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Volpe National Transportation Systems Center News

20 Sep 2013

GPS Spoofing and the Potential Perils to Ships at Sea

Simple annoyance or potential security threat? Spoof is defined as “a hoax or swindle.”  In the world of electronic networks, a spoofing attack is a situation in which one program successfully masquerades as another by falsifying data and thereby gaining an improper advantage. We have all heard of, and possibly fallen victim to, fraudulent card readers (often inserted on self-service fuel pumps). The fraudulent card readers copy security information from the credit card, which is then used to clone an illegitimate credit card and incur improper charges on the victim’s credit card account.

04 Jan 2012

DOT Unveils Plans for Kings Point

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood

The United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) today began work on a comprehensive strategic plan that will develop long-term objectives and institutional goals. The USMMA will undergo its next accreditation evaluation in 2016 and a core requirement of American higher education accreditation is that an academic institution has a current strategic plan. “The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy is one of my top priorities,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. The strategic planning process will be led by USMMA Acting Superintendent Shashi Kumar.

23 Aug 2009

Mission Effectiveness Project & Aging Cutters

The U.S. Coast Guard reported that Mission the Effectiveness Project (MEP) is significantly improving the mission capability and lowering the operating costs of in-service medium endurance cutters and patrol boats, thus bridging the gap between the aging fleet and the delivery of new assets. Since MEP began in 2005, the project has consistently achieved its goals on time and on budget. As project approaches its midpoint, the Coast Guard reviewed some of the lessons learned and performance improvements achieved.

23 Feb 2009

U.S. DOT Seeks Proposals to Address Challenges

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (U.S. DOT) Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) announced the first of two Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program solicitations for 2009. Through this competitive program, the Department encourages the nation's small, high-tech, innovative businesses to be a significant part of the federal government's research and development efforts. Small businesses are invited to submit innovative research proposals that address high priority national transportation goals during the solicitation period, which runs from Feb. 13 through April 15. The SBIR program is administered by RITA’s Volpe National Transportation Systems Center on behalf of the U.S. DOT’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization.

22 Jan 2004

IEEE Conference to be Held in April

The IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) will host their next conference on Technologies for Homeland Security on April 21st and 22nd of 2004. It will be held at the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, Auditorium on 55 Broadway, in Cambridge, MA. With the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) and the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center) as co-organizers for this event, along with top technical, governmental, and industry speakers, conference attendees will gain direct insights into the requirements, technologies, operations and funding for technologies, which protect our critical transportation, aviation and border infrastructures.

07 Apr 2004

Austal, MTU: Power on Display in NYC

On April 6 Austal Ships and MTU introduced what it calls the world’s most powerful diesel-powered high-speed catamaran, Spirit of Ontario, in New York. The 284-ft. vessel -- powered by four MTU 20 V 8000 diesel enginesallowing for a loaded speed of 45.7 knots (52 mph/84 kph) – can carry 774 passengers and up to 238 cars or 10 full size trucks. It will be deployed by Canadian American Transportation System between Rochester, NY, and Toronto, ON. According to a survey conducted by the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center in Cambridge…

12 May 2004

Propulsion: Power for a New Breed of RoPax

Building fast RoPax vessels is nothing new for Australia's Austal Ships. The company, founded just 16 years ago, has quickly crafted a reputation as one of the largest and best builders of aluminum craft in the world, and today boasts an annual turnover in excess of $250 million. Spirit of Ontario, however, is in a different league. The ship arrived last month from its birth place Down Under to start work for Canadian American Transportation System on the commuter route between Rochester, NY, and Toronto, ON. Its inaugural route to work took it on tours through the Hawaiian Islands and eventually to Pier 17 at New York City's South Street Seaport…

10 Sep 2004

U.S. Ferry Market Prospects Looking Up

The proliferation of sleek, unique and fast ferries on U.S. waterways is slowly becoming the reality that has been much discussed for decades. While the country does not have an inate "ferry mentality" that is so prevalent in the European culture, in part due to the vastly different geographic challenges, many parts of the country, particularly the heavily congested Northeast corridor, are starting to accept the advantages of relatively fast and efficient water transport. According to a survey conducted by the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center in Cambridge, Mass., high-speed ferries account for only 10 percent of the overall national U.S. ferry fleet.

06 Sep 2002

St. Lawrence Seaway Introduces AIS Technology

The Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation and its Canadian partner, the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation, today unveiled a new Automatic Identification System (AIS), the first to be fielded on a North American waterway. The AIS uses the latest communication technology via universal VHF radio frequency to share vital marine navigation data from ship-to-ship, shore-to ship, and ship-to-shore in real time. Following a ceremony at St. Lambert Lock in Montreal, Seaway engineers and personnel from the DOT Volpe National Transportation Systems Center demonstrated the AIS capabilities for the Seaway Traffic Management System and on board the vessels. Shipping industry representatives were invited aboard the Seaway Tug, Robinson Bay, to test out the system on the St.

31 Mar 2003

Seaway Corporations Open Waterway to Mandatory AIS

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC) and the Canadian St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) opened the binational waterway’s 45th navigation season. This season marks the beginning of mandatory Automatic Identification System (AIS) use on commercial vessels entering waterway in North America to employ this technology as a requirement for transit. “AIS represents a significant improvement in marine transportation navigation, integrating vital navigation data long available through our Vessel Traffic Control Centers (VTCCs) with electronic chart display technology at the fingertips of officers on the bridge,” said SLSDC Administrator Albert Jacquez.