Primar News

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.

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.

CherSoft’s professional navigation software Nuno Navigator now has access to a full portfolio of ENC charts from PRIMAR. ENC charts have traditionally been limited to ECDIS systems. Now, Nuno Navigator is bringing professional quality charts to smaller workboats, back offices, pilots, rig movement specialists and wherever a more complex and expensive ECDIS is not required. According to its developers, Nuno Navigator is particularly attractive to professionals needing a portable navigation system, who can travel with ENC charts on a rugged laptop.

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.

PC Maritime and its Estonian trading partner Marine Technics have won a contract to supply Navmaster ECDIS to 28 Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company (ACSC) vessels.   The order follows the operation of Navmaster ECDIS on 13 ACSC vessels over the past three years. The initial supply is for single ECDIS with 24-inch displays, with an option to extend to dual ECDIS, and Jeppesen Primar charts and updating services. The systems will be installed and supported locally by Marine Technics’ office in Baku.

Global chart distributor Nautisk has confirmed DNV approval for its Neptune Pay As You Sail (PAYS) Solution. PAYS enables users to access global ENCs for use with onboard ECDIS systems, while only paying for those that are actually used. Peter J Pran, Nautisk Project Manager said, “Despite a positive market outlook, demands on shipowners and vessel operators to make cost savings and optimize operational efficiency are continuing to increase. “Our PAYS solution gives both shore-based and onboard teams access to any number of ENCs that may be required for one particular trading route.

After signing a RENC membership agreement with the Institute of Hydrometeorology and Seismology Montenegro (IHMS) PRIMAR and the Norwegian Hydrographic Service team up with SevenCs for capacity building. In November 2013, IHMS signed a RENC agreement with PRIMAR. Having a motivated team, paper charts and some recent surveys, IHMS was lacking a production environment and detailed knowledge in ENC production. Funded by the Norwegian Hydrographic Service, PRIMAR was able to provide its latest member with a full ENC production environment plus training.

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.

Software developer Northport Systems Inc. has announced the latest enhancement to its innovative Fugawi Marine 5 marine navigation software, Theyr Weather. Fugawi Marine 5 allows for simple download, management, and display of high-resolution weather data from the X-Traverse web service, eliminating the need to sift through low quality GRIB files from multiple, hard-to-find sources. Whether planning a multiday journey or trying to spot the biggest wave, Theyr’s GRIB data keeps boaters informed of the weather conditions most relevant to their on-the-water excursions.

Swedish Adveto has through its distributor Westronic in Bergen secured an order consisting of software and ECDIS-kernel upgrade and new continuous 36 month support for 26 High Speed Crafts (HSC) passenger catamarans. The customer is Norled, the HSC operator in Norway. “Westronic started to work with Adveto´s ECDIS many years ago,” said Arild Mathiessen, Sales & Project Engineer at Westronic AS in Bergen. “ECDIS-4000 from Adveto has features like multi routes, advanced predictors…

ChartWorld launched its new ChartBrowser 2.0. This tool supports all official ENC formats from UKHO, Primar and IC-ENC as well as the ACES (S)ENC format for eGlobe, S-ECDIS and Imtech ECDIS. In addition, ordering of ARCS and paper charts is supported too. ChartBrowser is a free of charge plug and play solution for the officers on board. It guarantees an always adequate, safe, up-to-date and cost effective ENC inventory on board of ECDIS fitted vessels. It can be used in combination…

ChartWorld & SevenCs have moved offices to the heart of Hamburg opposite the BSH (German Hydrographic Office). “As the companies are growing, we now have enough space to accommodate the team now and in the future. The new office and its location are a big step forward for us and will help us to ensure high quality products and services to our customers.” Jochen Rudolph, Managing Director, comments. Established in 2000, ChartWorld is a leading chart agent specializing in the resale of digital maritime data and data services for professional maritime use.

Germany based ChartWorld International has launched a new micro-site (http://www.ecdis-as-a-service.com) to mark the introduction of its unique "ECDIS as a Service™" concept for supplying ECDIS and digital chart data services to the SOLAS shipping market. Eye catching and informative, the new micro-site not only provides visitors with information about ChartWorld's overall eSeries "ECDIS as a Service™" concept and its specific service components, such as the eGlobe® type-approved ECDIS…

Transas Marine has launched its ‘Pay-As-You-Sail’chart solution for (S)ENC. Transas received approval for the ‘Pa-As-You-Sail’ service by PRIMAR and IC-ENC after succesful sea trials and verification by Det Norske Veritas (DNV). Traditionally, the navigator has to select and purchase charts prior to each voyage, using what is commonly called a  pre-licensing method. With Transas PAYS solution, the vessel will have a license and access to install, view and pre-plan using official (S)ENC’s, where the necessary PAYS permissions have been obtained without additional cost. With the new solution, recording and reporting of charts used is done with extraction from the TransasNavi-Sailor4000 ECDIS logbook. Vessels only pay for charts actually used for navigation monitoring.

