Japan Radio News

Classification society ClassNK reports it has issued an approval in principle (AIP) for the “Advanced Maneuvering Assistant System”, the core technology for the autonomous navigation system, developed by Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd., Kawasaki Kinkai Kisen Kaisha, Ltd., Japan Radio Co., Ltd. and YDK Technologies Co., Ltd.The system automatically generates some routes for avoiding a collision with other ships on a monitored route when a collision with another ship due to OZT is predicted and assists the operator in avoiding the collision.

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K LINE) and the Nippon Foundation have demonstrated autonomous navigation on a roro for a round-trip route of approximately 1,000 miles (1,600km) between Hitachi Port and Kushiro Port.The 11,413gt Hokuren Maru No. 2 sails the route routinely in service for operator Kawasaki Kinkai Kisen. Three autonomous voyages have been undertaken since October 1, 2023.“We confirmed that recognition, analysis, and decision making by the autonomous navigation system are executed with a high degree of accuracy in coastal navigation,” said K Line in a statement.

Mobile satellite communications company Inmarsat said JRC (Japan Radio Company Co. Ltd.) has joined its group of Certified Application Providers (CAP) offering applications via Inmarsat’s dedicated Fleet Connect bandwidth.The announcement follows the trial of JRC’s Smart Ship Viewer (SSV) bridge solution onboard Taiwan Navigation’s Handymax bulk carrier Tai Splendor. As a result of the trial, Taiwan Navigation has now contracted to use Fleet Connect and JRC’s Smart Ship Viewer across its eight newbuildings and eight existing vessels.“The SSV is a networked bridge and communications management solution with capabilities including ship monitoring…

Several companies within Japan's NYK Group have partnered to test the remote navigation of a tugboat in Tokyo Bay.The tugboat, operated by NYK's Shin-Nippon Kaiyosha Corporation, was equipped with a manned remotely controlled system and put to the test by NYK and its group companies MTI Co. Ltd., Keihin Dock Co. Ltd., and Japan Marine Science Inc. (JMS).During the trials, the tug was operated remotely from an operation center in the city of Nishinomiya, approximately 400 kilometers away.

NYK welcomed 35 students and their professor from the Netherlands’ Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) on July 30 to examine the group’s initiatives for “Digitalization and Green,” the theme of the company’s medium-term management plan.Prof. Mirek Kaminski of TU Delft is a leading European researcher on sloshing* and has cooperated with risk assessments conducted by MTI, an NYK Group company, into sloshing on LNG carriers.The students received lectures from NYK about its digitalization and green initiatives…

Japanese shipping company Nippon Yusen (NYK) has been recognized with a special award from the Japan Institute of Navigation (JIN) for improving onboard operation through use of J-Marine NeCST,  a ship navigation support tool that was jointly developed by NYK, MTI Co. Ltd., and Japan Radio Co. Ltd. (JRC).J-Marine NeCST (NeCST is pronounced “Next”) allows users to easily plan routes using the handwriting function of the electronic navigational chart, in addition to managing and sharing operational data using integrated information such as meteorological and hydrographical forecasts.An awards ceremony was held on July 12, 2019, and attended by Tomoyuki Koyama…

NYK and MTI Co. Ltd. yesterday conducted a ship-to-shore connection test for the ship navigation support tool J-Marine NeCST and together with Japan Radio Co. Ltd. verified the effectiveness of the tool’s functions. For the test, a fire was presumed to have occurred on the cruise ship Asuka II, which is operated by NYK Cruises Co. Ltd. The two J-Marine NeCST tools — one aboard Asuka II and the other at NYK’s Crisis Management Center within the NYK head office in Tokyo — were then connected via the internet. The emergency [Fire] button on the onboard tool was activated, and an emergency checklist and fire control plan were immediately shared on synchronized screens. Prompt communication was then tested via the tool’s chat function.

