The Complete Guide to ECDIS 2016 by rivieramaritimemedia

2016 • A supplement to Marine Electronics & Communications

The complete guide to

“Shipowners should contact their ecdis manufacturer to start the transition to the updated ecdis standards” Tom Mellor, chairman of IHO’s electronic navigational chart working group, see page 8

contents

2016

25 11

Regulars 5 Introduction

Implementation 6 Shipowners need to ensure their onboard ecdis are updated to IHOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest standards and officers are retrained ready for the September 2017 deadline 7 Timetable for ecdis carriage requirements on existing ships; Electronic navigational charts explained

Regulations and standards 8 Ecdis manufacturers are working with class societies to type approve updated systems to the new IHO and IEC standards

E-navigation opinion 10 A new forum seeks to give mariners a proper say in the design and development of bridge equipment 11 IMO progresses with display harmonisation

Operator feedback 12 Intertanko calls for ecdis to be made less complex for navigators 13 Norbulk Shipping deploys ecdis on tankers it technically manages 14 Carisbrooke Shipping reaps the time and money benefits from ecdis 15 Teekay deploys paperless navigation on shuttle tankers

Safety 16 Seafarers should not rely wholly on technology to minimise the risk of ship groundings and collisions

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The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

contents

The complete guide to

Cyber security

Published April 2016

19 Ecdis Ltd trials Abatis anti-malware software on its ecdis simulators

Editor: Martyn Wingrove t: +44 20 8370 1736 e: martyn.wingrove@rivieramm.com

Statistics

Consultant Editor, Navigation: Alan Welcome t: +44 7989 203105 e: alan.welcome@rivieramm.com

20 VesselsValue.com data highlights the challenge of deploying ecdis across the global dry bulk and container ship fleet

Sales Manager: Paul Dowling t: +44 20 8370 7014 e: paul.dowling@rivieramm.com

Solutions

Sales: Jo Lewis t: +44 20 8370 7793 e: jo.lewis@rivieramm.com

23 Transas was one of the first to gain approval for its updated ecdis 24 Triple ecdis for paperless navigation; benefits of updating systems 25 Part of an integrated bridge system 26 Planning ahead for future developments 28 Ecdis designed to prevent collisions

Head of Sales – Asia: Kym Tan t: +65 9456 3165 e: kym.tan@rivieramm.com

29 The latest models and user interfaces

Production Manager: Richard Neighbour t: +44 20 8370 7013 e: richard.neighbour@rivieramm.com

Voyage planning

Subscriptions: Sally Church t: +44 20 8370 7018 e: sally.church@rivieramm.com

30 Passage planning should include weather routeing 31 Pay-as-you-sail ENC services are cost efficient

Communications 32 Online applications are coming for route planning

Training 34 Type-specific training will be mandatory under STCW

Chairman: John Labdon Managing Director: Steve Labdon Finance Director: Cathy Labdon Operations Director: Graham Harman Editorial Director: Steve Matthews Executive Editor: Paul Gunton Head of Production: Hamish Dickie Published by: Riviera Maritime Media Ltd Mitre House 66 Abbey Road Enfield EN1 2QN UK

35 Training providers should be an integral part of ecdis implementation 36 E-learning opens training to seafarers on ships 38 Transas adds Get-Net partnership to its Academy 39 Kongsberg unveils distance learning service

Ship positioning

40 New technologies offer greater resilience, accuracy, integrity and availability to ship positioning, and redundancy to GNSS services

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The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

Disclaimer: Although every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this publication is correct, the Author and Publisher accept no liability to any party for any inaccuracies that may occur. Any third party material included with the publication is supplied in good faith and the Publisher accepts no liability in respect of content. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, reprinted or stored in any electronic medium or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission of the copyright owner.

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INTRODUCTION | 5

Shipping is addressing the challenges of ecdis implementation W Martyn Wingrove, Editor

elcome to this year’s edition of Marine Electronics & Communication’s The Complete Guide to Ecdis, which outlines the latest trends, challenges and solutions in digital navigation. Shipping is in the middle of phasing in IMO’s ecdis mandatory carriage requirements. The majority of passenger ships have been using ecdis and electronic navigational charts (ENCs) for several years, and tanker operators have been installing systems over the past few years. Now is the turn of dry cargo ships. From 1 July this year, container ships and bulk carriers of more than 50,000gt will have to start carrying and using ecdis and ENCs. Owners have until the first survey of the ship after 1 July to install ecdis. For dry cargo ships between 20,000gt and 50,000gt, there is another year. Owners of ships between 10,000gt and 20,000gt have until the first survey after 1 July 2018. As can be seen from VesselsValue data (see page 20), there is a sizable fleet of dry cargo ships (more than 3,500 over 50,00gt and 8,000 between 20,00gt and 50,000gt), many of which do not have ecdis on board. Owners also need to consider that all ships need to have back-up arrangements for navigation should the main ecdis be compromised. Thus, it is a substantial challenge for the manufacturers to supply this amount of equipment, especially retrofit systems. It is not just about installing ecdis though. There are also the training requirements of the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW). Seafarers need to be trained specifically in the systems on board the ships they work on. From the start of next year this will be a mandatory requirement under STCW regardless of flag (see page 34). There are a number of methods of meeting the training requirement. Many seafarers receive generic and type-

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specific ecdis training in academies and on simulators. But an increasingly popular method is using e-learning solutions to provide familiarisation training. However, shipowners should not just install ecdis to comply with IMO regulations. There are clear benefits with implementing paperless navigation as ship operators discuss in this publication. Representatives from Norbulk Shipping, Teekay Offshore Partners and Carisbrooke Shipping explain the navigational safety and time-saving benefits of ecdis. Johan Gahnström, a senior marine manager with tanker operator association Intertanko offers his view on some of the issues and challenges with ecdis (see page 12). One of the challenges for shipowners that have already invested in ecdis is keeping their systems and portfolios of ENCs updated. This has been made harder by the introduction of new standards from the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), which include a new edition of the presentation library for ecdis and other software changes. When we started writing this year’s Complete Guide to Ecdis, manufacturers were busy updating their system software and working with classification societies to get them type approved. Shipowners had the daunting task of having to update their ecdis units with the latest software to be compliant for when IHO’s new standards came into force, which was 1 September this year. They now have more time after the IMO extended the transition period for software updates to existing ecdis units for one year to 31 August 2017. This gives shipowners the opportunity to not only update ecdis, but to introduce new electronic navigation features, for paperless voyage planning and navigation. Now is the time to invest in ecdis to reap the operational benefits. ECDIS

The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

6 | IMPLEMENTATION

Seafarers receive type-specific training on simulators at Ecdis Ltd

Dry cargo ship ecdis deadline is looming Shipowners need to ensure their onboard ecdis are updated with IHOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest standards and officers are trained ready for the September 2017 deadline

ow is the time for owners of dry bulk carriers and container ships to implement a strategy for deploying and utilising ecdis across their fleets. Ecdis is already widely used in passenger shipping and most tanker owners have been deploying systems on their existing vessels. It is essential that ships also have a back-up ecdis, as part of the bridge network. It is also important that officers are trained in the use of ecdis on board the ships on which they are

The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

employed, and that they can show they are familiar with the main navigational functions. IMOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Solas mandatory carriage regulations state that all new passenger ships of more than 500gt, tankers larger than 3,000gt and dry cargo ships of more than 3,000gt should have ecdis. Shipowners should be aware that IMO ecdis carriage rules are coming into force for existing ships, too (see Table). They are already in force for passenger ships of more than 500gt, and tanker owners had to ensure ecdis was installed on existing ships of more than 3,000gt no later than the first survey after 1 July 2015. Operators of container ships and dry bulk carriers of more than 10,000gt have to consider ecdis installations, some starting this year. Owners with dry cargo ships of more than 50,000gt need to install ecdis no later than the first survey after 1 July this year. Many shipowners are driving ahead with the necessary investment in ecdis. According to recent United Kingdom Hydrographic Office statistics, more than half of all internationally trading Solas vessels over 3,000gt are now using electronic navigational charts (ENCs),

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IMPLEMENTATION | 7

either as their primary means of navigation or, in the majority of cases, as a back-up to paper charts. It is not enough just to install ecdis on these ships. Owners also need to train bridge teams in its use through generic courses that follow IMO model course 1.27. Following the 2010 amendments to the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW), all officers that are using ecdis on board ships need to have the right certification that shows they have received generic and type-specific ecdis training. There has been a multi-year period for shipowners to ensure they are compliant with these regulations, which will be enforced from the beginning of January 2017. Deck officers will then need to show port state control (PSC) inspectors that they have the correct training to use ecdis for safe navigation. This includes familiarisation training on the models that are in use on board. Shipowners also need to ensure ecdis is loaded with the latest software version and updated ENCs, in order to remain compliant. PSC inspectors are increasingly checking that this is correct during their ship visits. Owners also need to be aware that all onboard ecdis should be upgraded to meet the updated standards from the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). These were introduced last year as a way of reducing the number of alarms that bridge teams have to deal with and to improve ENC presentation on ecdis. Manufacturers are working with class societies to secure type approval for their latest models. Manufacturers are also developing software patches that can be installed on ecdis that are already in use on ships, to update them to the IHO and IEC standards. These need to be ready and implemented by 1 September 2017. Owners should consider the time it takes to retrofit a large fleet with ecdis. According to ChartCo sales and marketing manager Robert Corden it could take up to two years for a fleet of 100 ships to be retrofitted, without affecting trading schedules. These upgrades could cost up to US$10,000 per vessel, including the follow-up training and support. Other considerations for owners include flag state and compliance documentation, digital publication updates, passage planning and bridge procedures. Mr Corden said a shipping company’s bridge procedures and safety management system would need to be rewritten to cover the new procedures that are required to license, update and navigate with digital products and services. Ecdis and ENCs are much simpler to supply and update than paper charts. With most ecdis units, it is possible to download files and transfer ENC updates using a memory stick, then press a button and all the navigational charts and publications are updated. It is also possible to receive flag state regulations in digital form and have them updated on a regular basis. This is available through a service such as Regs4ships, which is accepted by 22 flag states as the equivalent of carrying the paper publications. There are many benefits from using ecdis as a primary means of navigation. Operators have reported improvements in navigational safety from using ecdis. The automated method of updating ENCs is less time consuming than paper chart updating, which gives bridge officers more time for watchkeeping. Ecdis Ltd chairman Nick Lambert thinks ecdis has become an essential part of modern navigation that is driving the development of e-navigation processes. “Ecdis is the focal point for integrated bridge design, a means for automatically sharing

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TIMETABLE FOR ECDIS CARRIAGE REQUIREMENTS ON EXISTING SHIPS ship type

Tankers

size

Existing ships no later than the first survey after:

>3,000gt

1 July 2015

Dry cargo ships

>50,000gt

1 July 2016

Dry cargo ships

20,00050,000gt

1 July 2017

Dry cargo ships

10,00020,000gt

1 July 2018

There are no retrofit requirements for existing dry cargo ships of <10,000gt

information between ships, ports and harbours, and vessel traffic services,” he said. “It is enabling a complete review of sea going processes and procedures, and it is becoming a ubiquitous, indispensable tool.” He added that a greater number of officers are trained and familiar with ecdis processes, which means shipowners can increasingly rely on their crews to operate ships safely. “The ecdis mandation process is firmly underway. Navigators are increasingly comfortable with the technology, and sea going and shore-based operators are using these digital navigation systems for purposes that were not originally envisioned.” Ecdis is more than just a machine for displaying ENCs. There is much more information within ecdis than the chart itself and there are different functions, such as overlaying radar, or weather information. ENCs can also be used on voyage planning stations with functions including distance tables, planning routes with minimum fuel consumption levels, and avoiding emission control areas. As the technology develops further, more functions and information will be available for display.

