Kongsberg Norcontrol News

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) is co-organizing a workshop with the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) to support the operationalization of e-navigation solutions, the first since Singapore’s election to the IALA Council in 2018.E-navigation, a concept driven by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and like-minded nations including Singapore, aims to make marine navigation safer and marine communications more reliable, as well as to reduce accidents and damage to the environment.Quah Ley Hoon, Chief Executive of MPA, said, “As one the world’s busiest hub ports with some 1…

Kongsberg Norcontrol has signed a framework agreement with the Norwegian Coastal Administration for delivery, operations and maintenance of radars to the maritime traffic service. The agreement has a potential total value of up to NOK 250 million and a duration of up to eleven years. This is amongst the largest framework agreements the Norwegian Coastal Administration has entered into with a single supplier. "The Ministry of Transport and Communications has assigned us to expand the service area for our maritime traffic service, and this framework agreement is an important step in achieving this. The agreement gives us access to modern radars with good performance," says Arve Dimmen, Director of Maritime Safety at the Norwegian Coastal Administration.

Kongsberg Norcontrol has signed a framework agreement with the Norwegian Coastal Administration for delivery, operations and maintenance of radars to the maritime traffic service.The agreement has a potential total value of up to NOK 250 million ($31 million) and a duration of up to eleven years.This is amongst the largest framework agreements the Norwegian Coastal Administration has entered into with a single supplier."The Ministry of Transport and Communications has assigned us to expand the service area for our maritime traffic service…

Inspired by the European program for Air Traffic Managemen, the Sea Traffic Management (STM) methodology has been developed by the Swedish Maritime Administration MonaLisa project to define a set of systems and procedures to guide and monitor maritime traffic. The STM Validation project co-financed by the European Union has made the first operational tests with the shore center manufacturers. The key to the interoperability between different systems is the robust underlying infrastructure.

The SESAME Straits project utilizes e-Navigation concepts to reduce maritime traffic congestion and hot spots, as well as improve traffic safety and efficiency. Leading up to the recent Singapore Maritime Technology Conference, the project conducted a successful demonstration in close collaboration with Maritime and Port Authority in Singapore. The SESAME Straits project (Secure, Efficient, and Safe maritime traffic Management in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore) is a 3-year joint Singapore and Norway project…

The Norwegian Coastal Administration (NCA) initiated the first full-scale trial of e-navigation in Norwegian waters in conjunction with e-navigation technology and services company NAVTOR. The project focuses on the way NCA receives vessel data. Until now, ships had to contact the authority via maritime VHF radio to verbally communicate routing information before both departure and arrival. NCA could then update vessel navigators on traffic and advise of any necessary changes in speed or routing.

The Norwegian Coastal Administration (NCA) has initiated the first full-scale trial of e-navigation in Norwegian waters in conjunction with e-navigation technology and services company NAVTOR. The test sees the ferry MS Stavangerfjord digitally sharing its routing information with NCA via NAVTOR’s NavStation ‘digital chart table’. The project focuses on the way NCA receives vessel data. Until now, ships had to contact the authority via maritime VHF radio to verbally communicate routing information before both departure and arrival.

With the final conference in September and second and final trial campaign taking place at the end of June 2014, the I2C (Integrated System for Interoperable sensors & Information sources for Common abnormal vessel behavior detection & Collaborative identification of threat) integration project has resulted in significant breakthroughs for enhancing sea border protection. I2C was implemented to enable automatic identification and tracking of vessels suspected of involvement in i.e. irregular migration, illegal fishing, drug trafficking and looting of cultural heritage.