NYK and NYK Group companies MTI Co. and Japan Marine Science released partial findings of a study on collision risk judgement and the autonomous operation of vessels. Representatives from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK), and three partner manufacturers (Tokyo Keiki, Japan Radio, and Furuno Electric) were in attendance when the findings were released. This entire study includes development of (a) functions to facilitate judgement related to avoiding risk of collision with other vessels; (b) remote operations by land operators; and (c) devices related to AR (augmented reality) of nautical instrument information, with the aim to pursue safe operations and reduce officer workload.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has announced a joint success with Japan Radio  and JSAT MOBILE Communications in building a network that shares data recorded in Voyage Data Recorder (VDR) by using Fleet Xpress provided by Inmarsat, a high-capacity, high-speed satellite telecommunication service. Like the flight data and cockpit voice recorders on airplanes, VDR records data on vessel movement (position, navigation speed, main engine rpm, and so on), voice communication on the bridge, image data on nautical instruments such as radar, and the Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS). An international treaty mandates that large-scale vessels and passenger ships that ply international waters be equipped with VDR…

Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), the Monohakobi Technology Institute and Japan Radio have jointly developed a support tool that enables officers to better manage and share navigational information. The tool will be sold by JRC under the name “J-Marine NeCST”. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has made ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and Information System) mandatory by 2018 on international voyages by passenger vessels over 500 gross tonnage (GT) and cargo vessels over 3,000 GT. However, additional navigational information cannot be written by hand on ECDIS, as can easily be done on a conventional paper chart. J-Marine NeCST solves that problem by including a very useful input function that lets users write directly on electronic charts.

The strategic partnership will drive growth and accelerate innovation. Industry-leading solutions and services capabilities will deliver differentiated customer value. Transas, the innovative, digital solutions company, and Japan Radio Company (JRC), a leading global marine electronics company, today announced their new strategic partnership. The two industry-leading companies will work together in research and development, product distribution and project collaboration. The technical cooperation will be strongly reinforced including development of innovative solutions and will bring together the best hardware and best software to produce next-generation of e-Navigation products and solutions.

Alphatron Marine said it has acquired a new office and warehouse space in Zwijndrecht, Belgium to serve customers in Belgium and France. The new location – operational since September and officially opened on November 9, 2016 – replaces the company’s existing Meerdonk office. Alphatron Marine Belgium is part of a group of companies governed by Alphatron Marine. Together, they act as importer, producer, developer and service provider of navigation, communication and automation systems. Besides this, the company provides specialized IT solutions.

Tokyo-based Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) Group is not only one of the world’s largest ship owners with a diverse fleet of more than 800 ships, it is a growing global maritime logistics powerhouse. Maritime Reporter & Engineering News visited with Yasuo Tanaka, Senior Managing Corporate Officer, Naval Architect, in Tokyo for his insights on the company’s continued efforts to invest in operational efficiency. The story of NYK cannot start without a look at the numbers, because the numbers tell the story in a most impressive fashion.

Japan Radio Company (JRC) has received DNV-GL Integrated Navigation System (INS) type approval for the Multi Function Display (MFD) which also includes the network based ICS suffix. JRC’s flexible system meets and exceeds the new IMO performance standard resolution MSC.252(83) and are approved to be expanded to meet the highest class notations such as NAUT-OC/AW/OSV to ensure the safety of a vessel at sea. The INS provides added value for officers to plan, monitor and/or control safety of navigation and progress of the ship by combining and integrating functions and information, JRC said.

Japan Radio Company (JRC) has announced the reaching of its 100-year anniversary in 2015. With the passing of the private radio law in Japan in June 1915, the company was founded in December of the same year as the Japan Radiotelegraph Manufacturing Company. Within year one the first product was developed, a radiotelegraph unit which was installed on a rescue vessel. It was not until the 1940s that the company changed its name to JRC, and today’s known logo came into effect, which is this year exactly 70 years old. In 1953 JRC was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the company continued to be heavily involved in unique and challenging projects.

Elcome International has signed a distribution agreement with Japan Radio Company (JRC) and its technology partner Alphatron Marine. Under the agreement, the Dubai-based company will take on responsibility for sales and service of JRC and Alphatron Marine products in the Middle East, India and Sri Lanka. Elcome will also carry out annual performance tests for JRC Voyage Data Recorders and Simplified Voyage Data Recorders. JRC is providing training for Elcome engineers at its Center of Excellence in Rotterdam, as well as at Elcome’s headquarters in Dubai.

