Chart Management News

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (“K” LINE) has chosen Navtor’s NavFleet solution to support its 24/7 global fleet monitoring and support system.Once operational, the facility will help the Japanese maritime logistics company enhance the safety, efficiency and sustainable performance of its inhouse managed fleet. NavFleet will seamlessly connect vessels, crews and onshore teams and provide real-time monitoring and operational insights.“NavFleet builds a bridge between ships and shore,” explains Tor A. Svanes, CEO Navtor.

Training to ‘fight and win at sea’ occurs across the Navy every day of the year, but how does that concept map to the hydrographic fleet and their motto ‘diligence and skill’? – step into the world of the Navy’s survey motor launches. HMAS Mermaid, one of four Paluma class vessels, recently completed an intensive five and a half week training program in North Queensland waters in company with her sister ship HMAS Paluma. The ship and her 15-person crew were put through their paces by Navy’s in-house training and assessment team – Minor War Vessel Sea Training Group.

Marine electronics group Navico, a literal ‘house of brands’ for the recreational, sail, power and commercial marine markets, is making a strong push in the commercial sector with its Simrad brand. The ascension of Navico in recreational marine electronics business – an estimated $1 billion market globally – was fast and furious, growing from roughly 7% of the global market in 2005 to nearly 30% in 2007, standing steady at about 35% today, fueled by a strategy built on the acquisition of strong brands mixed with organic growth.

Navico’s list of approvals received from the Korea Marine Equipment Research Institute of South Korea has grown following type approval of the latest generation Simrad MARIS ECDIS900 Mk 5 and Mk 15 Electronic Chart Display & Information Systems, joining already approved products such as Simrad Broadband 4G radars, ARGUS antennae, gyrocompasses, autopilots and control and display units. The integrated electronic navigation specialist has secured certificates warranting the new type approvals from KMERI for its IMO type-approved ECDIS navigation systems for use on board merchant vessels.

The right product for the right application is a familiar claim from marine equipment supplier Simrad, but, when compliance with International Maritime Organization (IMO) requirements is at stake, it is a call demanding an immediate response. Compliance with the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention on Electronic Chart Data and Information Systems (ECDIS) is now a matter of urgency. The mandatory phase-in for all internationally trading vessels to be fitted with an ECDIS using Electronic Navigation Charts (ENCs) reached a watershed on July 1, 2015.

Marine electronics group Navico is aiming for a top three position in the commercial maritime sector within 3-5 years. Maritime Reporter & Engineering News seeks to find out from Jose Herrero, MD,  the plans to accomplish the feat. Navico is a strong player in the recreational boating sector, claiming a 32% market share and well versed in investing in growth both organically and through acquisition, including a commitment to product development. Its ambitions in a crowded commercial sector will have to be backed by a continuation of this successful formula.

After an uneven couple of years punctuated by struggling economic factors worldwide, maturing markets and some highly publicized accidents and illnesses, the cruise industry is hoping to find a little “double happiness” from the rapidly growing Chinese market – enhanced profits and renewed market growth for both operators and builders. For its part, the Chinese government is betting on a triple payout:  it hopes to serve a growing middle class (estimated at a potential 300 million market) and its desire for cruising vacations…

Navico Holding AS, parent company to the Simrad brand of navigational marine electronics, has reached an agreement to acquire MARIS (Maritime Information Systems A/S) from The Grieg Group. MARIS is a supplier of data solutions to the commercial maritime sector related to navigation, voyage optimization and voyage monitoring. With well more than 10,000 navigation systems delivered, MARIS is a supplier of ECDIS systems globally. The MARIS ECDIS, radar/ARPA overlay to ECDIS, and VDR solutions complement Navico’s Simrad product portfolio, the company said.

Kelvin Hughes is launching and demonstrating a host of new products and services at SMM 2014, including a port security radar system, specialist mission radome radar and displays, Voyage Data Recorders and the latest version of ChartCo PassageManager software. Co-exhibiting with Lammers Schiffselektronik GmbH who represent Kelvin Hughes in Germany for radar and navigation equipment sales and service. This is the biggest and broadest set of new products and offerings that Kelvin Hughes has ever brought to SMM, the company said.

From countries across the globe, including Australia, Canada, the U.S. and Europe, more than 500 exhibitors will be at Seawork International, the commercial marine exhibition and conference, opening on Tuesday, June 10 for its annual three-day run in the ABP Port of Southampton, U.K. More than 7,000 visitors are expected to attend Seawork, which will feature products and services relevant to every sector of the commercial marine industry, including offshore wind farm construction and maintenance…

With chart and nautical publication management highlighted as one of the most common reasons for deficiency detentions by Port State Control (PSC), ship operators are calling for new and effective navigation solutions. The features of Thomas Gunn’s new Voyager 4 digital chart management system provides ship owners and managers with the tools to ensure that Safety of Navigation standards on board meet PSC and vetting inspection requirements. New Voyager is a complete British Admiralty…

The updated version of the globally renowned voyage planning software Navi-Planner 4000 received additional functions, boosting versatility and convenience. The Transas Navi-Planner 4000 software is recognized as one of the ECDIS market’s most powerful charts and data management tools, and also boasts a set of databases, applications and services intended for every step of voyage planning. In addition to working with the Transas Admiralty Data Service (TADS), the new version of the Transas Navi-Planner is now optimized to handle ADMIRALTY Vector Chart Service (AVCS) charts and permits.