ENCs explained To be compliant with IMO requirements, ecdis should display Solas-recognised electronic navigational charts (ENCs). These contain all the chart information necessary for safe navigation. ENCs may also contain supplementary information that may be considered necessary for safe navigation. This means that ENCs should be official vector charts conforming to the specifications of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) and issued by a national authority. IHO member nations are responsible for producing ENCs of their own waters and updating them. There are two regional ENC co-ordinating organisations that are responsible for validating ENCs, their formats and distribution. These are the UK-based International Centre for Electronic Navigational Charts (IC-ENC) and Primar of Norway. In areas where official vector charts are not available, ecdis can display raster navigational charts (RNCs) that are digitally scanned copies of official paper charts issued by national hydrographic offices. When using RNCs, there must be an appropriate folio of up-to-date paper charts. ECDIS

The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

8 | REGULATIONS & STANDARDS

IMO extends new ecdis standards to 2017 Ecdis manufacturers are working with class societies to type approve updated systems and will begin to upgrade existing units on ships

Tom Mellor: Updated IHO S-52 standard will deliver new functions

hipowners will need to update software on existing ecdis before September 2017, as the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) has introduced new standards. Ecdis manufacturers had been lobbying the IMO, through industry association Comité International Radio-Maritime (CIRM) and IHO, to delay the requirement to comply with new ecdis standards. IMO has reacted by giving owners one more year to comply. The IMO sub-committee on Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue (NCSR) has extended the transition period for software updates to existing ecdis units for one year to 31 August 2017. The NCSR accepted IHO’s proposal to give all shipowners using ecdis more time to obtain the correct software updates to the new IHO S-52 presentation library standard. Owners would then ensure their compliance with the guidelines on the maintenance of ecdis software that is contained in IMO circular MSC 1.circ 1503 from the Maritime Safety Committee. Most suppliers have been developing ways to update the software and hardware on existing ecdis units so owners can remain compliant. They are also working with classification societies to type approve updated models for new installations. Some manufacturers, such as Transas, have announced that they are ready with type approved systems and software updates to ensure their systems meet the requirements. But many are not yet ready. The IHO has introduced new standards for presenting electronic navigational charts (ENCs) on ecdis. These were introduced to address the problem of anomalies on ENCs and the different approaches that ecdis systems use to display the charts. The IHO has also addressed concerns from the shipping industry about the high number of alarms emanating from ecdis, which were so frequent that they were ignored by bridge

The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

crew. This meant that important safety alarms, which could prevent ship groundings, were also being ignored. The new IHO standards were published in August 2015. They include version 4.0 of S-52, which specifies chart content on ecdis as a new presentation library, S-63 – an updated protection standard – and S-64, which is a new test data set. Ecdis units also need to meet new standards from the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). These are IEC 61174, the testing standard for type approval of ecdis, and IEC 62288, the standard for the presentation of navigation information. The chairman of IHO’s ENC working group, Tom Mellor, said the updated S-52 standard will deliver new functions on ecdis. He is also head of manufacturer support and digital standards at the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office. “We have been able to alleviate the imminent pressure on shipowners and the overall supply chain by extending the time available for shipping companies to upgrade their ecdis software to the new IHO presentation library edition 4.0,” he said. “Shipowners are encouraged to contact their ecdis manufacturer to start the transition to the updated ecdis standards, in order to ensure a smooth switchover, and to take advantage of the benefits that the new editions will bring to the bridge. Whilst there is more time available, the upgrade requirements will vary between different ecdis makes and models, so it is important that owners work together with their ecdis manufacturers to identify the steps that need to be taken for all ecdis systems across their fleet.” CIRM president and Jeppesen director of maritime services Michael Bergmann said owners need time and investment for the updates. “Older ecdis may need to be replaced if they are not capable of having the new software installed, and this is expensive and time-consuming,” he

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REGULATIONS & STANDARDS | 9

explained. Shipowners will also need to train navigators on a new ecdis or new software. Transas training manager Sören Löbbert said this would increase demand for retraining because of the changes in functions. “Many changes will not be seen by the user, but there are changes to functions, such as alarm management and route plan alarming,” he said. He added that there will be a default display mode that should give seafarers standard settings on ecdis. He explained that there will be new rules on alarm management. There will be a new category for alarms that reduces the number of sounding alerts, which should tackle the problem of officers ignoring alarms. There will be colour codes to alerts. Red will be a visible and audible alarm that needs immediate action. Orange will be a visual warning that needs attention, and yellow will be a visual caution that needs to be addressed in due course. “A warning can be upgraded to an alarm if it is not acted on,” said Mr Löbbert “The alert colour code will go on the screens, so it will be easy to see the alarms, warnings and cautions. For example, the overscaling indicator and the not real-time alert will be on the screen. Ecdis will also indicate if the safety contour is changed.” Transas was one of the first to announce it was ready for the new IHO standards. In January it gained type approval from Norwegian classification society DNV GL for its latest version of the Navi-Sailor ecdis. DNV GL issued official certificates for the Transas Navi-Sailor 4000 ecdis following extensive testing. This ensured that this ecdis type met the new IHO editions of the S-52 and S-64 standards, as well as the IEC 61174 standard. Transas is thus ready for the mandatory requirements coming into force, said chief executive Frank Coles. “Maintaining a quality certified ecdis is critical for the future of the safety of navigation,” said Mr Coles. “Transas intends to lead in this respect. Companies should choose their supplier with care or they could find the ecdis on board is not compliant going forward.” Transas is ready to upgrade all systems in an easy and cost-effective way, with the majority of existing systems only needing a software update. Danelec Marine received type approval from DNV GL for its DM800 ecdis G2 at the end of November 2015. The certificate means that the model meets IHO standards S-52 and S-64 and the IEC 61174 standard. Danelec chief executive Hans Ottosen said all existing DM800 G1 and G2 models can be upgraded free of charge. “In addition, our new type approved DM800 ecdis G2 platform will enable future software upgrades to be made by the crew aboard ship,” he said. Wärtsilä Sam Electronics revealed in March that it had received approval from DNV GL that its current series of Nacos Platinum ecdis meets these standards. It is ready to upgrade existing

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Nacos Platinum ecdis units, including EcdisPilot Platinum and EcdisPilot Basic, to the latest IHO standards via a software update. This covers models installed in the last five years. For earlier ecdis models, Wärtsilä is developing software updates to ensure these comply with the new IHO standards. Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine said it had set up a working group to update software on its VisionMaster FT Ecdis and Ecdis-E models to ensure they were ready for the September IHO deadline. The company recommends that an approved service engineer goes on ship bridges to oversee an update to the ecdis software and hardware to minimise disruption to the vessel’s operations. Adveto was working with DNV GL to be able to offer an upgraded Ecdis-4000 version in good time to make the necessary updates before September 2017. ECDIS

“There are 10,000 ships to be upgraded by September 2017”

STANDARDS COMING INTO FORCE SEPTEMBER 2017

IEC 62288 presentation of navigation information

S-52 - ecdis presentation library

IHO and IEC standards

S-63 - protection standard

IEC 61174 testing standard

S-64 - new test data set

The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

10 | E-NAVIGATION OPINION

FORUM LAUNCHED TO INFLUENCE E-NAVIGATION DESIGN A new initiative seeks to give mariners a proper say in the design and development of the bridge equipment they will be soon be using by Alan Welcome

t the International e-Navigation Underway Conference* in February this year, The Nautical Institute and Comité International Radio-Maritime (CIRM) launched the CIRM User Feedback Forum. This is a joint initiative that is intended to improve the usability of navigation and communications technology on board ships, by making it easier for mariners to have a say in its design and development. This is good news for the ecdis and e-navigation industry. Mariners are well known for the can-do approach they bring to their work. Unfortunately this has often involved making the best they can of ships and equipment that are inadequate – including bridge equipment and control systems. This is not to say that they have been presented with equipment that does not work as designed, but that the design process has often lacked consideration of the end user. Design flaws can be very basic – for example, there may be fiddly, confusing controls or over-bright indicator lamps that interfere with night vision. But problems can be far more deep-seated.

The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

Delegates discussed ecdis design issues at the International e-Navigation Underway Conference

Mariners have been given integrated systems offering functionality that designers and manufacturers believed would be beneficial, but delivered by complex human-machine interfaces that are not intuitive. The problems brought about by cascades of alarms are well known. There was a time when a bridge could rapidly become a noisy, confusing and disturbed environment, with the root cause difficult to determine and personnel distracted from their primary functions of safe navigation and effective collision avoidance. These problems were recognised in hindsight and much has been done that is aimed at improving the situation. However, with the proper input from the right people at an early stage, it should be possible to minimise the operational issues associated with new or upgraded

products. There is no group of people better qualified to help steer the design of bridge equipment than the professionals who will have to use it. They can take a holistic view of the equipment, seeing beyond its functionality by envisaging it in their working environment and, where appropriate, integrated with other equipment and systems. The Nautical Institute director of projects, David Patraiko, has endorsed the concept of human centred design, which asks users what they think at each stage of the design. He said: “Many mariners are keen to offer feedback into the design process but struggle to identify how to do this.” CIRM chief technical officer Richard Doherty said that CIRM members are willing to listen to end users, and will need to demonstrate this willingness as

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E-NAVIGATION OPINION | 11

outlined in the IMO Guidelines on Human Centred Design (HCD) for e-navigation. Applying HCD is a key goal of IMO’s e-navigation strategy. Crew-centred design and operation of ships and ship systems have also been the subject of the recent EU funded human factors project, CyClaDes. If successful, the CIRM User Feedback Forum will bring together willing seafarers and interested manufacturers to ensure that designs are validated using human-centred design principles. The Nautical Institute will encourage mariners from around the world to register as potential beta testers for CIRM members’ research and development projects. The process is free for seafarers and confidential for the manufacturers. Training centres are also invited to become involved and to form relationships with manufacturers interested in running trials. Mariners gain by being able to preview, understand and influence new designs. Mr Patraiko said that mariners often challenge why, or even how, certain

design features have been developed. The forum provides an opportunity for them to get involved with the design before it ends up on their ships. “This is a golden opportunity for all mariners and trainers to improve the design of systems they may have to use in the future, while enjoying the process of working with the design teams,” he said. The Nautical Institute plans to publish case studies from these trials, spreading the benefits to the whole industry. CIRM and The Nautical Institute have invited the industry to promote the forum and encourage users to register so that it can make a positive contribution to future navigation and communications systems. Many will hope the initiative will have a demonstrable beneficial influence on bridge operations.

David Patraiko: The forum is a golden opportunity for all mariners and trainers

*The conference was held on board the cruiseferry Pearl Seaways sailing between Copenhagen in Denmark and Oslo in Norway

IMO progresses with display harmonisation Efforts by IMO to improve harmonisation of displays of navigational information provided by integrated navigation systems (INS) or received via shipborne communications equipment appear to be moving in the right direction, writes Aline De Bievre. Its recent sub-committee on Navigation, Communication and Search and Rescue (NCSR) meeting gave general support to proposals from China and Norway on how to create standardised interfaces for information transfer. The work is being undertaken to facilitate the implementation of the five e-navigation solutions on which IMO has agreed to focus. It extends to adding new modules to the existing performance standards for INS (resolution MSC.252(83)). The target completion deadline of 2017 is driven by the urgent need to reduce complexity and information overload on the ship bridge, and thus avoid human error without inadvertently affecting mandatory navigational tasks. A presentation hosted by Intertanko on a major P&I club’s experience of the safety risks that emanate from the many different types and often bewildering features of ecdis equipment left little

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doubt in delegates’ minds about what was required. Views were expressed that it may also be necessary to have a functionality that distinguishes critical navigational information from ordinary business information. Work on a standardised, or S-mode, of operation for shipboard navigational equipment is not scheduled to start formally until 2018 under IMO’s existing e-navigation work programme. However, Australia has been leading preliminary work on how the development of an S-mode may guide the creation of standard displays and user interfaces. Its delegation reminded NCSR not to lose sight of the strong link to other agreed e-navigation work items, such as the development of additional INS modules. “It is important that all this work progresses in a co-ordinated and aligned way,” Australia’s representative stressed. There was wide support at NCSR for the need to follow the S-100 data model adopted by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO). In this context, the IHO made two points. First, the possible simultaneous display of different data products on electronic navigation charts may require the amendment of IMO’s

ecdis performance standards (resolution MSC.232(82)). IHO’s second point was that the S-100 interoperability specification it is developing may need to be referred to the IMO-IHO harmonisation group on data modelling. This group had been previously authorised by the Maritime Safety Committee, and could be reactivated to ensure the proper co-ordination of the related activities of the two organisations. The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) provided an update on its progress with the preparation of relevant IEC standards for maritime navigation and radiocommunication equipment and systems. This includes a new edition of Standard IEC 61162-1 pertaining to digital interfaces and a new Standard IEC 62940 for an integrated communication system. The latter would specify operational and performance requirements, methods of testing, and required test results for a human-machine interface to allow operation of the communications equipment, designed so that it can be made available on a bridge workstation, either dedicated to communications or as part of a multifunction display. ECDIS

The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

12 | OPERATOR FEEDBACK

Ecdis should be less complex for navigators Intertanko senior marine manager Johan Gahnström sets out industry concerns about ecdis, while Norbulk Shipping UK manager Mark Myles describes the benefits and challenges of implementation

cdis should be less complex and designed to be more userfriendly, to prevent seafarers being overwhelmed by the information. These devices and electronic navigational charts (ENCs) need to help bridge teams navigate safely and not hinder their operations. These were some of the messages from tanker operator association Intertanko’s senior marine manager Johan Gahnström. He said that ecdis manufacturers have added more information and complexity to ecdis than many mariners wanted. But he also wants the ecdis industry to consider designing smarter systems that have software and functions that provide useful information to seafarers during mooring operations. “Navigators have complex tasks to perform, so we need to help them as much as possible,” he commented. “We must remember that we are helping the seafarer to prevent groundings and collisions. But they can rely too heavily on navigation

devices, and the equipment can make them complacent.” Capt Gahnström suggested that ecdis should be designed to prevent this complacency. Ecdis and ENCs should enable navigators to visualise the essential navigation

The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

data but without displaying excess information. He continued: “We need to design equipment to help our officers. We need technology to help them navigate safely. We need the equipment to combat complacency and fatigue, to keep mariners active.” He also said there were concerns about the stability of ecdis after software updates, following reports that some systems fail to operate correctly when patches and updates are installed. “We need to look at smart systems that use software that is developed and tested in

simulators for ecdis stability,” he added. There could be considerable problems with updating software on older ecdis systems. “Five year old machines are good at running five year old software, but they may not be able to run the latest software. So there are systems on ships that do not have software patches or antivirus installed.” Other concerns that Capt Gahnström highlighted were the differences between various makes and models of ecdis, and the threat of viruses infecting these machines. “We should

Superintendents can provide technical support to bridge teams from the shore (credit: Norbulk Shipping)

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OPERATOR FEEDBACK | 13

ECDIS ACTION PLANS Reduce ecdis complexity

Focus on essential navigation data

Prevent complacency & fatigue

Reduce variations in ecdis

Consider standard modes

Design smarter solutions

Enable access to pilots

Integration with pilot portable units

According to Intertanko’s Johan Gahnström

use industry best practice, with a common language and understanding during navigation operations. We should also consider standard modes. Manufacturers should work with IMO to reduce the variations in ecdis.” However, there are times when different types of information should be included on ecdis, especially around ports or in busy shipping lanes. This is often the time when pilots come on board to assist with navigation and berthing. They often have their own portable devices that have higher resolution navigational charts installed, but they are not usually able to interface these with the bridge systems. Capt Gahnström thinks this should be addressed. “We need to have solutions that enable pilots to use the ship equipment. Manufacturers need to come together and allow pilots to use the information on board.” It would also be beneficial to enable ship ecdis to display information that is within the pilot portable units. He said: “It would also be good to have more high scale ENCs, especially for harbour charts for mariners. We also need mooring bollards to be shown on ENCs.”

