Transas Receives VAR Status
Transas Ltd. has received Value Added Reseller (VAR) status for the IC-ENC (International Center for ENCs) official electronic nautical charts (ENC). Transas successfully passed all the tests and assessments and is now authorized to distribute the ENC data produced by national Hydrographic Offices and primarily designed for use with Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS). Hydrographic offices are the only national institutions, which can produce and/or authorize the production of ENCs of their own territorial waters. There’re only four VAR’s that have been appointed so far, including Transas, which is the only ECDIS manufacturer to also supply official electronic charts in System ENC (SENC) format to be used with ECDIS.
Transas, Primar Sign Agreement
Transas Ltd., the exclusive distributor of Russian ENCs, has concluded an agreement with PRIMAR, the official regional electronic navigation chart (ENC) coordinating center. The contract, which was signed on January 1, 2001, by Evgeny Komrakov, Director General of Transas's office in Russia, and Asbjørn Kyrkjeeide, General Manager of PRIMAR, brings the number of nations offering their ENCs through PRIMAR to 12. Commenting, Mr. Kyrkjeeide said the agreement marked a major step forward for the PRIMAR service and its operations in general, and reflected the trend towards growing cooperation between the centre and the worldwide maritime community. The Russian Hydrographic Office plans to produce some 400 ENC files of the Baltic, Barents and Black Seas, during 2001.
Transas Equips New Ice-breaker
The ceremony to launch the new ice-breaker “Fesko Sakhalin” for Far Eastern Shipping Company (FESCO).built at the Finnish shipyard Aker Finnyards took place in May. A unique technical feature of this vessel is the absence of a helm. It is replaced by propellers (AZIPOD), which rotate 360 degrees; this enables the vessel to hold position without anchors, to move through ice in either direction, to approach an oil platform in stormy weather by means of laser placing. The vessel is also equipped with the latest navigation and communication systems supplied by Transas Ltd. The main task of “Fesko Sakhalin” is to provide an all-year-round service, preventing accidents on drilling platforms at Sakhalin shelf, as well as transportation of dry, liquid and chemical cargo, pallets and containers.
