Camera Systems News

The November edition of Marine News magazine highlighted a selection of the most notable American newbuilds delivered of 2023—from a first-of-its-kind green towboat, to the lead vessel in a series of game-changing ships to train U.S. mariners.Empire StateAs the lead vessel in a series of five new training ships being constructed to serve America's state maritime academies, Empire State is easily one of the most important U.S.-built vessels delivered in recent memory.Built by Philly Shipyard for the U.S.

Louisiana-based offshore support vessel owner Guice Offshore (GO) has expanded its fleet with three new vessels, including another 170 ft. DP1 multi-purpose vessel and two 205 ft. DP2 platform support vessels.The vessels will operate as GO Explorer (170 ft. DP1 MPSV), GO Crusader (205 ft. DP2 PSV), and GO Adventurer (205 ft. DP2 MPSV). All are Jones Act-qualified and dually certified Subchapter L & I by the U.S. Coast Guard.The GO Explorer and GO Crusader recently completed special survey dry docks and upgrades…

Mackay Marine said it provided marine electronics systems and technologies for Kitsap Transit's two new 250-passenger vessels built by Nichols Brothers Boat Builders (NBBB).Bremerton, Wash.-based public transit agency ordered the new vessels in December 2018 to provide expedient commuter services to downtown Seattle from both Kingston, Wash. and a planned Southworth, Wash. route.The bow-loading fast ferries, built by NBBB at its Whidbey Island, Wash. shipyard, are state-of-the-art, low-wake vessels.

Brazilian port and maritime logistics operator Wilson Sons is installing internet and camera systems on its tug fleet to allow real-time visualization of operations and maneuvers, including by customers.Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) and Network Cabling project was developed by the company's innovation laboratory Tuglab, in partnership with the IT management of the company’s towage division.In total, 480 cameras and local internet network will be installed. The equipment has already been installed in almost half of the tugboat fleet…

The first vessel in the series will be the 20 meter RALamander 2000, featuring FiFi1 capability, pumping capacity of 2400 m3/hour and with optional foam capabilities. Vancouver based naval architects and marine engineers Robert Allan Ltd., and international marine technology specialist Kongsberg Maritime are collaborating on the development of a radically new remotely-operated fireboat that will allow first responders to attack dangerous port fires more aggressively and safer than ever before. Like other autonomous efforts underway on the waterfront, this concept tackles and solves the so-called “3D’s” – dull, dirty and dangerous – of workboat drudgery.

Combat, patrol and first responder craft of all types are increasingly in need of state-of-the-art equipment to get the job done. That’s where FLIR and Raymarine come in.Raymarine products are known around the world for their rugged reliability and tactical advantage. From best-in-class sensors to integrated navigation displays, Raymarine systems enhance multi-agency interoperability for military, law enforcement and first responders. As a trusted supplier to myriad coastal and response vessels, Raymarine offers a comprehensive suite of professional tools. That mission is about to get bigger still.In April of 2017, FLIR was awarded a $50 million contract from the U.S. Coast Guard for integrated navigation electronics under the U.S.

Kongsberg, Robert Allan drive the future of marine fighting. The first vessel in the series will be the 20 meter RALamander 2000, featuring FiFi1 capability, pumping capacity of 2400 m3/hour and with optional foam capabilities. Vancouver based naval architects and marine engineers Robert Allan Ltd., and international marine technology specialist Kongsberg Maritime are collaborating on the development of a radically new remotely-operated fireboat that will allow first responders to attack dangerous port fires more aggressively and safer than ever before. Like other autonomous efforts underway on the waterfront, this concept tackles and solves the so-called “3D’s” – dull, dirty and dangerous – of workboat drudgery.

Voyager Maritime Alliance Group (VMAG) , one of the leading marine technology providers in South Florida, is expanding its already comprehensive list of services by adding turnkey marine services that now encompass the entire refit and new build process. “In simple terms – we do it all! Says David Leone, President of VMAG, from the initial planning, naval architecture services, networking and data cabling, project management, contractor management, welding and fabrication, carpentry, fiberglass work, security and camera systems, monitoring and control, custom build bridge and fly bridge consoles, networking and data cabling, communications equipment, navigation equipment to OEM Packages.

Aberdeen based Kongsberg Maritime camera systems group has delivered a new large network IP CCTV system to Chantier Davie Canada for installation aboard the new Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) Auxiliary Naval Replenishment Ship, known currently as ‘Project Resolve’. Project Resolve was established to develop an interim fleet supply vessel for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). The project purchased MS Asterix, a commercial containership, and is converting it into an Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment ship that will be chartered by the Royal Canadian Navy.

To operate marine electronics and communication devices, power converters such as inverters, battery chargers and power supplies are often installed to convert available DC or AC to the appropriate power outputs required. Complicating matters, both the power source (DC in varying voltages from battery banks and AC from generators or shore power) and the outputs (voltage, frequency, etc.) can vary for each piece of equipment. So much so, that finding the ideal converter can be difficult and often requires a customized solution.

Kongsberg Maritime has announced that it has been selected by L-3 MAPPS to provide the CCTV system for the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) new class of Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS). L-3 MAPPS is one of the Tier 1 suppliers to Irving Shipbuilding, Prime Contractor delivering the AOPS vessels as a part of the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS). Kongsberg Maritime has over 70 employees in Dartmouth, Vancouver and St. Johns, 190 employees in the U.K. and approximately 4,600 total across the world.