Positive ecdis deployments

Norbulk Shipping, and its shipowning partners, has been able to deploy ecdis on all of the tankers it technically manages. It has also invested in training facilities and online courses for teaching ecdis. It has training simulators in a facility in Riga, Latvia and uses Safebridge’s online ecdis courses to enable officers to learn specific operations remotely. The implementation and training have been challenging because of the different vessels and ecdis models within the diverse shipping fleet, said Norbulk Shipping UK quality assurance and safety manager Mark Myles. “We have not been able to standardise across the managed fleet, as there are several owners, so ships have different equipment on board,” he explained. These are mostly ecdis models supplied by Transas, Furuno Electric and Navico. “We tried to standardise the generic training with Transas, but the type-specific training needs to be on different models. The solution was to use Safebridge’s online courses for officer familiarisation learning.” Another challenge was the difference in age and technical knowledge of

“We must remember that we are helping the seafarer to prevent groundings and collisions”

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the bridge officers. “Older seafarers have struggled more in the transition than the younger officers,” said Mr Myles. “But they are finding it easier to use once they are familiar with the operations.” To overcome some of the knowledge issues, Norbulk operated ecdis in parallel with paper charts. This allowed time to train officers in the IT skills they would need to deal with a problem with the technology. “We are living in an electronic age, so crew need to be more IT literate,” he continued. “There would be concerns if there was a failure in the GPS signal. We would ask: can officers deal with this issue before the ship is grounded?” Norbulk managed the IT knowledge gap and boosted crew competence through simulator training. Mr Myles said the transition to ecdis had not been totally smooth. “There were some navigation issues at first, but this has decreased over time. Nothing has been flagged up by the internal audits,” he added. To help crews operate ecdis more effectively, Norbulk wrote and updated procedures and checklists to be followed by the bridge teams. Superintendents can also provide technical support from the shore. “Last year we significantly revised the ecdis procedures so they are more comprehensive,” Mr Myles said. “For example, we included what the alarm settings should be, and

we set out the parameters that should be included. We have checklists of what should be checked during a shift change. The crews have been very receptive to the implementation of ecdis,” he commented. The shipmanager and tanker owners have seen the cost benefits of using ecdis across the fleet, while the crews have benefitted from less administration. “Using ecdis is less time consuming, especially for keeping charts up to date,” Mr Myles said. “It is easy to get a licence and upload ENCs. There is less printing as we do not need to send out paper charts and notices to mariners. It is all done electronically. All this should help crew get more rest hours, and give navigators time to look out of the window instead of spending time in the chart room.” He said ecdis and ENCs were more precise than paper charts, especially when it comes to updated corrections. There is also less need for whole folios of paper charts. “The paper chart system was labour intensive and difficult to manage, and buying a whole folio set was expensive,” he added. Norbulk provides technical management to fleets of tankers and dry cargo shipping. It manages technical issues, vessel inspection reports, vessel performance monitoring, drydock repairs, planned maintenance systems, and purchasing and inventory control, as well as fuel testing and claims handling. ECDIS

The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

14 | OPERATOR FEEDBACK

Carisbrooke is deploying dual ecdis and PAYS services on its multipurpose cargo vessels

CARISBROOKE REAPS TIME AND MONEY BENEFITS FROM ECDIS

arisbrooke Shipping has been proactive in progressing an ecdis implementation strategy to cover the majority of its dry cargo fleet, to reap the benefits of safe navigation and faster passage planning. Around 38 ships in its fleet of 46 have Transas ecdis on board despite none of the vessels needing to meet IMO Solas mandatory carriage requirements. According to fleet technical director Martin Henry, Carisbrooke has been working with Transas to deploy a dualecdis system across the fleet. “We wanted to have ecdis available on our vessels, from the newbuilding stage,” he

explained. “To ensure that we would always get the same equipment for each vessel we decided to make the ecdis units ‘owners supply’ and not allow shipyards to offer this. We opted for Transas as our supplier, having good experience of the company with regard to ease of operation, reliability and quality of service.” The installations began with the construction of 10 multipurpose 12,900 dwt vessels in 2009, each with one Transas Navi-Sailor 4000 Ecdis MFD (multifunction display) unit. A series of 10 shortsea vessels of 6,800 dwt were ordered, also with single ecdis units, from 2010. “For the last 8,000

The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

The UK-based shipowner is deploying dual ecdis on the bulk of its fleet of cargo ships to enhance navigation safety and reduce passage planning time

dwt bulk carriers, which were delivered in 2011, and for all eight Green Ships, which were delivered between 2012 and 2013, we were able to install dual Transas ecdis,” said Mr Henry. The company also invested in type-specific ecdis training for navigation officers. “During late 2014, we reviewed just how many of the navigating officers had type-specific training,” he said. “We decided to ramp up the number of officers being trained so that we would have the bulk of them trained by late 2015 and early 2016.” Carisbrooke also reviewed the benefits of using electronic navigational charts (ENCs) over paper charts. “Weighing

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OPERATOR FEEDBACK | 15

up the benefits, a business case was made such that on a large number of vessels we would make ecdis the primary form of navigation,” Mr Henry continued. “One of the factors that helped us make the final decision was Transas’ pay-as-yousail [PAYS] service, which meant that we no longer had to order and manage permits for ENCs used on board our vessels. This was a huge benefit for us.” He highlighted the following as the main benefits of investing in ecdis: • greater navigational safety • all charts are available on board at all times • no delays when voyages are confirmed or changed

• latest chart editions are always available and fully corrected • passage plans are completed quicker and schedules are available earlier • no time wasted on weekly chart corrections – more time for maintenance • no need to send chart packages every time ships enter new areas • no delays with customs or loss of packages • less chance of problems with port state control due to mistakes on passage plans • guard zones and other alarms can be set to improve safety • makes officers’ jobs easier and helps with crew retention “With the trading patterns

and voyage types of our vessels, and taking into consideration the above benefits, we decided to go ahead with dual ecdis,” Mr Henry explained. Carisbrooke worked closely with Transas to formulate a fleet plan with a phased approach for approvals and installations. Together they upgraded the software on the vessels with dual ecdis to meet the latest standards. This was followed by a class society visit to verify the safety equipment certificate on behalf of the vessel’s flag registration. Officers were then retrained for new ecdis functions. The vessels with only one ecdis will be next. “The

process for these vessels is more complex, as a second unit must be integrated with the other bridge equipment. All vessels will have an identical installation, then we will be making detailed surveys,” said Mr Henry. He expects to have all the vessels within the fleet operational with ecdis as the primary and back-up form of navigation by the end of this year. “The PAYS service, together with not having to supply paper charts to the first vessels, is already providing us with savings in time, money and workload in many areas and we look forward to having this rolled out fleet-wide.”

Teekay deploys paperless navigation on shuttle tankers Teekay Offshore Partners has introduced paperless navigation on its Samba class shuttle tankers that are used primarily for transporting crude oil from Brazilian offshore oilfields. Teekay has replaced paper charts and nautical publications with ecdis and electronic navigational charts (ENCs) on these Suezmax tankers to reduce the time bridge teams take in implementing updates. Paperless navigation was introduced last year on the 2013-built, 154,000 dwt tankers Bossa Nova Spirit, Samba Spirit, Lambada Spirit and Sertanejo Spirit. These tankers use dynamic positioning when being loaded with crude oil from the deepwater floating production systems offshore Brazil, and then ship propulsion during transit to oil terminals and refineries. According to second officer on Samba Spirit Marvin Binag, the introduction of paperless navigation brought an immediate improvement in bridge operations and navigation safety. “Paperless navigation was introduced to Samba class vessels and the convenience it brought was really evident,” he said. “Enhanced safety features, corrections and cost are the great advantages this new system has contributed.”

Samba Spirit shuttles crude oil from Brazilian floating production systems to terminals and refineries

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Paperless navigation significantly changed operations on the bridge by the team of officers, reducing the amount of administration they had to carry out and giving them more time for safer navigation. “Gone are the days when the second mate used to rush to the old chart catalogue whenever a new voyage had come up and new charts were needed,” Mr Binag explained. Acquiring the electronic charts only takes a few hours. To do this, the officer plots a rough course of the intended voyage, and sends this to the supplier, who sends back the permits so that the ENCs can be activated. Less time is also needed to make corrections to ENCs than to paper charts. “Corrections and updates are just a click away and only take few minutes to complete,” said Mr Binag. “This is unlike using paper charts, where it took hours to finish several charts and publications. Speed and accuracy are the best features of this system.” It only takes one hour for the second officer to generate a passage plan on the ecdis, with a proper set-up of the parameters. It is then ready to be checked by the ecdis. “The drawn plan is automatically checked for dangers or hazards to navigation and when the route is in use, the system continuously monitors the vessel’s position and records its movement on the system’s memory.” Teekay has deployed a triple ecdis system on each of the Samba class shuttle tankers. The second ecdis is a back-up unit that would be available if there was a failure of the primary ecdis. There is also a third unit that could be used if there is a break-down on the two main units. “With this system the time spent on charts is dramatically reduced and the officers on watch can focus more on the safety of navigation,” said Mr Binag. However, he has encountered some issues with ecdis. “No matter how convenient it may be, there are still some disadvantages to this level of access which everybody should be aware of,” he commented. “Every advance in technology will aid us in carrying out tasks, but does not relieve anyone of their duties or their commitment to enforce safety. Technology can only help the qualified and well trained personnel. It cannot replace them.” ECDIS

The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

16 | SAFETY

ECDIS AND ENCS IMPROVE NAVIGATION SAFETY

Seafarers should use ecdis and ENCs correctly, and not rely wholly on technology to minimise the risk of ship groundings and collisions

ABOVE: Container ship Rena crashed into the Astrolabe Reef off New Zealand in October 2011

The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

he implementation and use on board of ecdis has reduced navigation risk. Ship groundings and collisions can be avoided if ecdis is used correctly, with all of the alarms set properly. Safety is also improved if navigators refer regularly to other navigation aids, such as radar, and maintain situational awareness by looking out of the bridge window. Extensive training of bridge teams in the use of ecdis and other systems is also an important element of safe navigation. The use of ecdis and electronic navigational charts (ENCs) on ships has reduced the number of casualties, said ship insurer UK P&I Club’s loss prevention director Stuart Edmonston. “Ecdis can improve the safety of navigation. For example, it has significantly improved the accuracy and reliability of navigation charts,” he explained. Corrections and updates, such as wreck and cable positions, used to be added manually on paper charts. But with ENCs the corrections are added automatically, by way of a CD or downloaded through the ship’s satellite communications. Overlays are also possible with data from the automatic radar