Alphatron Marine Belgium BVBA said it will continue with the responsibilities of Astron NV, stating that Astron NV will cease all sales and service activities of maritime navigation and communication equipment with immediate effect due to the restructuring of its organization. This includes the official Belgium distributorship of Japan Radio Company (JRC) which is being transferred from Astron to Alphatron Marine Belgium from the start of 2015. Antwerp, one of the largest ports on the European continent and also the ports of Ghent, Zeebrugge and Ostend play an important role in the Belgian economy. “In order to safeguard the continuation of the Belgian market, a number of employees of Astron will be employed by Alphatron Marine Belgium,” commented Jan Van Dooren, CEO Astron NV.

Maritime training provider Seagull announced the release of an equipment specific training module for Japan Radio Co Ltd (JRC)’s ECDIS systems. Developed in close cooperation with JRC, one of the world’s leading ECDIS manufacturers, this latest addition to Seagull’s extensive library of eLearning modules is designed to provide navigators with equipment specific familiarisation training for the JRC ECDIS (JAN- 701B, JAN-901B, JAN-2000, JAN-901M and JAN-701). Targeting deck officers, the new course will allow shipowners and operators with JRC ECDIS on board their ships to meet the recently introduced regulatory requirement for equipment specific training in addition to generic ECDIS training.

ProNav, the Norwegian distributor for Japan Radio Company Ltd. (JRC), was awarded a contract for supplying twenty two ECDIS systems to the entire fleet of Norwegian shipowner Misje Rederi AS. All eleven dual-systems will be supplied and commissioned by Brommeland Elektronikk AS, a part of ProNav's professional sales- and service network. The JRC ECDIS systems are supplied through a leasing program, and Misje Rederi is one of several other shipping companies finding this program as a good solution. Cost-wise it enables the possibilities to have the latest technology in the complete fleet at the same time, the company said, which again is beneficial in regards to type specific training, crew-changes, service etc.

Norway-based Seagull AS introduced an equipment specific training module for Japan Radio Co Ltd (JRC)’s ECDIS systems. Developed in close cooperation with JRC, one of the world’s leading ECDIS manufacturers, this latest addition to Seagull’s extensive library of computer-based training (CBT) modules is designed to train navigators in the use of the JRC 701B, 901B and JAN-2000 series ECDIS. Targeting deck officers, the new course will allow shipowners and operators with JRC ECDIS…

ClassNK has certified the Type Specific ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and Information System) training course provided by Iino Marine Service Busan Co., Ltd., an affiliate of Iino Marine Service Co., Ltd. ClassNK Executive Vice President Koichi Fujiwara presented the certificate to Capt. Shigeru Nemoto, President of Iino Marine Service Co., Ltd. at a special ceremony held at ClassNK’s Head Office on April 24,  2013. While new amendments to STCW convention require Generic ECDIS Training for masters and deck officers onboard ships with ECDIS systems…

ClassNK announced that it has certified the type specific ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and Information System) training courses provided by the newly established ECDIS training center, Philippines-Japan Maritime Training Management Inc. (PJMTM). ClassNK Executive Vice President Koichi Fujiwara presented the certificates to PJMTM President Eduardo U. Manese during the center’s opening ceremony on 8 November 2012. New amendments to SOLAS requiring ECDIS systems be installed on vessels are being phased-in beginning this year…

Tokyo, Japan, is the Newest Global Location for the Middletown, RI-Based Technology Company. KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq:KVHI) has opened an office in Tokyo to further strengthen KVH's position in the market and to provide additional support to its Japanese partners. The opening of the KVH Industries Japan Co., Ltd., office reflects the growing market in Japan for KVH's maritime satellite communications solutions, which include the mini-VSAT Broadband(SM) service -- the world's leading maritime VSAT choice -- and the award-winning TracPhone(R) satellite communications systems. KVH Industries' Japanese partners include SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation, which provides the mini-VSAT Broadband service under the OceanBB brand name, as well as Furuno Electric Co., Ltd., and Japan Radio Co.