europort

Europort 2001 — the 30th edition of the exhibition — scheduled for November 13 to 17 at the Amsterdam RAI, is traditionally an event where companies from around the globe debut innovative new marine equipment and technology. While the exhibition is often considered a regional affair, the event indeed fulfills its international billing with a roster of more than 550 companies from around the globe, and halls filled with ship owners and operators with an equal international distribution. In 1999 exhibition management stated that the event drew more than 30,000 visitors from 88 countries. This year's event will offer a few extras, including a special focus on inland shipping.

07 Mar 2002

KMSS Receives Type Approval For MBB

Kongsberg Maritime Ship Systems (KMSS) has received type approval for its advanced VDR (Voyage Data Recorder) the ‘Maritime Black Box’ (MBB). The first orders have already been taken for Viking Lines passenger vessels, who have been eagerly awaiting type approval of the superior VDR from KMSS. Borje Jansson, Viking Lines commented ‘the MBB from KMSS was well worth the wait, I knew that they would develop the best solution. The Replay and Evaluation Unit, which is used to replay events, can also be used as an excellent tool for training purposes, such as entry to port. Other functions that can be included in the MBB include the recording of data for reports and training, such as voyage reports, engine logs, analysis of parameters.

07 Mar 2002

KMSS Recives Type Approval For MBB

Kongsberg Maritime Ship Systems (KMSS) has received type approval for its advanced VDR (Voyage Data Recorder) the ¡¥Maritime Black Box¡¦ (MBB). The first orders have already been taken for Viking Lines passenger vessels, who have been eagerly awaiting type approval of the superior VDR from KMSS. companies have been selling VDR systems for a while now, but we felt that they did not meet the full potential attainable. Borje Jansson, Viking Lines commented ¡¥the MBB from KMSS was well worth the wait, I knew that they would develop the best solution. The Replay and Evaluation Unit, which is used to replay events, can also be used as an excellent tool for training purposes, such as entry to port. analysis of parameters.

08 May 2002

AIS: When & Where? Here & Now!

The events of September 11, 2001 will continue to have lingering effects on the world indefinitely. The most visible remnant in the maritime world is the drastically heightened sense of safety and security, as officials in countries around the globe seek to secure their borders from the threat of attack — either direct or covert — via ship. Many of the issues currently on the legislative fast track were already in the works pre-September 11. False crew documentation, enhanced vessel tracking and beefed-up harbor controls were much-discussed topic in previous years. As is the case more often than not, though, a disaster of some proportion is inevitably the impetus in moving from discussion to action.

05 Jun 2002

Sperry Marine Receives New Orders For VDRs

Northrop Grumman Corporation's Sperry Marine business unit announced that it has received recent orders for 10 VoyageMaster Voyage Data Recorders (VDR). Terms of the contract were not disclosed. The VoyageMaster system meets the International Maritime Organization (IMO) carriage requirements for VDRs and is fully type approved. The VDR carriage requirements apply to all new ships over 3,000 gross tons, and all existing roll-on, roll-off passenger ships. The compliance deadline is July 1, 2002. Grimaldi Group's cruise ferry operator, Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV), has ordered six VoyageMaster VDR systems for installation on six existing cruise RoRo ferries.

27 Jul 1999

New ISO Standard for Electronic Chart Databases

A new standard for the Quality, Content and Updating of databases for Electronic Chart Systems (ECS) is being proposed by the International Standards Organization (ISO). Mortimer Rogoff, president of the Navigational Electronic Charts System Association (NECSA), announced the new standard could be applied to chart databases produced by private companies to enhance safety. This will the first time electronic charts systems will be subjected to such testing allowing users to make purchases with the confidence that safety of their navigation will be enhanced. The new standard will be developed by professional and technical experts that represent Hydrographic Agencies…

09 Nov 2007

ECI Acquires Kelvin Hughes

ECI Partners LLP (“ECI”), the UK mid-market buyout specialist, has acquired Kelvin Hughes in a $109.3m transaction out of Smiths Group plc, the UK listed technology company. Kelvin Hughes is a leading supplier of navigation products and services for the Naval and Commercial marine sectors. The purchase price comprises $100.9m which was paid in cash on completion of the purchase and a deferred payment of up to $8.4m depending on certain conditions being satisfied. Senior members of Kelvin Hughes management invested alongside ECI, becoming shareholders in the business. Kelvin Hughes has a highly innovative product range, which is designed to provide mariners with the most advanced navigation systems and services available.

24 Mar 2003

Dane Joins Kelvin Hughes

Kelvin Hughes, part of Smith Marine Systems, has enhanced its international team by recruiting Peter Devantier, a Dane, as the Sales and Marketing Manager for its Commercial Business. Peter brings to Kelvin Hughes a wealth of experience gained while working for more than 20 years within the marine industry primarily involved with navigation equipment and bridge systems. For the last 5 years he was responsible for the European Operations of the Marine Division of Lieca. Peter joins Kelvin Hughes to head up the team responsible for the sales and marketing of all the commercial products. These include the highly reputable Nucleus and Manta range of Radar System, Electronic Chart Systems, Voyage Data Recorders and Integrated Bridge Systems.

08 Aug 2001

U.S. ENC Availability Starts to Gain Speed

It is no secret that acceptance and incorporation of electronic charting systems has been more widespread in Europe than in the U.S., as European governments and commercial organizations collectively have worked more diligently together and built and maintained a lead in this area. The gap, however, is closing, as the era of the electronic chart is quickly arriving in the U.S. In a recent Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM), the U.S. Coast Guard announced that it is considering the feasibility of allowing commercial vessels to use electronic charting and navigation systems as their primary means of navigation in U.S. waters. It would have to meet ECDIS standards as supplied by the IMO.

26 Aug 1999

CANStar Introduces Radar/ECDIS Combo

CANStar Navigation offers an ARPA Radar/ECDIS combination, running on a personal computer, which makes it accessible to all levels of the marine industry. The system, which features 3-dimensional radar display, can be integrated with most standard navigation sensors, and drives autopilots and other automated steering systems. CANStar also offers a radar board in combination with sophisticated software functionality, which can be used for radar overlay purposes by ECDIS and ECS manufacturers. After conductting a cost-benefit analysis based on electronic charting systems in use in their fleet, the Canadian Coast Guard concluded the addition of electronic chart systems to the balance of their fleet would result in a "very positive" net present value over a 10-year period.

05 May 2003

Integration Of AIS And ECDIS: More Information, Better View, Improved Safety

Ever since the requirements set forth in the new Chapter 5 of SOLAS-74 Convention, adopted in IMO Resolution MSC.99(73) dd. December 5, 2000, came into effect, the AIS (Automatic Identification System) has been mandatory ship equipment for a major part of the world's sea fleet. On the whole, AIS systems, just like electronic chart systems (ECDIS and ECS) and other navigation aids, are intended for the improvement of safety at sea. As the AIS market is currently at the development stage, and holds quite definite prospects, we will consider the practical use of the AIS by ship handlers, as well as the practical advantages and feasibility of integrating AIS with electronic chart systems.