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SAFETY | 17

plotting aid (ARPA) and Automatic Identification System (AIS) superimposed over ENCs. “Another benefit is that officers can set alarms and parameters on screen, which improves awareness of the navigation risks,” Mr Edmonston commented. “The ARPA, AIS and radar can be laid over ENCs, so all the information is on one screen. This means that officers can navigate the vessel using the visuals on the screen.” He emphasised that officers should continue looking out of the bridge window and not rely totally on the technology. Nonetheless, ecdis and ENCs have helped reduce the number of groundings. “The misreading of paper charts has caused groundings in the past,” said Mr Edmonston. “Ships can drift off the course line, and the depth of water changes before someone notices and the ship then grounds. But if ecdis is being used properly these types of groundings will be less likely,” he commented. Ecdis training, recertification and onboard procedures are also important elements of safe navigation. “It is paramount that owners maintain training of officers on ships,” Mr Edmonston said. “Deck officers currently need to revalidate their certificates every five years, and ecdis should be written in the safety management procedures. If a new type of ecdis console is introduced on board, there would need to be new type-specific training initiated.” Ecdis recertification and re-familiarisation training should ensure that officers are competent in using the equipment. “Ecdis is good for the industry in reducing the chances of unsafe navigation by rogue seafarers that do not have ecdis training,” he said. “If ecdis is used properly, it will make navigation safer, although no doubt we will still see some ecdis-assisted casualties. But we will see fewer groundings and fewer collisions because of the capability of the system.” There have already been some ship accidents where misuse of ecdis was a contributing factor. One of the most recent was the grounding of Ayder Tankers’ 6,444gt product tanker Ovit on the Varne Bank in the Dover Strait on 18 September 2013. According to an investigation report by the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) the tanker struck the sand bank whilst following a route on ecdis that had not been configured properly. The passage plan was unsafe as it passed directly over the Varne Bank. It had been prepared in ecdis by an inexperienced and unsupervised junior officer and was not checked by the master before departure. The scale of the chart on ecdis was inappropriate for the passage, so safety-critical information was not displayed. The operator-defined settings that were applied to the system were unsuitable, and the audible alarm was not on. This meant there were no alerts when the ship crossed safety depth contours. The MAIB reported that the chief officer’s situational awareness was so poor that it took him 19 minutes to realise Ovit had grounded. The majority of ship groundings, of which there were 26 in the first three months of this year, are due to machinery issues, such as engine or steering gear failure, but there are still plenty resulting from poor navigation. The cost of a ship loss through unsafe navigation can be in excess of US$1 billion once wreck removal and cargo losses are taken into consideration. Ship insurer Allianz’s global head of marine risk, Rahul Khanna, has estimated the costs of a 19,000 teu container ship sinking. He said the hull loss would be around US$200 million and the cargo costs – 19,000 containers at US$35,000 each – would be US$665 million. On top of this are the removal costs, which could be between US$190 million and US$400 million. “So losses could be in excess of US$1 billion,” he said.

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These cost estimates were based on the grounding and recovery of Costamare’s container ship Rena, which grounded on the Astrolabe Reef in New Zealand in 2011. One of the issues with using ecdis for navigation is officers relying too much on these systems. “There have been losses because of the over reliance on ecdis,” Capt Khanna commented. “Officers relying on ecdis can be overloaded with information,” He said the design and layout of the human-machine interface is important in reducing information overload. Capt Khanna also highlighted the need to provide more support from shore for deck officers. “We need to ensure the navigator knows how to use the machine for safe navigation. Things change rapidly and there is less chance of the navigator knowing about changes from experience, which is why shore support is important.” Other issues that need to be addressed are the lack of standardisation between ecdis models and the constant addition of new systems with advanced functions. “There can be new models coming in all the time and this is a problem for navigators who are not familiar with them. There are also issues to do with system reliability,” he added. Issues with ecdis technology were discussed at Riviera Maritime Media’s Tanker Shipping & Trade conference in London in November 2015. During a panel discussion, International Registries chief operating officer John Ramage said seafarers rely too heavily on the equipment, and do not have enough experience. “Now seafarers see what is on ecdis as the gospel truth, and never question this. They are too reliant on the technology,” he said. He also said that the misuse of AIS equipment has been a contributing factor in ship collisions. From the audience, Anglo-Eastern Univan Group marine director Peter Helm commented on the issues with ecdis implementation and the risk of ecdis-assisted groundings. “When ecdis was designed, seafarers were ignored,” he commented. “If seafarers had been consulted, we would not need type-specific training.” The head of the Danish Maritime Accident Investigation Board, Oessur Hilduberg, agreed that ecdis, radar and AIS equipment should be considered aids to navigation and not totally relied on. These systems should provide navigators with data and information about what is happening in waters around the ship. “It is seafarers who have to make decisions based on this information,” he said. If they are fed incorrect data or systems are not operated correctly, then there is a greater risk of error. ECDIS

REPORTED GROUNDINGS SINCE 1 JAN 2016 Number

Ave Age

US$m

Tankers

Bulkers

Container ships

291

General cargo ships

10.4

484

All

Notes: Reported groundings to 29 Mar 2016

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CYBER SECURITY | 19

Ecdis Ltd trials Abatis anti-malware software T

here are multiple potential cyber threats to ecdis from its connection to other ship systems and links to online services through the satellite communications. There could also be human-based threats, where memory sticks with viruses on them could be slotted into ecdis by navigators loading route plans, or by service engineers doing software updates. NCC Group research director Andy Davis said that other threats come from cyber attacks on the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) or the Automatic Identification System (AIS), or on vessel traffic services (VTS) information. Mr Davis said the top threats are from viruses on memory sticks, Internet-based intrusions – such as viruses embedded in e-mail – and insider threats. To

Tests show the solution can protect ecdis from viruses that are attached on infected chart updates or passage plans

minimise the risk of infection, he recommended shipowners keep Internet firewalls updated, and install and keep updated antivirus software on primary computers on ships. They should enforce procedures for using USBs and ensure they are free of viruses before being connected to ecdis. Some ecdis providers provide signature-based antivirus that has to be constantly updated. But older systems, are almost unprotected. A consortium involving training group Ecdis Ltd, Abatis, Setel PowerLine and

CLA Consulting has developed a protection system for bridge systems, including ecdis. The Cyber Malware Protection system was tested at Ecdis Ltd’s facilities to check its effectiveness against cyber attacks. The trials consisted of introducing a series of malware software viruses onto a large number of different ecdis systems. This was done through an e-mail attachment from a simulated infected chart update or passage plan of the kind that might have been downloaded by a vessel.

ECDIS CYBER ATTACK THREATS OVERVIEW

Radio-based maritime communications: AIS, VTS

IT systems connected to the Internet via satellite

Onboard WiFi Navigation and date/time data sent from GNSS Lack of segregation between systems Malicious ENC data

Data sharing between systems via USB (credit: NCC Group)

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Ecdis Ltd training and simulation manager Robyn Harrigan explained how the test was conducted. “When the IT staff here first introduced the malicious software onto some of the ecdis systems, it was a heartin-mouth moment, knowing that the malware is so effective it embeds itself into the computer and cannot easily be removed.” For the next stage of the trial, the Abatis software was fitted to all the leading manufacturers’ ecdis and radar systems, and the virus was reintroduced onto the server. “All of the systems tested, with operating systems ranging from Windows 2000 to Windows XP, and up to Windows 7, appeared protected and maintained stability after the attack,” said Ms Harrigan. “However, it was made clear that there is still a significant number of trials to take place over the next few months on Linux based systems, and an injection of the virus via an auxiliary sensor connected to the ecdis via the local area network.” The final part of the trial, which will be conducted over the next few months, will carry out a hypothetical attack via an automatic software or chart update from a remote website, onto the bridge simulator, via a planning station. The trial will include the creation of a website to host an update, which will be sent via Internet download onto a third party planning station, that will then be connected to all the bridge navigation equipment. The trial will be conducted both with Abatis anti-malware software, and without it, in a controlled test. ECDIS

The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

20 | STATISTICS

The tables below from online mapping and shipping information supplier VesselsValue.com show the current state of the bulk carrier and container ship fleets by size and age range with regard to the forthcoming ecdis cut off dates. As can be seen from the data, the majority of vessels are less than ten-years old, but there is a significant portion older than 15 years. Given the weak state of the bulker and container markets, owners and operators may struggle to justify the investment in ecdis, and this may prove a trigger to sell vessels or scrap them.

CARGO VESSELS OVER 50,000 GT BY AGE RANGE BY NUMBER

Container

Bulker

Total 947

1-5 yrs old

574 571

6-10 yrs old

515

1933

3543

180

11-15 yrs old

343 111

16-20 yrs old

145 107

21-25 yrs old

21 107

26-30 yrs old

1610

21 14

31+ yrs

CARGO VESSELS OVER 20,000 GT AND UNDER 50,000 GT BY AGE RANGE BY NUMBER Total

6-10 yrs old

11-15 yrs old

16-20 yrs old

21-25 yrs old

26-30 yrs old

31+ yrs

The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

221 1497 591 850

6581

323

8041

1-5 yrs old

3122

601 229 268 54 113 21 130 21

1460

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VesselsValue.com has also supplied data for vessels less than 10,000gt. While there are only two bulkers in this group, there are a significant number of container ships, and general cargo vessels, which will not be obliged to be equipped with ecdis. The largest are the Feedermax types of 1,100 teu, that are more than capable of deepsea voyages. This suggests there is an argument for lowering the tonnage range for the mandatory fitting of ecdis for container ships. Perhaps this should become similar to the tonnage range for tankers, which is more than 3,000gt. ECDIS

CARGO VESSELS OVER 10,000 GT AND UNDER 20,000 GT BY AGE RANGE BY NUMBER

Bulker

Container Total 232

1-5 yrs old

103 339

6-10 yrs old

268

1297

2202

191

11-15 yrs old

150 235

16-20 yrs old

243 109

21-25 yrs old

103 63

26-30 yrs old

905

21 128

31+ yrs

CARGO VESSELS UNDER 10,000 GT BY AGE RANGE BY NUMBER Total

6-10 yrs old

11-15 yrs old

16-20 yrs old

21-25 yrs old

26-30 yrs old

31+ yrs

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98 0 358 0 180 0

927

187 0 80

929

1-5 yrs old

0 13 2 11

The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

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SOLUTIONS | 23

Developing ecdis to meet future navigation needs A

n increasing number of Solas vessels have installed ecdis in the last few years, partially due to the IMO ecdis regulations. Because of the ecdis carriage requirements, the majority of vessels in the global fleet of Solas ships must be equipped with ecdis by the end of this decade. The development of ecdis is an ongoing process based on user needs, technology achievements and the need for safety improvements in navigation. The need to improve previously adopted ecdis standards was recognised by the IMO to ensure the operational reliability of navigation equipment, and to take into account the technological progress and experience gained. This resulted in a revised performance standard for ecdis – Maritime Safety Committee’s MSC.232(82) ruling. The related International

Transas was one of the first to gain approval from a classification society to show it is compliant with the new IHO and IEC standards Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) test standards and the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) standards used for production and presentation of Electronic Navigation Charts (ENC) have also been revised periodically. A number of shortcomings, ecdis anomalies and safety critical issues were identified by users. In addition, accident investigations highlighted how improper use of ecdis and ENC data were contributing factors in groundings and collisions. Improper use can be caused by the operator, technical limitation in the presentation of ENC data

Transas Navi-Sailor 4000 ecdis has been type approved by DNV GL to meet the latest IHO and IEC requirements

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in ecdis, or a combination of both. Lessons from these reports and seafarer experience were learned, and problems were addressed in the latest revision of the ecdis and data standards. The work was co-ordinated between IEC and IHO and published in August 2015. The changes affect new type approvals and installations, after the normal grace period of 12-18 months, based on the flag state rules. It will also affect installed ecdis as the IHO has announced that the old standard of S-52, edition 3.4 of the presentation library and edition 2.0.0 of the S-64 standard will be withdrawn from 31 August 2017. Normally a system installed on a vessel is accepted based on the certification status on the date of installation during its entire lifetime. But, in the case of the new IHO and IEC standards, this is overruled. This means that from 31 August 2017, there will only be one IHO standard to conform to, and consequently all ecdis must be updated to comply with Solas V/27 chart requirements. Various features required by the new standards were already implemented in the Transas ecdis. With additional feedback given by users and the shipping market stakeholders, Transas took a decision to invest in development of new

generation ecdis. Transas chief executive Frank Coles explained: “Our next generation ecdis is fully compliant with the latest standards, and also has enhanced product improvements driven by customer and user feedback. These features include clearing bearings, anchor planning and improved user tools. “Transas takes pride in leading the way in navigational safety standards and listening to our customers. Maintaining a quality certified ecdis is critical for the future of the safety of navigation. Companies should choose their supplier with care or they could find the ecdis is not compliant going forwards.” In November 2015, Transas gained type approval from class society DNV GL for its Navi-Sailor 4000 Ecdis after extensive testing. It was one of the first products to meet the new IHO editions of S-52 and S-64 standards, and IEC 61174 testing specification. Through the company's fit and function programme, Transas is ready to upgrade all existing systems in an easy and costeffective way. Changes include the introduction of clearer display of charted information, in combination with less audible alarms, which will improve the user's experience, reduce stress, alarm fatigue and workload for bridge teams. ECDIS