Advanced technology enriches our lives in many different ways and it also relatively and closely affects the maritime industry. Since the IMO (International Maritime Organization)’s announcements about the regulations of ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and Information System), the challenges in marine software development have become more competitive and dynamic. “Every development project starts with questions such as 'what,' 'why' and 'how.' At Jargoon we aim to provide high quality solutions to our clients, with the most innovative features and functions.

Norwegian maritime electronics specialist MARIS and Japanese high-tech firm Cornes & Co., Ltd. say they have won their first contract to deliver ECDIS equipment for the entire vessel fleet controlled by an unspecified Tokyo-based ship management company. The order will see MARIS ECDIS900 delivered for 20 bulk carriers, including 12 newbuilds, while installation onboard further bulk carriers is under consideration. Each vessel will be installed with two The MARIS ECDIS900 units.

The United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO) has launched its latest edition of ADMIRALTY Digital Publications (ADP), Version 14. Free as an upgrade to existing users and available as a 3 month free trial to new customers. UKHO inform that 75% of the world's fleet of vessels over 2,000 gross tonnes has now been approved to use digital publications in place of their paper equivalent. ADP's suite of digital navigation publications, includes: ADMIRALTY Digital List of Lights,  ADMIRALTY TotalTide…

NauticalManager from Jeppesen allows mariners to easily plan, generate and document routes using an ECDIS and onboard PC. It also makes it simple to create the reports required by port state control and class auditors for checking a vessel’s ECDIS compliance. NauticalManager eases the bridge-side burden of ENC management by making it simple to order Official ENCs, review the chart portfolio and integrate temporary and preliminary Notices to Mariners. NauticalManager was developed…

Global Navigation Solutions announced that Voyager is now offered by all members of the Global Navigation Solutions maritime services group. Ship operators looking for the state-of-the-art route planning, intelligent data management and quality of compliance provided uniquely by this new digital chart management system can now obtain Voyager from any company within the Global Navigation Solutions group worldwide. Bringing together the world’s most established and reputable names in maritime navigation into one global network…

It is announced today that NGM Energy, Greece, has selected Thomas Gunn’s Voyager Chart Management Service to manage paper and digital chart updating on all 16 vessels in its fleet. It is also taking advantage of Thomas Gunn’s outfit management service (OMS) for the automated supply of paper charts. Voyager is a fully automated onboard chart management system which provides the mariner with a personalized database of charts, publications and Notices to Mariners (NMs) organized in a convenient folio system.

With chart and nautical publication management highlighted as one of the most common reasons for deficiency detentions by Port State Control (PSC), ship operators are calling for new and effective navigation solutions. The features of Thomas Gunn’s new Voyager 4 digital chart management system, launched this month following successful sea trials, provide ship owners and ship managers with the tools they need to ensure that Safety of Navigation standards on board meet PSC and vetting inspection requirements, the manufacturer said.

Thomas Gunn is delighted to announce that Korea Lines, the marine transportation services company, is the latest ship owner to choose new Voyager 4 for its navigation requirements. It will be upgrading four LNG gas carriers from Voyager 3 to the new Voyager 4 digital chart management system with immediate effect. When asked why Korea Lines selected Voyager 4, Mr Cho Han-Ung, Principal Superintendent, Fleet Management Team 2 explained, “We needed a navigation solution which would best serve the needs of the internationally trading vessels operating within our fleet.

FURUNO has announced that the new ECDIS (model names FMD-3200 and FMD-3300) will be ready for launch very shortly. The FMD-3200 (with 19” LCD) and FMD-3300 (with 23.1” LCD) deliver great enhancement in terms of user interface as well as functionality. Fully complying with the performance standard of ECDIS stipulated in IMO resolution MSC.232(82), the new ECDIS is going to be a suitable candidate designated for new installation as well as retrofit to fulfill ECDIS mandatory carriage that is phasing in from July 2012 onward.

Thomas Gunn Navigation Services and Transas Marine Ltd. announced today a new partnership which will bring significant benefits to customers of both organisations. Thomas Gunn will now offer Transas Navi-Sailor 4000 ECDIS as part of its total navigation solution, while Transas will offer Thomas Gunn’s paper chart management service, which includes Admiralty and International HO’s paper charts and paper publications, as a part of its ECDIS package. This partnership sees two industry…

While there are countless new product, system and service launches at major trade fairs such as the recently concluded SMM in Hamburg, Germany, when a company with the stature of Furuno unveils a system, it is a show within the show. Furuno, a $1 billion business with 80% coming from the marine sector and 2500 employees globally in the marine sector, introduced its new ECDIS models FMD-3200 and FMD-3300, saying they are ready for launch during the autumn 2012. The FMD-3200, with a 19-in. LCD, and the FMD-3300, with a 23.1-in.