Kongsberg Norcontrol IT (KNC) will provide the core maritime surveillance, voice communications, port management and port community technologies for the new Algerian national Vessel Traffic Management and Information System (VTMIS). KNC is part of a consortium with Ericsson, Indjaz and Korea Trading and Industries Co. Ltd that is tasked with delivering the new VTMIS, with work starting this Summer. The VTMIS will enable economic growth and further integration for Algeria as it…

The first of five Norwegian regional VTS Centers to be upgraded under the February 2013 VTS Framework contract between the Norwegian Coastal Administration (NCA) and Kongsberg Norcontrol IT (KNC) has been completed. The NCA, Western Coastal Administration (KYV-V) officially celebrated the opening of the modernized Kvitsøy Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) Center, which was renovated as part of the 36 million NOK (4.4 mil euros) national VTS upgrade project, on June 11, 2014. With a new KNC developed C-Scope VTS system and six new radars…

Kongsberg Norcontrol IT said it will lead a three-year project called SESAME Straits (Secure, Efficient and Safe maritime traffic Management in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore), which aims to create solutions to significantly improve the safety and efficiency of ship navigation across the world. An important test-bed for IMO’s e-Navigation implementation strategy, the objective of the SESAME Straits Project is to develop and validate a revolutionary concept for a next generation Ship Traffic Management System (STMS) in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS).

The IALA 2014 Conference held at La Coruna, Spain, 25-31 May, played host to an in-depth paper by Todd Schuett, Training Manager, Kongsberg Norcontrol IT (KNC) that focused on solutions for reducing stress in the often high pressure VTS operations room environment. As part of the ‘Global Navigation’ technical sessions at the conference, Schuett’s paper, titled ‘Reducing Operator Workload and Stress Through Cooperative Human-Machine Systems’, covered findings from the EU Artemis Joint Undertaking-funded research project, ‘Designing Dynamic Distributed Cooperative Human-Machine Systems’ (D3CoS). The paper described VTS Trials undertaken within D3CoS that sought to establish a relationship between workload and stress levels…

Kongsberg Norcontrol IT (KNC) will this June integrate its advanced C-Scope Web and Mobile Application module into the Norwegian Coastal Administration’s C-Scope Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) systems. The agreement for the C-Scope Mobile Applications, which will provide live VTS information on mobile devices, was signed on May 5, 2014. The C-Scope Mobile Applications were ordered under the VTS Framework contract established in February 2013 between the Norwegian Coastal Administration (NCA) and KNC.

Teesport, recognized as the first port in the world to be fitted with a Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) system, will upgrade to C-Scope, the next generation maritime surveillance system from Kongsberg Norcontrol IT. “The relationship between Kongsberg Norcontrol IT and Teesport is the longest running technology partnership in our history,” said Steve Guest, General Manager for Kongsberg Norcontrol IT’s UK office. Located five kilometers east of Middlesbrough on the River Tees, Teesport is one of the United Kingdom’s major ports and one of the largest ports in Western Europe. Owned by PD Ports, it handles both international and domestic cargo in excess of 38 million tons per year.

The Netherlands Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, Rijkswaterstaat (RWS), has chosen Kongsberg Norcontrol IT to deliver a state-of-the-art RADAR surveillance system for the Volkeraksluizen, Europe's largest and busiest inland lock complex. Volkeraksluizen serves as an essential junction in the waterway connection between the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp. It is not only Europe's largest and busiest inland locks but also the world's largest inland locks, with over 240 million tons passing through each year. "Volkeraksluizen is a vital link in the Netherlands waterways," said Wiebe Schmitz, KNC Sales Manager, Netherlands. The system will use Kongsberg's next generation C-Scope System to monitor vessel traffic in and around the Volkeraksluizen and to pilot ships into the locks.

Geir Håøy has been appointed President of Kongsberg Maritime and will join the Group Corporate Management Team in KONGSBERG. Håøy has worked for Kongsberg since June 1993, holding various management positions since 1996. Håøy succeeds Torfinn Kildal, President of Kongsberg Maritime since 1999. Håøy has broad international experience from different positions in Kongsberg Maritime. He has, among other positions, been head of Kongsberg Maritime's activities in Singapore and Kongsberg Norcontrol in Busan, South-Korea.