The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

24 | SOLUTIONS

TRIPLE ECDIS FOR PAPERLESS NAVIGATION Ecdis suppliers have developed models that can be installed in an integrated bridge system

hipowners need to consider installing three ecdis units of the same model on bridges to ensure they always have one operating system and a back-up to meet IMO’s mandatory carriage requirements. Navico subsidiary Simrad has introduced a ‘zero downtime’ paperless navigation offer that involves delivery of three of its recently launched Simrad Ecdis E5024 packages for the price of two. The type-approved system was introduced in 2015, and offers a new user interface that simplifies usage while meeting IMO requirements. The ‘Triple System’ offer allows vessel owners to keep a spare ecdis shoreside, or on board the ship, that can be swapped out easily so the vessel is always Solas compliant. Navico’s managing director of the commercial marine division Jose Herrero said owners should choose a triple-ecdis solution to go beyond IMO requirements and implement paperless navigation on ships. “Ecdis was made mandatory for safety reasons, but shipowners are also entitled to expect paperless navigation to be attractive on commercial grounds,” he said. The Simrad E5024 comes with a 24in widescreen display, and has the option of a radar overlay using Simrad radars that are connected via ethernet cables. It operates with Navtor chart support for ENCs, as well as S-63, and S-57 charts from the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO)’s Admiralty Vector Chart

Simrad E5024 Ecdis comes with a 24in widescreen display, and has the option of a radar overlay

The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

Service from Primar and other suppliers. “Simrad E5024 Ecdis is the ideal solution for vessels required to retrofit ecdis at the lowest cost of ownership,” said Mr Herrero. “It is modular and can be installed simply in either single-station or dual-station configurations. It features a wireless trackball controller with on-screen keyboard, offering quick access tiles and simplified route planning with drag-and-drop manipulation of waypoints.” He also believes Simrad E5024 can be useful for vessels that are not mandated to carry ecdis, as it can be used for paperless navigation. Navico also offers the feature-rich Simrad Maris900 Ecdis for ships that need to be IMO compliant. This has been installed on a significant share of ship newbuildings and was recently updated. “We migrated the Simrad Maris900 Ecdis MK5 and MK15 to an entirely new high-performance hardware platform with updated software,” said Mr Herrero. “These are based on a standard Windows interface using common controls including toolbars, tabbed panels, hotkeys, and right-click context or ‘pop-up’ menus. Both MK5 and MK15 facilitate universal radar overlay, multiple layers display, additional route planning functions, precise navigation tools and multiple add-on functions.” These can include route optimisation, dead-man alarms and interfaces, and conning display. “The system has its own integrated chart management solution, which includes pay-as-you-sail, and is distributed and managed via email or internet through our ship chart management and customer portal for ship and fleet monitoring,” said Mr Herero. “The MK5 and MK15 give shipowners the flexibility to meet bridge design constraints and comply with additional regulations set by flag states, port state control, and the Ship Inspection Report Programme.”

Unique features of ecdis

Northrop Grumman Corp’s Sperry Marine provides two paperless navigation products that will be updated to meet the revised International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) ecdis standards that were published in 2015. The Ecdis-E is a cost effective solution for paperless navigation, while the VisionMaster FT Ecdis can be integrated with radar and other Sperry Marine navigation products, such as track control and steering, a planning station, and radar overlay. According to the company’s head of marketing Linda Walden, Sperry Marine ecdis has unique features, such as track control and independent cross tracking. “The track control is used to keep the ship on a monitored voyage under differing conditions,” she said. “It consists of one or more VisionMaster nodes and our top-of-therange Navipilot 4000 autopilot.” The independent cross tracking lines function gives navigators the option of setting different distances to support the voyage. Another feature gives officers the ability to tailor charting solutions to their specific requirements. Both ecdis products enable navigators to overlay information from the UKHO Admiralty, as well as weather forecasts and tidal data for

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voyage planning applications. Sperry Marine set up an engineering task force in 2015 to ensure that its ecdis products were ready for the introduction of the IHO’s new standards, and that existing units are updated so owners remain fully compliant. “No hardware replacement is necessary as the software supports all the hardware platforms, both current and previous,” she said. “Due to the level of complexity of Sperry Marine bridges on ships, it is much more beneficial for the customer to have an approved service engineer attend to the vessel to perform any updates or replacements, as this optimises turn-around time and minimises disruption to the vessel.”

Part of an integrated system

Wärtsilä Sam Electronics can deliver its latest generation of EcdisPilot models as part of the Nacos Platinum integrated bridge system. A complete navigation system has integrated multifunction workstations that can run a variety of applications. A typical bridge installation could comprise two ecdis, multiple radar, Automatic Identification System (AIS) equipment, track control, conning, a voyage data recorder, and an automation control and monitoring module. Several workstations on the bridge are connected via an ethernet and can be linked to workstations in the engine control room, and other locations on a ship. Wärtsilä has secured type approval from class society DNV GL for its integrated navigation system. It has also recently gained type approval for its latest generation of EcdisPilot units and software to ensure they comply with the latest International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) standards, which come into effect in September this year. Wärtsilä is ready to upgrade existing Nacos Platinum ecdis devices to the latest IHO standards via a software update. This covers models installed in the last five years. For earlier ecdis models, Wärtsilä is developing software updates to ensure these comply with the new IHO standards. The EcdisPilot Platinum can manage a wide range of ENCs, C-Map’s ENC and professional range and Admiralty’s raster charts service. It provides a comprehensive set of navigation tools including anchor watch and control, helicopter guidance, tender tracking, sensor monitoring, and various chart overlays to the user. The Wärtsilä EcdisPilot Platinum provides a complete voyage planning package including scheduling based on actual current forecasts from online services. For the officer on watch the Nacos Platinum

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series provides additional favourite settings, where the user can individually set most of the parameters. Danelec Marine developed its next-generation DM800 Ecdis G2 series with software that is already compliant with IHO’s latest standards. The new ecdis incorporates Linux-based application software, an intuitive user interface and the latest cartography solutions. It also has ruggedised low-power light-emitting diode display monitors and Danelec’s exclusive SoftWare Advanced Protection (Swap) technology for shipboard servicing. It is designed around a custom-built computer running on Linux, which is more stable, robust and secure than Windows-based PCs, said Danelec chief executive Hans Ottosen. “The Linux-based system requires much less processing power and memory, leaving more room for chart storage capacity. It also provides superior resistance to viruses and malware.” The Swap technology enables faster, easier and less expensive shipboard servicing of ecdis. “All programs, application software, configuration files, cartography, routes and other data are stored directly onto a 16GB memory card,” said Mr Ottosen. “This can be removed from the ecdis unit and inserted into a replacement unit on board the ship. The new ecdis is fully up and running within minutes, and the old unit can be taken off the ship for troubleshooting, repair, inspection and testing.” ECDIS

EcdisPilot Platinum has various settings and functions for different ecdis operations

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26 | SOLUTIONS

PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE IN ECDIS R

Ron Lee (Raytheon Anschütz Singapore)

“Our ecdis has a unique sensor management feature”

aytheon Anschütz is planning ahead for future developments in advanced software functionality, writes Steve Matthews. This includes greater predictive capabilities and onboard simulator training to assist navigators. Its immediate priority is ensuring that systems are compliant with new standards. Raytheon Anschütz Singapore chief executive Ron Lee told Marine Electronics & Communications (MEC) that its latest ecdis system is fully compliant with the new test standards from the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO). These include edition 4 of IEC 61174 and of IHO’s S-52 presentation library standard that come into force on 1 September 2017. “We have upgraded software, including existing ecdis equipment as well as new versions,” Mr Lee said. “We offer two types of systems, one a standard Synapsis workstation with ecdis, and one a retrofit solution called Ecdis 24. Customers will receive a fully compliant ecdis to the IMO requirements MSC 232 (82) and Solas V/27.” In total, Raytheon has supplied more than 1,500 systems since 2005. Mr Lee advised: “For all our customers we identified a cost efficient upgrade path to be compliant with the latest ecdis standards. Existing customers with hardware from 2005 or newer will be able to receive a software upgrade. Only customers with older hardware or who are willing to invest will receive hardware upgrades.” Mr Lee said Raytheon gained IHO type approval at the beginning of March without any open points, and it would be ready to deliver upgrades in the second quarter. He stressed that the company does not see ecdis as a standalone device, but as one part of integrated bridge systems. “The ecdis is part of our integrated bridge system, compliant with the latest IMO and IEC standards regarding integrated navigation systems. “Our ecdis features a unique sensor management, called Consistent Common Reference System (CCRS), a target management, alarm management and system management tool, giving the user an unsurpassed overview of the system, besides a much reduced workload by fewer alarms and an automatic sensor selection

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that covers a single point of failure without any reduced functionality. “The Raytheon ecdis also benefits from a fully compliant track control system with Anschütz autopilot-video overlay with our NSX network radar, weather overlay, automatic route planning, digital temporary and preliminary notices to mariners, and other features beyond the required standards.” Regarding the proposed S-mode, Mr Lee said this might hinder competitive innovation. “S-mode is a concept that is not yet ratified, so achieving a standardised format will take some time. The test standards for radar, ecdis and navigational displays already describe in detail the minimum standards for presentation and use of navigational software. More restrictions would make type approval of these products more expensive for us and in the end more expensive for our customers. A better solution would be to leave the choice of the best system with the customer so that competitive action by system providers will drive innovation and lead to the best software design without restrictions.” Raytheon has developed a method of onboard familiarisation training using Safebridge’s software. “We provide type-specific training through local training partners worldwide in 18 locations, as well as certified computer-based training with e-learning specialist Safebridge,” he said. Looking ahead, Mr Lee said that in the next five years there will be a revolution of integrated bridge systems with more powerful software. “We aim to have some form of predictive features. In years to come there will be more simulated training on ships’ bridges. Our systems will get more intelligent to give navigation some predictive decision making processes. But we can only give advice to navigators. The ship’s officers and master will still have final responsibility for decision making. Our competitive edge will be in software intelligence and functionalities, as hardware systems will be broadly similar.”

Voyage planning stations

Specialist service providers have developed advanced voyage planning systems and software that enables navigators to set up optimised routes using electronic navigational charts (ENCs). Navtor has developed a voyage planning station. NavStation is used for passage planning and optimising routes based on

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weather reports. It can run on any computer with a Windows operating system, and is mostly used with a 46in touchscreen monitor that can be used as a digital chart table, said Navtor OEM business manager Bjørn Kristian Sæstad. “The main advantage for our products is that they are built to work together,” he said. “ENCs are automatically updated to all systems on board, including our voyage planner NavStation. Routes can be transferred seamlessly between systems and all data, such as charts and publications, are distributed through the same channel. To avoid information overload in ecdis, all data meant for planning, such as weather forecasts, and notices to mariners, are presented in NavStation.” Navtor also provides ecdis software for Linux and Windows platforms built on Navtor’s ecdis kernel. It works with the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to develop and type approve ecdis systems to ensure they comply with the latest standards. It offers two solutions for ENC delivery. The NavStick is a USB stick that is kept updated with weekly chart updates. The NavBox is a black box computer that runs on the bridge network, and automatically provides bridge equipment with the latest chart updates available. JRC and Alphatron Marine have jointly developed a digital chart table with a 46in touch display and mechanical lifting unit. The AlphaChartTable can be used for route planning on ENCs that are supplied by Navtor. It is a useful interface for navigators to plan voyages and transfer them to a ship’s main ecdis unit, said Alphatron chief executive Luuk Vroombout. “It is difficult to get an overview of a route on the small ecdis screens that are usually found on ships, so we have put these on a larger display,” he said. “A navigator can plan the route at the back of the bridge and transfer this to ecdis at the front of the bridge.” The AlphaChartTable software gathers and overlays the data that officers require, including ENC’s, weather data, tidal information, digital publications, and other services like piracy updates. The display can be electronically tilted to a 35-degree angle, allowing optimal routeing in an ergonomic position. The console also has a built-in Navtex and GPS navigator. Global Navigation Solutions (GNS) has developed a new version of its Voyager planning station with enhancements from third party companies. It includes weather routeing solutions, which allows bridge teams to exchange files between Voyager and the Applied Weather Technology (AWT)’s Bon Voyage software to optimise routes for weather and tides. There is also a function that enables routes to be loaded on to ecdis supplied by Wärtsilä Sam Electronics. This latest version of Voyager also includes the extension of the updating services to include Admiralty digital radio signals released by the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office earlier this year.

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There are enhancements to Voyager weekly update processing to make it easier to manage paper and digital chart corrections, and access to Voyager instant permit which enables vessels to get onboard access to global ENCs within 10 minutes of making a request. German container ship operator Hamburg Süd has ordered Voyager planning stations for the whole of its fleet. The main reasons for choosing Voyager were the link to AWT weather software and the tablet style of the Voyager user interface, which includes a route planning application. NSI has unveiled the G-Track control module that includes a trackball touch input and gesture control. It said G-Track provides the benefits of the IP68 waterproof trackball coupled with hand gesture recognition to complement the trackball’s functionality and streamline user experience. The hand gesture recognition feature provides the user with the ability to quickly trigger a superset of hot-keys, shortcuts, and commonly used functions. The dashboard module supports four predefined gesture modes (scroll, zoom, arrow keys, and carousel) that can be selected on the fly by double tapping the ball. The gesture function mapping is dependent on the gesture mode selected and supports a wide range of applications with quick access to the most appropriate and frequented operations. Swipe gestures are intended for directional, single-instance or low-repetition functions such as triggering shortcuts or arrow keys, whereas the air-wheel gesture is intended for functions requiring many repetitions in quick succession such as scroll or zoom functions. The G-Track module is a plug-and-play solution without the need for any additional software/drivers. NSI expects the G-Track to be available in the second quarter of this year. The G-Track can be customised to exactly match customer and end user requirements. ECDIS

ABOVE: NavStation can be used for voyage planning on a 46in digital chart table

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28 | SOLUTIONS

Ecdis designed to prevent collisions Crew use Totem Ecdis for safe navigation and avoiding ship collisions

otem Plus has introduced unique features into its ecdis package for preventing collisions between ships. It has included a decision support tool (DST) that provides bridge officers with concrete advice on how to change course or speed in order to avoid collisions, in accordance with IMO’s collision regulations (Colregs). The DST uses mathematics to calculate a course during a multi-vessel scenario. It then offers advice to the officer of the watch on a possible course or speed change to prevent an accident. The advice is in full compliance with Colregs, and is based on available data from Automatic Identification System (AIS) equipment and the automatic radar plotting aid (ARPA). The system is capable of accounting for all ships within the selected range, using both AIS and ARPA, but it is down to the watch officer to make the course and speed changes. Another feature is the Totem Ecdis Data Analyser (EDA).

