Chart Plotting Software News

The world of AIS can be confusing to newcomers and experienced professionals alike. What is AIS? What data does it gather? How can it help my business? Do I need AIS if I don’t have a business? Class A or Class B transponders? Do I actually need it? There’s a plethora of questions from those looking to get the most out of their tracking tools, or from those looking into entering the maritime industry. The following is a comprehensive guide to AIS that covers a wide range of topics from specific AIS units to getting the most out of the data gathered.

Shipowners are about to find themselves under a barrage of propaganda about electronic charts and the display systems that run them. These systems have been around for some years, and are used heavily in the offshore, dredging, fishing and leisure fields. But merchant shipping, with a few exceptions, has shied away from using electronic charting, preferring to wait for a common international standard and type-approved equipment. The common standard is now in place, and the first approved ECDIS systems are entering the market. By this summer, there will be a choice of systems, some offering glossy boxes with shiny buttons and some offering facilities owners never dreamt they needed. But what is the reality?

While it would be foolhardy to classify Leevac as a cutting-edge ship and boatbuilder, the Jennings, La.-based company quietly goes about its business of building high quality vessels in an efficient manner. Unassuming president Fred Stokes sits at the helm of the company that has weathered markets good and bad, and watched as competitors and colleagues have been oftentimes swept overboard by financial maelstroms. The secret to Leevac's success lies not in its physical facilities, though the company is not hesitant to invest should a proven technology help to make its operations more efficient. Its success lies in, trite as it sounds, relationships with its customers, offering a known quantity with little or no surprises.

Hornbeck Offshore Services Inc. of Mandeville La. delivered its first Classed DP II PSV, HOS Innovator, for service. Leevac Industries of Jennings, La. constructed the vessel to Hornbeck's design. Upon delivery, the vessel began a three-year charter with Sonsub Inc. of Houston, Texas as a multi functional ROV Support Vessel. Measuring 240 x 54 x 18 ft. (73.1 x 16.4 x 5.4 m), this vessel is the first of six DP II classed vessels to be delivered to Hornbeck Offshore during the next eight months. The latest of the HOS "New Breed" has been uniquely engineered to offer numerous advantages over existing tonnage in the U.S flag fleet. The unique hull form assists in making the Innovator a very DP capable and fuel-efficient vessel.

The U.S. Gulf of Mexico region is again poised to prosper, spurred by the buzz of activity surrounding the oil patch, and specifically the renewed vigor with which companies will explore and develop deepwater fields for the production of natural resources. Though the resumption of business at "full throttle" has taken perhaps a bit longer than many observers would have initially predicted, particularly given the continued high price of oil and gas and the "pro" oil industry political team occupying the White House, it is a safe bet that, at least for the next several years, the offshore oil business will ensure that the marine business in the GOM region is a prosperous one.

On March 16, 2003, Hornbeck Offshore Services (HOS) took delivery of the HOS Bluewater from LEEVAC Industries LLC. The vessel was delivered to Hornbeck Offshore two weeks ahead of schedule and immediately began a term charter for an unnamed operator. The HOS Bluewater is the first of four deepwater OSV's that will be delivered to Hornbeck Offshore by year's end. Designed by and built for Hornbeck Offshore Services, LLC, the HOS BLUEWATER is the company's seventh DP-2 vessel. HOS Bluewater measures 240 x 54 x 19-ft. The latest of the HOS "New Breed" has been uniquely engineered to offer numerous advantages over existing tonnage. The unique hull form assists in making the Bluewater a very DP capable and fuel-efficient vessel.