Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) announced the publication of a new guideline entitled, Guidelines on Shipboard Wireless LAN Systems. The use of wireless LAN systems is becoming more accessible in public areas onshore such as airports, train stations, and hotels. However, with the exception of some passenger ships, LAN systems onboard ships have predominantly been limited to wired systems. Even though it is difficult to predict the transmission characteristics of radio waves within the hull structure of a ship completely surrounded by steel plate, there have been increasing calls for being able to use wireless IP phones, remote wireless cameras, and wireless personal computers onboard ship as such systems become ever increasingly more popular.