The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

Crew use Totem Ecdis for safe navigation and avoiding ship collisions

This enables operators to analyse the ship’s performance during each voyage or operating period from history files and detected near miss scenarios, close encounters and near groundings. EDA facilitates auditing of how the bridge team is performing. Its findings can be used for training and implementing standards of safe navigation. It can also help in analysing autopilot efficiency. Totem Ecdis also has a GPS validation function, which monitors the difference between dead reckoning and GPS positions. It will issue an alarm if the difference within a set time exceeds the allowed distance. The Watch Take Over function can be deployed for verifying that ecdis is set correctly at shift changes. Totem Ecdis has multi-lingual capabilities and a function for direct updating of AIS information. There is also an option to connect two radars on a single radar overlay card. A third PC-based ecdis can also be installed that could be used as a planning station or ecdis in the captain’s cabin, said Totem Plus

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founder and chief executive Azriel Rahav. Both would receive ecdis information in real-time over the local area network. “We have several solutions for ecdis. Voyage planning can be done on our dedicated planning station that we supply to clients who wish to have a separate system of this kind, or we can offer Jeppesen’s OceanView voyage planning software,” Capt Rahav said. On the subject of the revised International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) standards, he said that software updates would be required to some existing systems. “We are complying with most of the new requirements, and we intend to obtain approval in due course,” he added.

Preparing for new IHO standards

Adveto is upgrading its Ecdis-4000 product to meet the latest IHO standards. Ecdis-4000 comes in three different versions – Base, Standard and Extended – and all are type approved by DNV GL. Adveto managing director Kent Sylvén said the company was working with the classification society to certify the updated version of its ecdis. “We will be able to offer an upgraded Ecdis-4000 version well before September. The upgraded version satisfies all the new IHO standards,” he said. “Our all new Adveto Ecdis will, of course, meet the new IHO standards. Updating an existing Adveto Ecdis-4000 on board is just a matter of a software upgrade. No hardware needs to be renewed or replaced.” One of the main features of the Adveto solution is the ability to update ENCs through an Internet connection. Ecdis-4000 was the first type-approved ecdis to be connected to the Internet in 2010. “This function has been refined and is used daily by our customers,” said Mr Sylvén. Adveto also has a multi-route function. “This is an Adveto invention that offers help with selecting the optimum route, in real time,” he added. Voyages can be exported and imported to and from an Adveto ecdis via the new RTZ standard route format. Adveto has also introduced a standard mode (S-Mode) control unit for its ecdis, which is a popular function, said Mr Sylvén. ChartWorld recently gained type approval from DNV-GL for its latest eGlobe G2 ecdis to ensure it complies with the latest IHO standards. ChartWorld has an ecdis service that will enable shipowners to update onboard ecdis to meet IHO standards. eGlobe G2 has intuitive one touch controls that include pinch zoom, target touch, easy-to-use handles for route planning and manual chart updates. This should drastically reduce the learning curve for users. It also has optimised functionality and efficiency for grounding avoidance. Martek Marine has developed a method of leasing its iEcdis solution that includes ENCs supplied from Jeppesen. The service includes a DNV GL-approved ecdis unit that meets all the latest IHO S-57, S-63 and S-52 standards. iEcdis comes fully loaded with more than 20,000 ENCs supplied by Jeppesen for global coverage. There are multiple licensing options to suit shipowner budgets and ship operational requirements. iEcdis also features a 32GB solid state drive and fanless operation, multi-power input with automatic switch over, and an anti-glare screen. Martek has an arrangement with Safebridge and sister company Marine Serve covering both generic and typespecific familiarisation training worldwide. Tokyo Keiki supplies the EC-8600 and EC-8100 series of ecdis after discontinuing the older EC-8000 and EC-8500 models. The EC-8600 features a 26in widescreen LCD display, with 1920 x 1200 widescreen pixel support. This supports

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Admiralty Information Overlay, notices to mariners and different ENC versions. It has centralised management of all alerts from each navigation equipment supplier. There is a fastinstall function for ENCs, a track control system and a heading control system.

User interfaces

Hatteland Display has the Series X range of displays for bridge systems, such as ecdis. These have a cast aluminium chassis for screens that can be integrated in consoles or desk mounted. The displays range in size from 13in widescreen to a 26in widescreen unit. Hatteland has High Bright Series X displays from 12in to 24in widescreen, which are readable in bright sunlight. Series X displays are type approved and ecdis compliant, with superior bonding technology and multitouch capabilities. They have solid state menu systems and glass display controls. Data Modul has a range of marine monitors and panel PCs for bridge systems. This includes conventional and widescreen monitors with touchscreens and an option to have packet capture (PCAP) consisting of an application programming interface. The screens have anti-glare and anti-reflection and extended dimming behaviour. The integration of high brightness thinfilm-transistor, liquid crystal displays improves the readability of monitors in direct sunlight. Eizo Corp offers DuraVision marine monitors for bridge systems in its range from 19in to 46in. The DuraVision DV4624 large 46in screen can be used as a route planning station displaying nautical information, or as a screen for visualising multiple bridge systems. The marine monitors meet the conditions for temperature, humidity, and vibration as defined in the IEC 60945 international standard for maritime navigation and radio communications. They withstand dust ingress and are protected against low-pressure water jets. Each model is equipped with a long-lasting LED backlight that lowers power consumption. DuraVision monitors meet the highly specialised calibration requirements for ecdis, covering colour values and backlight brightness. Touch panel models and optical bonding are available in 19in or 26in models. Optical bonding is produced in-house to meet the needs of specialty markets while ensuring the high quality of each monitor. ECDIS

Eizo Corp's DuraVision FDU2602W displays can be specially calibrated for ecdis, covering colour values and backlight brightness

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30 | VOYAGE PLANNING

Passage planning should include weather routeing Voyage planning should involve up-to-date current, weather, and tidal information on licensed ENCs, as well as the latest notices and navigation warnings

Route across the North Atlantic minimising the time of sailing in emission control areas (credit: AWT)

oyage planning is a key element to the Solas regulation on the implementation of ecdis on ships. Deck officers should abide by the IMO Resolution A.893 (21) regarding the guidelines for voyage planning. This states that a passage plan should take up-to-date information regarding many issues into account. Applied Weather Technology (AWT) vice president for business development George Schlinkert says this should include information from the latest maritime routeing guides and passage planning charts. It should also include current and tidal atlases and tide tables, available weather routeing services, as well as climatological, meteorological, hydrographical and oceanographic

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information, where appropriate. He said the execution phase of the voyage planning section of the resolution states the meteorological conditions and weather routeing information should be taken into account. This is particularly critical in areas known to be affected by frequent periods of low visibility. He added: “The integration between ecdis and weather routeing tools should be increasingly transparent to the ship captain and officers in order to effectively execute all phases of the IMO voyage planning mandates.” Weather routeing has long provided recommendations to ship captains for safe navigation of their vessel and onboard weather routeing solutions also aim to aid the captain. “However, the goal must

be to make the voyage planning process, and integration into ecdis as seamless as possible,” said Mr Schlinkert. The solutions provided by AWT include the Bon Voyage System (BVS). This includes onboard software for route optimisation that can be easily transferred to and from various ecdis stations. It takes all IMO traffic separation schemes into account, as well as wind, wave and ocean currents to calculate an optimum route according to the required speed. It can advise on a route that reduces fuel costs with relation to environmental control areas. The weather and route planning software can be integrated with ship motion predictions, as well as a motion sensor. Facilitating this communication

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between ecdis and weather routeing tools, the BVS track files can be imported to and from various passage planning tools. “This enables the navigator to plan the route for the intended voyage without interfering with the ship’s navigation,” said Mr Schlinkert. “The BVS platform serves as a workstation for the efficient planning and the direct transfer of the planned route to the navigation workstations, as set out.” BVS exchanges route data with Japan Radio Co, Transas and Sperry Marine ecdis models. In addition, BVS is compatible with passage planning tools including UKHO e-Navigator, ChartCo passage manager and GNS Voyager. Jeppesen has developed software applications for voyage planning that owners can use for fuel optimisation. OceanView is a powerful planning system that combines navigational charts, environmental information and automatic nautical route planning. It is based on the Jeppesen Professional+ service and official ENC chart databases, the latest weather information and piracy incident reports. Jeppesen also offers the Vessel and Voyage Optimization Solution (VVOS) for onboard ship officers, shoreside operations and cargo planners, technical staff and commercial managers to improve operational efficiency and performance. “VVOS utilises advanced routeing algorithms to accurately and comprehensively optimise each route for on-time arrival while minimising fuel consumption, maintaining seakeeping limits and avoiding heavy weather,” said original equipment manufacturer strategic business manager Paul Elgar. “The VVOS guidance system also recommends speed and heading changes to manage ship motions. It helps minimise heavy weather damage based on sophisticated hydrodynamic modelling, optimisation algorithms and high-resolution ocean forecasts.” VVOS includes a detailed, ship-specific model of vessel motion, as well as engine and propeller characteristics. This ship model computes the speed for forecast wind, wave and ocean current conditions at a given engine power, and propeller revolutions, as well as ship motion limitations uniquely defined for each ship. Mr Elgar explained how VVOS can be used on board ships: “At sea, ships download the latest ocean area forecasts via satellite communication. Masters can update and re-optimise passage plans as new forecasts become available or

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operational requirements change during a passage. With this process of daily continued refinement, a safer and more economical passage can be achieved.”

Pay-as-you-sail ENC services are cost efficient

Nautisk offers its Neptune service for voyage planning and navigation information delivery. It also provides a pay-as-you-sail (PAYS) service for ENC ordering, licensing and delivery. Nautisk head of global sales Peter J Pran said the Neptune real-time vessel information service reduces the workload for deck officers and improves navigation. “Neptune streamlines workflow and improves chart control by only sending the information required for the task in hand,” he said. “It is compatible with both bridge and shore-based systems, ensuring consistent operation across the entire team.” Neptune combines electronic notices from the British Admiralty, the Norwegian Hydrographic Service and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with an update service for ENC cells from the UKHO and Primar. It integrates Admiralty digital products (ADP) including the List of Lights, TotalTide and radio signals, which can be downloaded and updated through the system. Neptune also includes marine management tools, reports, weather forecasting, routeing, as well as online news and information. Nautisk’s PAYS+ solution enables ecdis users to access global ENCs for route planning, while only paying for those that

Paul Elgar (Jeppesen): “VVOS utilises advanced routeing algorithms to accurately and comprehensively optimise each route”

are actually used on the voyage. The PAYS+ service utilises data from Primar, but without the premium cost associated with the service. “In short, PAYS+ removes the premium on ENC cells for certain trading areas,” said Mr Pran. “In addition, it allows the vessel to predefine a standard trading area where the ENC cells will be licensed on a longer period than the standard three months. Once the area is set up, this process is automatic, which of course leads to simpler ENC management for the vessel and reduced cost for shipping companies.” Last year, Nautisk introduced the NaviTab tablet computer to enable navigators to access digital information and navigation documents from a data portal. “Modern navigators have a multitude of bridge equipment, and large numbers of publications and operational manuals required for compliant voyage,” said Mr Pran. “NaviTab effectively brings a complex back of bridge operation to the palm of the navigators’ hand. Users can search in seconds to find the relevant publication for a particular voyage. Once the relevant publication is selected, users can check quickly for essential updates and bookmark important notes.” ChartCo’s PassageManager improves voyage planning by taking officers through a 13-step wizard to compile a comprehensive and customisable passage plan within 15 minutes. According to sales and marketing manager Robert Corden, this plan can then be amended digitally as the voyage develops. He added: “It has the added benefit that across a fleet, each vessel will produce an identically formatted plan to ensure it meets the company’s safety management system standards. It can also be sent back and forth to the vessel superintendent ashore if necessary.” He said the software compiles all of the required information from the PassageManager databases for the planned route. Another benefit is the ease of keeping digital publications and ENCs up to date. “One of the major benefits of digital products and publications is that updating them, the bane of many a second officer’s life, becomes a few moments’ work,” Mr Corden added. “Simply copy and paste a few downloaded files, transfer ENC updates to the ecdis via a memory stick, press a button and all your navigational charts and publications are updated," he commented. ECDIS

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32 | COMMUNICATIONS

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Navigational data providers will be able to send chart corrections and updates in real-timeâ&#x20AC;?

