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Electronic Charting Systems News

28 Nov 2022

Marine News' Top Vessels of 2022

Mark W. Barker (Photo: Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding)

The November edition of Marine News magazine highlighted the most notable newbuilds delivered in 2022. From sturdy and nimble workboats, to the first new Jones Act laker in a generation, each vessel on display showcases the industry’s engineering prowess and technological ingenuity, with the focus on improving efficiency in operations. The maritime industry has no shortage of challenges to overcome, and each of Marine News’ top vessels will, in one way or another, aid efforts to tackle them.Mark W.

21 Feb 2020

New Push Tug Delivered to Vane Brothers

Vane Brothers’ new, 3,000-horespower push tug, the Annapolis, moves along Maryland’s Wicomico River. (Photo: Vane Brothers)

Vane Brothers said it has taken delivery of the second of four 3,000-horsepower push tugs being built by Chesapeake Shipbuilding Shipbuilders and Naval Architects in Salisbury, Md.The newbuild, Annapolis, has a design that is identical to the tug Salisbury, delivered in 2019. With a length of 94 feet, width of 34 feet, molded depth of 10.5 feet, and working draft of 8.5 feet, each vessel in the Subchapter M-compliant Salisbury Class of push tugs is especially well-suited for operations along inland waterways.Vane Brothers President C.

19 Oct 2017

The Art of Navigation

© danr13 / Adobe Stock

There are countless examples of how an over reliance of GPS navigation and the electronic charting systems, as well as the use of dead reckoning without a known fixed starting point – instead “eyeballing” the situation – are leading vessels in to danger. August 21, 2017 was the Great American Eclipse, and the science fiction fantasy fan in me wondered if this is when I would get my superpowers back. The navigator in me pondered if I was in the zone of totality and took a sight of the sun and moon, at the moment of totality would it count as two lines of position on my chart.

23 Aug 2016

MN100: Baker, Lyman & Co., Inc.

Corinne Titus (Photo: Baker, Lyman & Co., Inc.)

A wheelhouse favorite for generations, Baker, Lyman & Co. is the oldest NOAA & Admiralty Chart Agent in the United States. Baker Lyman has been provisioning vessels with nautical charts, electronic charting systems, publications, safety/educational materials, and various navigational gear & instruments since 1920. Baker Lyman provides and leads in best practice software solutions for record keeping, safety and charting. The firm has grown from a small paper based and compass company to an international electronic charting and software development company.

25 Aug 2015

MN 100: Baker, Lyman & Co., Inc.

President/CEO: Corinne Titus

A wheelhouse favorite for generations, Baker, Lyman & Co. is the oldest NOAA & Admiralty Chart Agent in the United States. New Orleans-based Baker Lyman has been provisioning vessels with nautical charts, electronic charting systems, publications, safety/educational materials, and various navigational gear & instruments since 1920. For nearly a century, Baker Lyman has continually demonstrated the ability to provide and lead in best practice software solutions for record keeping, safety and charting.

15 Sep 2014

MN 100: Ingram Barge Company

CEO: Orrin H. Ingram Barge Company (IBCO) has been a quality marine transporter on America’s inland waterways since 1946, and has grown to become a leading carrier on America’s inland waterways. IBCO has superior customer service, state-of-the-art information systems, and training and safety practices that are second to none. A commitment to continuous improvement involving every associate sets Ingram apart from the competition and provides the best possible service and value for the transportation dollar.

14 May 2014

USCG Testing eATON in San Francisco Bay

Photo credit: Darren Wright (buoy in port of Baltimore.)

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) said it is now testing 25 electronic aids to navigation (eATON) to augment existing physical aids and mark unique and potentially hazardous navigation features in the San Francisco Bay Area. Commonly referred to as “virtual” buoys, the eATON are being transmitted through the Coast Guard’s Nationwide Automatic Identification System (NAIS) for display on ships’ electronic charting systems and radars. As part of ongoing efforts to increase the safety of navigation on the Bay the Coast Guard…

14 May 2014

America's First 'Virtual' Aids to Navigation on Test

The Coast Guard informs it is now testing 25 electronic aids to navigation (eATON) to augment existing physical aids and mark unique and potentially hazardous navigation features in the San Francisco Bay Area. Commonly referred to as “virtual” buoys, the eATON are being transmitted through the Coast Guard’s Nationwide Automatic Identification System (NAIS) for display on ships’ electronic charting systems and radars. It is explained that as part of ongoing efforts to increase the safety of navigation on the Bay the Coast Guard, in close consultation with waterway users, identified multiple offshore and inshore locations to deploy the eATON.

28 Oct 2013

NOAA: End of Traditional Paper Nautical Charts

Most mariners now use Print-on-Demand nautical charts that are up-to-date to the moment of printing. (Credit: NOAA)

NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey, which creates and maintains the nation’s suite of over a thousand nautical charts of U.S. coastal waters, announced major changes ahead for mariners and others who use nautical charts. Starting April 13, the federal government will no longer print traditional lithographic (paper) nautical charts, but will continue to provide other forms of nautical charts, including print on demand charts and versions for electronic charting systems. “Like most other mariners…

24 Oct 2013

Death Knell for NOAA Traditional Paper Nautical Charts

Chartwork old-style: Photo courtesy of NOAA

NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey has announced major changes ahead for mariners and others who use nautical charts. Starting April 13, 2014, the federal government will no longer print traditional lithographic (paper) nautical charts . NOAA will continue to provide other forms of nautical charts, including Print-on-Demand paper charts as well as electronic and digital formats. Since 1862, those lithographic nautical charts -- available in marine shops and other stores -- have been printed by the U.S. government and sold to the public by commercial vendors.