A new wireless crane camera system called BlokCam delivers live video from the hook block to the operator in the cabin. Manufactured by 4Site Technology exclusively for BlokCam Limited, BlokCam will be distributed by Compact Lifting Group. The BlokCam design is based on the ProPick wireless camera system, originally launched by 4Site Technology in January 2015 and currently sold around the globe by 4Site and its distributors. Both systems are designed and manufactured by 4Site Technology, LLC of Seattle. “The name for our new company reflects the location of the camera system, which fits on the hook block of the crane. With the increased number of models available and the enhancements that have been made to the technology…

Port Tampa Bay, Florida’s largest maritime port and the 16th largest in the United States, has elected to implement PlateSmart's ARES enterprise license plate recognition-based video analytics system. Overseen by the Tampa Port Authority, the port handles both commercial and passenger traffic on a daily basis. In addition to being a major hub of the shipping industry with several million tons of cargo are shipped in and out of the port in any given year, the port is a departure point for several cruise lines, and also runs and maintains its own ship repair facilities.

The second phase of an ambitious project to gather valuable information on ocean processes and marine life using a fleet of innovative marine robots has just reached its conclusion. Co-ordinated by the National Oceanography Centre (NOC), the Exploring Ocean Fronts project took place off southwest England and saw the largest deployment of robotic vehicles ever attempted in UK waters. The marine robots, which are powered by a combination of wave, wind and solar power, are controlled by satellite communications and can cover hundreds of kilometres in a single mission. In the latest phase of the project, three unmanned surface vehicles were used to track fish carrying acoustic ‘pingers’ off the Devon coast.

Videos and images of the submarine world are important for the maritime industry. Researchers from Fraunhofer IGD will show how underwater images can be improved and evaluated at this year’s SMM in Hamburg, Germany, from September 9-12. The submarine world is becoming more transparent. Due to refraction effects and the optical properties of water, underwater images are usually distorted, noisy and contain color casts. These effects often render underwater images useless for industrial applications.

Comnav Marine unveil their new gyro stabilized thermal night vision & low light camera system, the V2. The company says this next-generation of Thermal & Low Light Camera Systems, the model V2 is a cut above all the rest! A camera that provides owners and captains with peace of mind by delivering precision images in complete darkness, fog, snow, rain & low light conditions. ComNav Digital Pattern Enhancement (DPE) provides superior high resolution images. A crisp, clean image is projected under any condition even in the wide angle view. The camera distinguishes heat with choice of thermal display modes: black hot, white hot, red hot, fusion or rainbow. Night docking and close proximity maneuvering is made easy and safe when using this type of thermal night vision.

Continental Commercial Vehicles & Aftermarket, manufacturer and supplier of VDO OE-engineered instrumentation and replacement parts for the marine market, released new VDO Camera Systems for a marine applications. VDO Camera Systems aim to eliminate blind spots around the boat and improve overall maneuverability. Offered in several variants as complete kits and components, these cameras and monitors are feature remote viewing of engine rooms, and offer visibility both inside and outside the boat.

The world is changing fast and this is especially true in the fast boat sector. Since the millennium, rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) and high speed craft (HSC) have been at the cutting edge of maritime operations for everything from homeland security and law enforcement to extreme weather rescue. For over 30 years specialist organizations around the world including the RNLI (UK lifeboat), Royal Marines, US Navy and US Coast Guard have driven the evolution of fast craft. They know what has worked in the past and know what boats they want for the future.

R/V Tiburon added a custom built Spectre ROV capable of working depths of up to 600m. It is named “Otis”, after Otis Barton the inventor of the Bathysphere and holder of world record 4500 ft. tethered dive in 1949. “We see this as a time to concentrate our skills to the important mission of collecting important environmental data in the wake of the BP Gulf oil spill” said Tim Taylor CEO of RV Tiburon, Inc. RV Tiburon is dedicated to the continued support of research and exploration and brings its special operations approach of more operational time at sea for less costs.

It’s been called everything from the Graveyard of the Atlantic to Torpedo Junction. By whatever name, the seas off the coast of North Carolina during World War II were the site of a devastating period for the United States, during which dozens of ships—mostly merchant vessels—were sunk by German U-Boats. Today, the remains of those ships, along with several U-Boats, rest at the bottom of the Atlantic. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimates that from January to August 1942, more than 50 vessels were lost to the U-Boat assault.

OceanView Technologies, Inc. announced it now will offer optional HD thermal imaging on its entire line of night vision cameras, including its Poseidon, Zeus, Atlas and Triton models. They are available in a variety of configurations to suit any need, including dual and three-camera systems, high zoom cameras and precise fiber-optic stabilization. (www.nightboating.com)

FLIR Systems (NASDAQ: FLIR) announced two new models of their First Mate line of handheld maritime thermal night vision cameras at the Miami International Boat Show. The new First Mate XP and XP+ feature improved 320 × 240 thermal image resolution, as well as expanded environmental survivability ratings and still image capture capability. The XP+ variant even offers users the ability to capture live thermal video to a removable SD card. Well-suited for use on recreational powerboat, yacht, or sailboat, First Mate cameras are also valuable tools for finding people in the water, providing higher image resolution and better image detail.

OceanView Technologies Inc. announced the newest product in its extensive line-up of multi-sensor night-vision camera systems; the Apollo II HD. This is the Highest Definition Thermal Imaging camera available in the marketplace today at this price. It has an MSRP of only $17,995 and is shipping immediately. The OceanView Apollo II HD incorporates a 640x480 resolution thermal imaging camera with its new 4x digital zoom and an ultra-low-light camera in the same popular 360° pan and tilt housing as the Apollo II Camera. The Apollo II enables the user to see clearly not only in total darkness but also in a wide variety of poor lighting conditions including low-light, heavy rain, bright sun and some fog.