Peter Broadhurst

Online apps are coming for route planning Applications for improving voyage planning will be available to ship operators over the new generation of high throughput satellites

ew applications will be developed that will enhance voyage planning using electronic navigational charts (ENCs) and weather information. Seafarers will be able to use online solutions, such as cloud computing, as well as downloaded applications to provide the latest information for safe navigation. There will also be applications for improving fuel efficiency, through more effective route planning and vessel trimming.

The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

The new generation of high throughput satellites will offer greater bandwidth on ships for downloading sets of applications from an app store. Ship operators will be able to use satellite connectivity to conduct real-time weather routeing and voyage execution, as well as updating ecdis with more detailed ENC files. Shipowners will be able to use more route management services to reduce fuel costs or optimise the arrival and departure of ships to meet precise cargo and charter requirements. The onboard crew will have access to more information sources to conduct sailings to meet these needs. The vast majority of commercial ships are connected to satellites using L-band of radio frequencies, which limits the amount of data they can download, and allows even less to be uploaded. Some vessels are connected through VSAT services on Ku-band, with L-band as a back-up. Many passenger ships have C-band as either a primary connection, or as a back-up to Ku-band.

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COMMUNICATIONS | 33

Satellite communications technology is evolving to enable ships to use an almost worldwide Ka-band network with faster downlinks and uplinks. Inmarsat Maritime has commercially launched its Fleet Xpress Ka-band service that utilises a constellation of fifth generation satellites that were specifically designed for mobile communications. Inmarsat Maritime vice president of service development Peter Broadhurst expects Fleet Xpress, and the Certified Application Partner (CAP) programme, will enable ship operators to download applications from a maritime-optimised app store for numerous operations. The UK-based satellite operator is setting up a gateway for ships to access these CAP applications via Fleet Xpress. It should help seafarers ensure that electronic charts are up-to-date and use different types of information. “In the past, updates were passed to vessels in a number of ways – USB sticks and compact discs, for example. But the transfer of this data was not in real-time and was not cyber-safe,” Mr Broadhurst said. “Through our CAP programme, specialist third-party navigational data providers will be able to send chart corrections and updates in real-time,” Mr Broadhurst said. “The officer-of-thewatch and the master of the vessel need no longer worry whether or not the ship’s charts are up-to-date or, in the case of a vessel chartered for a different area, whether the correct charts are available on board.” There will be two systems for obtaining the real-time updates. One, through a file-on-demand system, will enable a request for current chart updates to be made to a local server and the updates will then be downloaded. A second solution would be fully automated and more convenient for navigators. “Through the process of content pre-positioning, all ENCs are updated in a multivessel transmission, so that all ships are completely up-to-date 24/7. The data will be stored on the network service device on board and will be automatically and immediately available when interrogated by the ecdis. The whole process will be completely automatic and ships’ charts always will be current.” Electronic charts can provide information on short-term exclusions, which are not possible using paper charts. Mr Broadhurst said as an example, an exclusion zone around a dredging operation can be made available to navigators in the area. Or vessels could receive real-time information on an exclusion zone around a drifting drilling rig. Weather-related services could also be linked to an ecdis through Inmarsat’s CAP programme. “Third-party data providers will have direct access to vessels for their business applications,” Mr Broadhurst said. A number of software developers that attended Inmarsat’s developer conference in February are planning advances in weather routeing. “A significant number of vessels already use weather routeing, principally to avoid bad weather which can cause delay and increase fuel consumption,” he explained. “But weather routeing systems are only in their infancy because mostly they are not in real-time. We believe that a new generation of weather routeing systems, made possible by always-on ship communications, will have a significant impact on ship operating efficiency.” He expects that planning the optimal arrival time at the destination port will become a routine aspect of ship operations. The voyage track, ship speed, as well as prevailing and forecast weather systems will all be factored in to make vessel navigation as efficient as possible. This would reduce fuel consumption and minimise emissions. Mr Broadhurst expects always-on connectivity will also link shipping to smart international transport and logistics chains. “Until

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now, ships have been relatively isolated when compared with other transportation assets, partly because the shipping industry has an in-built reluctance to share information. Now, though, far more control can be exercised over ship management at sea to maximise efficiency. Applications will focus on effective ship operations as part of a fully connected supply chain. Ship-to-shore communications are enabling a new era of improved vessel control and proactive maintenance. Shipboard components can be permanently monitored and fuel usage can be automatically recorded.” KVH Industries has developed a system for delivering updated ENCs and weather routeing information to ships. It has agreements in place with Jeppesen to supply ENCs and updates, and Applied Weather Technology (AWT) for weather information. This is multicast to ships over KVH’s mini-VSAT Broadband Ku-band service and the IP-MobileCast content delivery service. E-learning courses that enable officers to familiarise themselves with ecdis operations can also be sent to ships through IP-MobileCast. These are created by a joint venture between Videotel and Safebridge. On top of the growing wideband Ku-band networks, there will be spot beam Ku-band delivered by a growing number of high throughput satellites. Intelsat has started testing the first of its satellites, I-29e, with EpicNG technology that delivers fast data transmission rates over the North Atlantic region. It will have multiple uses for maritime communications as Intelsat has sold some capacity to service providers EMC, Panasonic and Harris CapRock. Intelsat plans to launch more EpicNG satellites over the next two years to expand its fleet of high throughput systems. Telesat launched its Telstar 12 Vantage high throughput satellite in the fourth quarter of last year to provide Ku-band coverage over Europe. Panasonic Avionics Corp recently agreed to use capacity on the satellite to provide bandwidth to shipping in the Mediterranean and along European waterways. Telenor Satellite has been testing its Thor 7 Ka-band satellite service to shipping with around 15 vessels connected during a trial period. SES has unveiled plans to launch Ka-band services to shipping in Europe in the second quarter of this year on two of its Astra satellites. It also expects to begin services for shipping between the Suez Canal and South East Asia this year. ECDIS

Inmarsat has launched a new constellation of satellites for Fleet Xpress solutions

The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

34 | TRAINING

Type-specific training will be mandatory Officers will need to be familiar with the ecdis models they operate under STCW amendments that come fully into force from the end of this year

rom the beginning of January 2017, all officers that are using ecdis on board ships need to have the right certification that shows they have received generic and type-specific ecdis training. The amendments made to the international convention for the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) come completely into force from the end of this year. Officers will then need to show port state control inspectors that they have the correct training to use ecdis for safe navigation. This includes familiarisation training on the models that are in use on board. Officers must have completed a generic ecdis course that follows IMO model course 1.27, and have a certificate that confirms they have been shown the specific functions of the ecdis that is deployed on the ships they work on. Generic training should ensure navigators can use and understand ecdis as part of the navigation of ships. The type-specific, or familiarisation, training should ensure they are competent in using the specific model and its different functions. Currently, different flag states have varying requirements for familiarisation training. But from January 2017, all officers will need to have evidence that they have received both types of training to comply with STCW, regardless of the flag of the ship. Ecdis training is a bolt-on to the main STCW deck officer training. But some feel that it should be as integral to STCW courses as ecdis is to modern ship navigation. Changes should be made to STCW so that seafarers learn about ecdis operations as part of the main course and not as an additional module. Furuno’s Europe manager Mads Friis Sørensen spoke emphatically during a recent seminar on this subject. He said part of the

The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

Brijendra Srivastava (Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement)

“The consequences of an accident due to inadequate familiarisation with ecdis can be serious”

problem with the current training set-up is that the whole industry had underestimated the impact that ecdis has had on navigation tasks. Working on ecdis and electronic navigational charts (ENCs) is not the same as using paper charts. This is because there is much more information within ecdis than just the chart itself. There are also different functions, such as overlaying radar, or weather information. “Operators need familiarisation training, as we need the right level of ecdis competence on board,” said Mr Sørensen. “This may have not been considered when ecdis was originally defined.” He thinks the industry should re-examine how navigation is taught in the STCW courses so that ecdis and ENCs are much more integrated. “We need to adapt STCW training to cover new technology and we need to have other skills in STCW, such as IT security and culture,” he commented. “We need to match the training to the technology so that such things as navigator competence in ecdis and e-navigation are included.” He went further and suggested that training providers should be integrated with the development of ecdis and shipowners’ ecdis implementation. “Ecdis should be designed so that training would not be required, or would be very simple. Or, if training is needed, then this should be integrated into development processes from the beginning. There are still many seafarers that do not have ecdis training and this needs to be addressed.” Furuno has a training centre and courses that other institutions can use for ecdis teaching. All of its INS training courses include comprehensive theoretical lectures and hands-on generic and type-specific training exercises. These provide navigators with a thorough understanding of the equipment,

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TRAINING | 35

knowledge of how to operate it properly, and the know-how needed to determine the validity of the data provided. The simulator training includes modules in modern navigation during normal operational conditions, as well as during dangerous or critical circumstances. All certified training courses conclude with an assessment of the trainee’s performance. This is done through theoretical and practical tests that have to be passed in order for the trainee to be awarded a certificate. Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM) uses Furuno training modules, as well as e-learning courses from Safebridge, to provide familiarisation training for officers on ships it manages. It also has a maritime training centre in Mumbai, India where it has a Furuno ecdis simulator that is used for teaching officers before they go on board ships. BSM manages more than 600 vessels and

“Before we assign an officer to a vessel we check what kind of ecdis is available on board”

TRAINING PROVIDERS SHOULD BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF ECDIS IMPLEMENTATION (CREDIT: FURUNO)

Authorities

Training providers

Manufacturers

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Shipowners

has to provide training for many different types of ecdis installed on these ships, from a variety of suppliers. “Because of a relatively large number of staff on board at BSM, we have to provide type-specific ecdis training to our officers on an almost daily basis,” said BSM maritime training centre director Brijendra Srivastava. “Type-specific ecdis training is very important and has to be undertaken over and above mandatory generic training. The experience with different models of ecdis at sea varies from person to person, so it is important that generic training is further supplemented with type-specific training.” Because of the amount of work deck officers have to conduct on board and the short time available to perform these tasks, there is little time for onboard training. This is why BSM provides training at its Mumbai centre. “Before we assign an officer to a vessel we check what kind of ecdis is available on board. If the officer does not have the relevant licence for that particular type, they have to undergo training on a remote learning ecdis simulator,” Mr Srivastava explained. “Each officer is requested to complete his training before joining a vessel. Once he is on board, effective training is no longer possible due to other responsibilities. “Most of our ecdis training requirements are covered by Safebridge and Furuno. However, on a few occasions our officers need to attend approved shore-based academies, in cases where the ecdis model is not covered by Safebridge or Furuno.” With so many officers to train on ecdis, there are a lot of different requirements from the courses. Mr Srivastava said the younger generation of officers understand how to operate ecdis but may not have the navigation experience of older officers, which would be gained from using paper charts. “Generally we find that youngsters are more comfortable interacting with electronic systems. However, we also have senior officers who have spent a lot of time with paper charts, and take some time to get used to ecdis, although there are exceptions.” Mr Srivastava believes that type-specific training is essential to improve navigational safety and minimise the risk of accidents. He said all officers that are expected to use ecdis should be familiar with the functions. “The consequences of an accident due to inadequate familiarisation with ecdis can be serious,” he commented. “A navigational accident due to lack of training with ecdis is unacceptable. Therefore, in our opinion, type-specific training over and above generic training should be mandatory.” It will be, under STCW, from 1 January 2017. ECDIS

The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

36 | TRAINING

E-LEARNING OPENS TRAINING TO SEAFARERS ON SHIPS T

here is increasing use of e-learning practices to train deck officers in the different types of ecdis equipment. It is a requirement that seafarers receive typespecific ecdis training to familiarise them with the systems they will be operating on board ships in the fleet. One way to provide this training is to send them on simulator courses. Another method is to offer this training as a distance learning course. This enables officers to go through a specially designed programme using real ecdis software, either at their homes or on the ships on which they are serving.

