Maritime Information Technology News

Globe Tracker International, a  global asset tracking, monitoring and data sharing, has announced  a strategic relationship with Total Soft Bank Ltd. (TSB), a global port and maritime information technology solution company.     The new venture will focus on the delivery of unique, state-of-the-art, wireless, tracking solutions to the marine terminal operations market. It will provide supply chain stakeholders with unprecedented access, control and sharing of trade data, asset visibility and real-time security. Both companies credit strong customer orientation and focus for the development of their respective products and services.

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.

When it comes to rolling out training to vessel crew and scientists, The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) faces challenges similar to most other large fleets deployed within the waterways, coastal and offshore regions of the United States. These challenges include a geographically dispersed trainees and little time available in a busy work schedule to take time out for full day training sessions. In addition, while on leave crew and scientists want to be able to enjoy their time away from work with family and friends rather than attend classroom training to update qualifications or skills. NOAA operates and maintains the largest fleet of non-military research and survey ships operated by a federal agency.

With fleets spread over 25,000 miles of waterways, the inland tow and barge industry faces training and communication challenges intensified in comparison to other sectors of the maritime industry. Even though they may be close to home, inland waterways crew are constantly on the move and lunch bucket crews need to preserve valuable time spent onboard and commuting. The abundance of locks, bridges and other traffic along the waterways keeps crew busy performing critical navigation duties, making it essential that time spent on training is efficient and maximizes value. Large operators face the challenge of constantly improving the value of training dollars spent and driving industry best practices.