Transas Marine launches Pay As You Sail solution. Transas Marine launches its 'Pay As You Sail' chart solution for (S)ENC. Transas received approval for the 'Pay As You Sail' service by UKHO, PRIMAR and IC-ENC after succesful sea trials and verification by Det Norske Veritas (DNV). Traditionally the navigator has to select and purchase charts prior to each voyage using what is commonly called pre-licensing method. With Transas PAYS solution the vessel will have a license and access to install, view and pre-plan using official (S)ENC's without additional cost. What's unique with Transas "Pay As You Sail" solution is that recording and reporting of charts used is done with extraction from Transas Navi-Sailor 4000 ECDIS logbook.

Following comprehensive trials, Det Norske Veritas (DNV) has approved ChartWorld GmbH’s “Pay as You Sail” (PAYS) service to PRIMAR RENC guidelines. The new service, which does not require any additional hardware onboard, makes use of the existing navigation and communications infrastructure that is already installed on most SOLAS vessels, combined with the established FleetTracker service from Jan Herberg Engineering, to meet PRIMAR tracking and reporting requirements for PAYS. The new service will be officially launched in the first quarter of the New Year.

ENCs from Primar can now be downloaded directly to an electronic chart display and information system (ECDIS) after type-approval of the first such unit able to communicate with the internet. Certified by Det Norske Veritas, the new ECDIS-4000 from Sweden’s Adveto Advanced Technology AB complies with all relevant regulations and standards while offering unique functionalities. These include an ECDIS security internet gate (ESIG), which makes it possible to connect to the internet for both on-line ordering and downloading of Primar ENCs. This solution has been developed by Adveto in close collaboration with the Primar service, which currently offers more than 8 000 ENCs through an international distributor network.

Jeppesen Marine announced that Adams Offshore has installed its Jeppesen Primar ECDIS Service on one of its dive support and offshore supply vessels, and is considering implementation of the solution across its fleet worldwide. Adams Offshore installed the Jeppesen Primar ECDIS Service on DPSV Adams Challenge in October. Kumar reports that since then the system has been operational and problem-free. Based upon this experience, Adams Offshore chose to equip both of DPSV Adams Challenge’s ECDIS systems with the Jeppesen Primar ECDIS Service, then to install the same service on its DPSV Adams Aquanaut offshore support vessel.   (www.jeppesen.com/marine)

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.

August. too). Coast Complete. Introductory Price of Euro 199,- until 30th September 2003. Additionally Update Services are offered at a monthly or quarterly base. Optional Subscription Services for a yearly renewal are available. update or subscription without extra payment.

Jeppesen Marine signed two license agreements with the Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) in May. The first is a CHS Value-Added Reseller (VAR) agreement authorizing Jeppesen Marine to integrate CHS products and updates into its own value-added products for the marine industry. The second agreement makes Jeppesen Marine an authorized dealer of official Canadian Hydrographic Service Digital Charts, including CHS Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs) and BSB raster charts, and also allows Jeppesen Marine to issue CHS ENCs in type-approved SENC format. “We’re happy that our CHS products will be available through Jeppesen Marine’s global reseller network,” said CHS Dominion Hydrographer Dr. Savithri Narayanan. “Jeppesen Marine’s products are popular in the Canadian marketplace.

The Norwegian Hydrographic Service (NHS) and the Directorate of Hydrography and Navigation (DHN) of the Brazilian Navy have signed a bilateral agreement to formalize the exchange of data, services, and sharing of expertise in the field of hydrography in order to enhance international maritime safety and protection of the environment and to avoid duplication of efforts between the participants. As a result of this agreement, Brazil now becomes a member of the PRIMAR regional ENC coordinating centre (RENC) operated by the NHS and will make the Brazilian ENCs directly available through the PRIMAR ENC service. Currently the ENC coverage in the Brazilian waters consists of 94 ENC cells.

Netherlands based Datema and its ENCTrack service has been awarded the 2009 maritime innovation award for its innovative approach to the distribution and management of electronic navigational chart services. It helped to define the overall project deliverables for ENCTrack, agreeing and examining the basic reporting requirements and criteria for this type of ENC licensing and reporting. “We had three goals,” explained Peter Scott, PRIMAR’s senior technical advisor on the project.