Safebridge has joined forces with Videotel and Seagull in separate deals to offer online ecdis training on ships, and PC Maritime has added an Internet option for its Navmaster ecdis course

Safebridge, Videotel, Seagull Maritime and PC Maritime are the main providers of e-learning services. In February, Videotel and Safebridge joined forces to provide ecdis training and certification on ships. Together, they will offer type-specific ecdis e-learning courses for more than 30

different models. Safebridge’s courses will be made available to seafarers through Videotel on Demand (VOD) systems that are on board thousands of merchant ships. The agreement will enable a trainee on a ship to select and log onto the VOD system and access the relevant Safebridge courses. After completing

Safebridge provides instruction on the use of ecdis through its courses

The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

online theory segments, the trainee would then proceed to practical training using the onboard ecdis before taking their test using Safebridge’s validation systems. This will help shipowners, operators and managers meet the IMO requirements for delivering familiarisation training on ecdis systems used on ships. The agreement covers all Safebridge courses currently available and those that it is developing to cover forthcoming models. Videotel chief executive Nigel Cleave said this agreement will help owners overcome the training challenges. “Training crew on ecdis type-specific models has been a real headache for shipping companies and shipmanagers over past years,” he said. “The large number of different ecdis models and the fact that crew generally have to complete their training ashore means that the shipping industry has faced a costly logistical burden in getting crew the knowledge they legally require.” Videotel’s training solutions are in use on more than 12,000 vessels worldwide, and include 950 new and updated titles to meet current seafarer training needs. The company is a subsidiary of KVH Industries, which provides Ku-band and C-band satellite communications to ships and vessels. Videotel’s training

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TRAINING | 37

courses can be sent to ships through KVH’s IP MobileCast multicast service to very small aperture terminals. Seagull Maritime and Safebridge launched a joint initiative in March to deliver an ecdis training portfolio for shipowners, managers and operators. This combines Safebridge’s e-learning courses with Seagull’s onboard training platform. The portfolio will offer seafarers familiarisation training for more than 25 different ecdis makes and models, which they can complete in their own time. Under the agreement, Seagull is entitled to add the complete Safebridge range of ecdis training packages to its onboard training system (STS). This is accessible via a laptop or desktop computer, and hosts the Seagull training administrator program, as well as the entire onboard library of e-learning modules available from Seagull. “Seamlessly integrated with the Seagull training administrator offers a unique solution for navigators to perform ecdis familiarisation training, both on board ships with Seagull and online with Safebridge,” said Seagull managing director Roger Ringstad. Safebridge managing director Ulf Steden added that this agreement would spread the use of e-learning ecdis courses to more seafarers. “The integrated solution between Safebridge ecdis training systems and Seagull training administrator allows for the automatic transfer of training records between Seagull course departments and Safebridge, whom issue the course certificate, which is a unique feature offering technical and performance advantages.” Safebridge recently expanded its online training offering by adding typespecific ecdis courses for the Simrad E5024 model. This is the latest type-approved

Roger Ringstad (Seagull): “Seamlessly integrated Safebridge courses with the Seagull training administrator offers a unique solution for navigators”

navigation system for Solas vessels from Navico. Safebridge has included in the e-learning course all of the new features that Navico added to this model. The E5024 ecdis has two powerful independently operating quad-core central processing units, and dual monitor outputs to drive two displays with independent information. While one processing unit is running the ecdis software, the other is running Navico’s Simrad NSO evo2 multifunction display software. The processors can be connected to those of another ecdis to enable a compliant paperless navigation solution, which navigators need to be trained on. Using Safebridge’s software,

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officers can be trained in using the simple menu structure that Navico has incorporated with this ecdis. This includes using the wireless trackball controller and the on-screen keyboard and installing electronic navigational charts (ENCs) supplied by Navtor, as well as the Admiralty Vector Chart Service and ENCs from Primar. The E5024 also uses third-party chart support services and various radar overlay options. Officers can go through a series of course modules covering these operations for familiarisation with the E5024 ecdis before they begin operating the system on ships. PC Maritime has added Internet delivery to its Navmaster ecdis training in

response to a request from VShips. This enables seafarers to undertake familiarisation training from anywhere with an Internet connection. It also broadens PC Maritime’s portfolio, as seafarers can already do Navmaster ecdis training in specific centres or on board ships using DVDs. VShips identified situations where crew members needed type-specific ecdis training at short notice. For example, if a crew member joined a ship with Navmaster ecdis and they were not familiar with this system, they would require ecdis training and certification to comply with IMO’s International Safety Management code requirements. The Navmaster course is usually provided on two DVDs containing the training material. The formal assessment, which can be used by any number of crew during a 12-month period and does not require Internet access, is usually only available via e-mail. However, VShips found there were cases where the DVDs were not on board, and expressed concern that this could prevent crew from operating ecdis on these ships. PC Maritime added an Internet delivery option to overcome this problem. VShips head of seafarer training Alasdair Ireland highlighted the importance of offering a range of training options to seafarers. “It is important that we can ensure access to suitable ecdis training for seafarers, in a range of situations, often at short notice,” he commented. “Being able to direct seafarers to Internetdelivered type-specific ecdis material provides an additional degree of flexibility, which is very much appreciated.” PC Maritime’s Navmaster course meets The Nautical Institute’s checklist to assure shipowners and authorities that watchkeeping officers are competent at operating ecdis safely and effectively. ECDIS

The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

38 | TRAINING

Transas extends Get-Net ecdis training The Global Ecdis Training Network is now part of the Transas Academy, which integrates simulation, online courses and subject expertise

ransas has included its Global Ecdis Training Network (Get-Net) partnership for ecdis skills teaching in its new Academy of integrated training services. The Academy, a combination of simulation technology, online content, software and training experts, was officially launched at a simulator user conference in Singapore in January. It is part of a reorganisation of the company that chief executive Frank Coles has instigated since joining in the fourth quarter of 2015. He said the Academy brought together training centres, shipowners and training technology in one integrated community. “It is a connected community where we are providing training capabilities and functionality through our simulator technology and online content,” he said. The Academy is part of the new Transas Harmonised Eco System of Integrated Solutions (Thesis). Mr Coles said this is a flexible data platform that enables stakeholders in the shipping industry, including shipowners, vessel traffic management and training academies, to share information and use Transas solutions. He expects that Thesis, and the Academy will enable training schools to offer real-time training and expertise to support daily operational decisions. “We will enable training schools and vessel traffic controllers to play a greater role. The ecosystem can facilitate training in different ways, and allow real world data to continuously fine tune our models,” said Mr Coles. Transas Academy vice president Ralf Lehnert said changes in shipping technology, seafarer competence requirements and updates to the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) had led the company to integrate its training solutions. “We are changing to higher automation and ships with greater connectivity to the shore,” he explained. “There is more information exchange and decision support from shore. Simulators can help with this in real-time, or in preparation for challenging

The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

voyages, ice navigation and oil spill response.” Transas Academy includes ecdis training through the Get-Net training network, which includes recommended training centres that teach both generic and type-specific courses to bridge teams. This network was set up when shipowners and managers asked Transas to help harmonise the training that seafarers received on operating ecdis and using electronic navigational charts (ENCs), said training manager Sören Löbbert. “Because Transas has a large market share for ecdis, ENCs and marine trainers, we could provide trainees for the training centres, and centres for the shipowners. We can ensure that the training courses have similar content and manufacturer approval. We can also train the trainers and do audits of the centres.” There are two levels of membership to the Get-Net network. There is a gold standard for ecdis courses taught in classrooms on desktop simulators, and a platinum level for schools that can also offer bridge simulators. “Centres can get Platinum if they have a Transas full mission bridge simulator, and have the latest course-ware,” said Mr

ABOVE: Transas Get-Net partners offer classroom ecdis training on desktop simulators

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TRAINING | 39

Löbbert. “We take care of the record keeping and will handle the first level of inquiry, which means training centres can focus on their core products.” There were 30 partners in Get-Net at the end of January, mostly in Europe and the Philippines, of which 27 were gold members. Transas certifies all partners and stores the issued certificates for verification and prevention of fraud. The advantages to shipowners and managers of using Get-Net include lower travel expenses for sending seafarers to the nearest Get-Net partner, shorter lead times for certification, and standardisation of the courses. Transas recently updated the software and added more functions in course-ware for its typespecific ecdis training. It is adding online training groups to enable discussions between different schools. Mr Löbbert said Transas was looking to open a cloud resource for the management of ecdis courses and cadets. It is considering developing online forms and social media resources so Get-Net partners are not limited to just providing ecdis training through the network. There are also improvements coming in teaching Navi-Planner operations as focus moves from chart handling to complete route planning, and greater use of advanced functions, such as radar overlays.

Kongsberg introduces ecdis e-learning course

Kongsberg Maritime, which supplies training simulators and bridge systems, has introduced an e-learning course for ecdis familiarisation. Kongsberg developed the program to train officers on its K-Bridge and K-Nav ecdis products. The course was created, in collaboration with the Maritime University of Szczecin in Poland, in compliance with the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW ) and international safety management rules. It enables seafarers expecting to use Kongsberg ecdis to conduct type-specific training remotely in their own time. The new e-learning course is delivered primarily through video lectures that explain in detail the functionality of Kongsberg’s integrated and standalone ecdis products. It is based on a two-day course curriculum already offered at Kongsberg-approved training facilities worldwide. The course covers all navigation operations using ecdis, including: • basic operations; • navigation tools and functions; • setting of safety parameters; • sensor inputs and alarm handling; • route planning, validation and monitoring; • chart management; and • chart installation and updates. Kongsberg’s product adviser, for navigation training Kim Finseth said e-learning can

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cost-effectively support shipowners’ training requirements. “By transferring our type-specific ecdis course to an online and remote setting, shipowners, operators and maritime training organisations can further optimise their training costs and improve staffing logistics by reducing the amount of travel required.” Kongsberg offers an extensive ecdis training portfolio including a course to teach training personnel. Its five-day IMO model course 1.27, and familiarisation course for K-Bridge and K-Nav ecdis are approved by the Norwegian Maritime Authority.

Safebridge offers training to port state control

Safebridge has started training port state control (PSC) inspectors in the basic technical and operational requirements of ecdis. This follows calls from the maritime electronics sector to increase the technical knowledge of officers that inspect ships for regulation compliance. Earlier this year, Safebridge conducted a basic ecdis training course for Germany’s PSC. This covered the legal, technical and operational requirements for the carriage of ecdis as the primary means of navigation. The course included practical insight into ecdis solutions from different manufacturers, which included simulations and demonstrations. PSC officers were given the opportunity to simulate an inspection based on an audit checklist provided by Safebridge, while a trainer demonstrated how the onboard deck officers would be expected to perform. PSC officers were able to share their first-hand experience about inspections and provide statistics on deficiencies, said Safebridge managing director Ulf Steden. He added: “This allows us to further improve our training courses focusing on reducing specific weaknesses of crew.” ECDIS

BELOW: Officers receive training on desktop ecdis simulators

The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

SHIP POSITIONING | 40

TECHNOLOGY CAN ENHANCE NAVIGATION SAFETY T An INS has motion and rotation sensors that continuously calculate the position, orientation and velocity of a ship

here are promising complementary technologies that could offer greater resilience, accuracy, integrity and availability of navigation information to mariners. There are devices that can integrate a mixture of diverse inputs that could enhance the use of ecdis for safer navigation. The Royal Institute of Navigation (RIN) recently highlighted several technologies that could provide ship position alternatives to using the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) constellations. GNSS consists of the Global Positioning System (GPS), Russia’s Glonass and Beidou, a local Chinese service. This will be supplemented with the EU-funded Galileo system later this year when the first commercial operations commence. But although more GNSS satellites will become available, there will still be the need for alternative positioning services. The RIN believes alternatives, such as inertial sensors, should be considered for future navigation. An inertial navigation system has motion and rotation sensors that continuously calculate the position, orientation and velocity of a ship using dead reckoning. An inertial guidance instrument would have accelerometers and gyroscopes that delivered orientation and position data to ecdis. IXBlue presented its inertial navigation system at the European Dynamic Positioning Conference in London in February. Product line manager Pierre-Yves Morvan said this instrument could supplement GNSS data to improve reliability of a vessel’s position. In navigation, dead reckoning is the process of calculating a ship’s position based on a previously determined position, then advancing that using known speed, time and course data. The process is subject to cumulative errors, but can be used as a back-up to GNSS. Other complementary technology for dead reckoning and position fixing include a ranging mode from medium frequency coastal differential

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GPS beacons and absolute positioning using a ship’s radar. This involves radar securing an absolute position using coastal infrastructure of active radar responders, adapted radar beacons, or passive contour features. Another alternative would be triangulation using signals of opportunity, of which an amplitude modulated (AM) broadcast would be best. The RIN also highlighted how digital television could be used, but its range is limited. Bathymetric seabed contour navigation and using Doppler signals could also be used. Techniques of the future could incorporate quantum technologies that use cold atom sensing of rotation and acceleration. As ships become more digitally connected, mariners could use more commercial electronics as aids to navigation. The RIN highlighted how digitally aware mariners could use tablet computers, mobile smart phones and other portable devices for vessel positioning and navigation. The RIN considers this to be an issue that may impact safety if seafarers use unapproved equipment. It thinks the risks are exacerbated by the lengthy time IMO takes to prepare regulations enabling and approving new technology. It is for this reason that the shipping industry is slow to adopt new technology and ideas. When the industry does adopt technology, systems should be designed for mariners to use on a daily basis. Equipment needs to take account of human factors during development, which the RIN said has not been achieved during the development of ecdis. The institute also highlighted the point that seafarers need to be more aware of the limitations of technology. This would be helped if equipment displayed the uncertainty in the measurement of the ship’s position. The RIN also called for more standardisation of ecdis equipment that is driving the need for type-specific training. It has called on IMO to consider introducing a standard mode to ecdis to reduce uncertainties and improve the usability of these devices. ECDIS

The Complete Guide to ECDIS | 2016

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