03 Jan 2012

Lockheed Martin: Integrates Nav System on Ice Patrol Ship

Lockheed Martin UK has completed the installation of its Warship Electronic Chart Display and Information System (WECDIS) on board HMS Protector, the Royal Navy’s new Antarctic ice patrol vessel. Following installation, HMS Protector conducted and passed her WECDIS digital accreditation process, enabling her to undertake Antarctic patrol operational commitments with the Royal Navy. This is the first time Lockheed Martin UK has fitted an Antarctic ice patrol vessel with this new advanced hardware and software system. WECDIS provides ships’ navigation teams with an integrated electronic navigation picture, greatly reducing navigator workload…

07 Jun 2002

Lockheed Martin And Offshore Systems Ltd. Announce Teaming Agreement

Lockheed Martin Marine Systems and Offshore Systems Ltd. have teamed up to provide one of the most advanced navigation software to U.S. Navy ships, completely eliminating the need for paper navigation charts. Offshore's Electronic Chart Precise Integrated Navigation System-Military (ECPINS-M) software is designed to meet the Navy's Electronic Chart Display and Information System-Navy (ECDIS-N) requirements. ECPINS is capable of continuously determining a vessel's position in relation to land, charted objects, aids to navigation and unseen hazards. ECPINS is installed on eight Navy ships that comprise the USS GEORGE WASHINGTON Carrier Battle Group, currently preparing for deployment overseas.

28 Mar 2007

Northrop Grumman Demonstrates Shipboard Protection Technology

Northrop Grumman Corporation completed demonstration trials of a new, integrated multi-sensor situational awareness, surveillance and response system designed to counter pirate or terrorist attacks. The live demonstrations were conducted by Northrop Grumman’s Sperry Marine business unit in January and February 2007 at the Virginia Advanced Shipbuilding and Carrier Integration Center (VASCIC) on the waterfront at Newport News. The event was observed by U.S. Navy and commercial maritime customers. During the trials, the system successfully detected, tracked and intercepted two surface craft under several different high- and low-speed scenarios designed to replicate potential real-world maritime threats.

04 Dec 2002

C-MAP Plots Its Course On Both Sides

Beginning in the mid-1980's via a brainstorm session for an innovative electronic charting system, by partners, Fosco Bianchetti and Giuseppe Carnevali, C-MAP has become a force in electronic charting. MR/EN recently traveled to the company's U.S. division, in the heart of historic Cape Cod in Mashpee, Mass. for a firsthand account of how C-MAP compiles its real-time, up-to-the minute charting information. While the advent of electronic charts is a historic shift in marine navigation — C-MAP has grown since those first years in the mid-80s as a leading provider of vector-based electronic charts and charting systems to recreational boaters.

18 Feb 2003

SUNY Maritime’s Other Training Ship

In rough waters and heavy snow, a crew of budding professional mariners at the helm of the 565-ft., 17,000-ton Empire State VI prepared for docking at the Alfred A. Olivet Pier on the campus of the State University of New York (SUNY) Maritime College in Throggs Neck, NY. Meanwhile, seasoned mariners monitor high-tech radar display systems that enhance safety and navigation in inclement weather and other conditions that reduce visibility. Some of them coordinate their tasks with partners who are busy operating electronic charting systems and evaluating the precise, up-to-the-minute data they generate. While the description above has the flavor and feel of a ship at sea, don’t be fooled.

08 Aug 2001

U.S. ENC Availability Starts to Gain Speed

It is no secret that acceptance and incorporation of electronic charting systems has been more widespread in Europe than in the U.S., as European governments and commercial organizations collectively have worked more diligently together and built and maintained a lead in this area. The gap, however, is closing, as the era of the electronic chart is quickly arriving in the U.S. In a recent Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM), the U.S. Coast Guard announced that it is considering the feasibility of allowing commercial vessels to use electronic charting and navigation systems as their primary means of navigation in U.S. waters. It would have to meet ECDIS standards as supplied by the IMO.

26 Aug 1999

Ingram Barge Opts for Pinpoint Systems

Navigating the Mississippi River can be a challenge for even the most experienced operators. Currents, changing water levels and visibility are just a few of the factors that can adversely impact navigation. Ingram Barge Company, one of the Mississippi's premier towboat operators, decided on an aggressive approach to safe navigation more than three years ago and have been reaping the benefits for nearly two years. After a thorough investigation, Ingram made the decision to install PinPoint Systems International's electronic charting systems with Titan real time radar overlay, a computer-based navigational system on the cutting edge of technology. Ingram's General Manager Mark Stevens cited the need to depart from the industry's long-standing, conservative approach.

26 Aug 1999

CANStar Introduces Radar/ECDIS Combo

CANStar Navigation offers an ARPA Radar/ECDIS combination, running on a personal computer, which makes it accessible to all levels of the marine industry. The system, which features 3-dimensional radar display, can be integrated with most standard navigation sensors, and drives autopilots and other automated steering systems. CANStar also offers a radar board in combination with sophisticated software functionality, which can be used for radar overlay purposes by ECDIS and ECS manufacturers. After conductting a cost-benefit analysis based on electronic charting systems in use in their fleet, the Canadian Coast Guard concluded the addition of electronic chart systems to the balance of their fleet would result in a "very positive" net present value over a 10-year period.