The upgrade package also includes three sophisticated C-Scope Radar Extractor & Trackers, which are able to improve the port's radar performance without upgrading radar hardware. This is achieved through the use of advanced signal processing techniques to extrapolate a clearer image from the raw radar signal and is the most effective method of ensuring all targets in the domain can be clearly defined. VOC5060 is a VTS operator workstation and is used as the primary interface to a VTMIS. In addition to providing VTS operators with access to all the information available in the system, together with the ability to control system functions, it also allows for sharing of VTS related data with other applications such as a PMIS (Port Management Information System).

When Global Industries contacted Thrustmaster of Texas to help upgrade the Titan 2 heavy lift vessel for dynamic positioning (DP), the Louisiana-based company found more benefits than expected. Although not one of the original goals, a result of the conversion was a vessel that can maintain station for at least 30 minutes during a complete blackout. With the self-reliant thrusters used in this upgrade, said Keith Hebert, DP group operations supervisor, the Titan 2 will not drift during a 30-minute blackout. The Titan 2 was self-propelled with two main Z-drives of 2,200 hp each, and two tunnel thrusters at 200 hp each. The Thrustmaster conversion added eight 1,000 hp hydraulic azimuthing thrusters and eight self contained Hydraulic Power Units (HPU's) to the heavy lift vessel.

There is a groundswell of commitment for mandating the installation of "black boxes" aboard ships, so that in the in the unlikely case of a disaster, history will not repeat itself. At an estimated cost of $75,000 to $150,000 per ship, however, safety will not come cheaply. If it has not already, in a few years time the name Erika will conjure many of the same emotions and financial achings as the name Valdez. The tanker that broke up and sank off the coast of France just prior to Christmas 1999 has resulted in a veritable groundswell of political and industry activity which will likely result in fundamental changes to the way in which ships — particularly those carrying oil products or hazardous materials — are outfitted and operated.

Kongsberg Norcontrol IT will deliver a new VTMIS (Vessel Traffic Management and Information System) with Traffic Separation Schemes for the Canary Islands to Sociedad de Salvamento y Seguridad Marítima (SASEMAR) in Spain. TECOSA, Spain has contracted Kongsberg Norcontrol IT to supply its VTMIS5060 system to provide increased maritime safety for the Canary Islands' coastal waters and surrounding seas. The existing Norcontrol system in Las Palmas and the present VTS system in Tenerife supplied by another supplier, will be replaced by the new Kongsberg Norcontrol IT system. The new system will comprise a control centre located in Tenerife with one radar site, and a second control centre in Las Palmas with two radar sites.

Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KDA), parent company to Kongsberg Norcontrol IT acquired Navtek AS. Navtek will merge with Kongsberg Norcontrol IT in order to consolidate assets and strengthen development and market presence. Navtek, based in Horten, Norway was established in 1980. Its core business is the provision of surveillance systems for the civilian and military markets, having delivered systems worldwide. Navtek employees will continue in the new organization under Kongsberg Norcontrol IT and activities will continue as usual during the merger, which is set to be complete by the end of the year.

Specially adapted Kongsberg Norcontrol IT C-Scope software formed the platform for an in depth MarNIS (Maritime Navigation and Information Services) demonstration, held at the MCA's Highcliffe Training Center on Feb 13 and 14, 2007. The event, attended by MarNIS members and stakeholders from all over Europe demonstrated progress in the further development of electronic navigation (E-Navigation) within the EU 6th Frame Work Program. Kongsberg Norcontrol IT is a key member of MarNIS, which consists of 47 partners and 12 sub partners. The company's C-Scope forms the front end of a new concept for the future of seaborne navigation by MarNIS called Maritime Operation Services (MOS)…

the Humber Estuary VTS. by Associated British Ports (ABP) Hull & Goole to ensure safety of navigation as shipping traffic in the region increases year on year. and extended the system in 1997 with a new Radar at Stone Creek and remote displays at King George dock Hull, data centre Hull, and Immingham. An AIS base station was later added at Spurn Point in addition to further Radar upgrades by ABP. Kongsberg Norcontrol IT has now updated the complete system to the latest version of its VTMIS5060 at Spurn, Immingham and Hull. Spurn Point continues to provide the Humber Estuary VTS Centre functions, while Immingham has been configured for Disaster Recovery and Emergency operations.