Digital Ship

ELECTRONICS & NAVIGATION NEWSPetrobras positioning contract for VeriposNew simulators for VDABwww.veripos.comVeripos has been awarded a long-termcontract by Petrobras for the provision ofpositioning services in support of theBrazilian state-owned company’s bargeoperations.Under the two-year contract, whichincludes an option for a further two years,Veripos will provide a 122-metre dynamically-positionedbarge operating on theBGL-1 pipeline installation with Standard,Ultra and Differential Glonass positioningservices supported by LD2-G2 mobilereceiver equipment and Verify QC software.The contract is the second to haverecently been awarded to Veripos byPetrobras following an agreement lastyear to provide the Brazilian organisationwith comparable positioning services on15 vessels engaged in pipelay, anchorhandlingand flowline installation undertakings."(This agreement) marks a furtherimportant stage in our continuing developmentof services for the Brazilian offshoreindustry following recent establishmentof specialist support and workshopfacilities at our local base in Rio DasOstras, Rio de Janeiro," said StephenBrowne, regional manager of Veripos’sHouston-based Americas region.BCIT launches Marine Training Simulation Centrewww.kongsberg.comKongsberg Maritime is to supply eightPolaris Ship’s Bridge Simulators toVlaamse Dienst Voor Arbeidsbemiddelingen Beroepsopleiding (VDAB) inZeebrugge, Belgium.VDAB will use the simulator as a basisfor the training and evaluation of crew forseveral customers, including Jan De Nuland DEME, two of the world’s majordredging shipping companies.The simulator will allow students atVDAB’s facility to train in a large numberof sailing areas and is capable of providingtraining within a broad range of disciplines,including standard navigation,manoeuvring and ship handling operations,Search and Rescue operations andice navigation."Kongsberg Maritime has performedvery professionally and we are convincedthat the new simulator installation willhelp us to educate more people in order tomake better deck employees and officers,"said VDAB Campus Manager, PatrickNaeyaert.The delivery is due to take place inAugust and comprises two Polaris DNV Bbridges with 225 degree Horizontal Fieldof View, and six Polaris Special Task stationseach equipped with a 30 degree visualsystem.The installation will also include aninstructor station and a secondary instructor/debriefingstation.www.bcit.caThe British Columbia Institute ofTechnology (BCIT) has launched a newmarine simulation centre in Vancouver.The centre features seven new shipbridges, North America's only 360-degreetug towboat bridge simulator, a ship'smain bridge simulation environment, andan engine room simulator complete withaudio special effects and emergencylights.The project was completed in conjunctionwith the Government of Canada andTransport Canada, and with marine industrypartners including BC Ferries,Kongsberg Maritime Simulation, KinderMorgan Canada, Pacific PilotageAuthority, Port Metro Vancouver, Seaspan,and the Council of Marine Carriers.“This unprecedented technologyallows students to apply marine theory ina realistic and hands-on environment,preparing our graduates for their futureand helping them become ready to play akey role in shaping the future of themarine industry in Western Canada,” saidDon Wright, president of BCIT.The new simulator facility is scheduled for delivery in AugustSAAB announces new AIS rangeSoftware Radio Technology wins $1.8m orderwww.softwarerad.comSoftware Radio Technology (SRT) hasannounced that it has received anorder worth US$1.8 million from an existingEU based customer to supply automaticidentification system (AIS)OEM products.The order will be delivered in batchesprior to 31 December 2011.SRT develops radio communicationstechnologies, focusing on VHF and AIStechnologies for use in navigation as wellas tracking applications. The companyprovides its solutions in a variety of moduleand OEM product formats.“Whilst we are pleased that SRT isreceiving regular orders from our customers,the quantum of this order demonstratesthat there are increasingly significantmarket opportunities arising for ourcustomers for which our growing range ofproducts are ideally suited,” said SimonTucker, CEO of SRT.www.saabgroup.com/transpondertechSaab TransponderTech AB, Swedish supplierof maritime Automatic IdentificationSystems (AIS), has announced the introductionof its new R5 AIS family of products.Saab plans to roll out the new R5 technologyin a wide range of AIS products to meetdifferent market requirements, includinginland waterways, coastal fishing, deep-seashipping, military and coastal surveillance.The products will be brought to marketin phases during 2011 and 2012.“Our new R5 AIS products are the firstto incorporate software-defined radio(SDR) transceivers together with newlydeveloped high-speed analogue-to-digitalconverters,” says Gunnar Mangs, vicepresident Saab TransponderTech.“The result is a dramatic improvementin receiver sensitivity, stability and signalprocessing. The SDR technology in the R5products provides unlimited flexibility inadding new radio channels with softwareupgrades in the future.”“In addition to VHF ship-to-ship andshore-to-ship AIS messages, the R5 willalso be able to process DGPS beacon signalsand future satellite AIS messages ande-navigation radio channels.”Type-specific CBT for Kelvin Hughes and Consilium ECDISwww.seagull.nowww.consilium.seECDIS manufacturers Consilium andKelvin Hughes have reached an agreementwith Seagull to develop productspecificcomputer-based ECDIS trainingpackages.Seagull’s existing ECDIS onboard trainingcourse covers areas such as the use ofECDIS, chart projections, chart accuracy,chart types, chart datum, chart updating,sensor inputs and control, alarm andwarning strategies, radar and ARPA informationon ECDIS, and route planning.Under the new agreement withConsilium, an ECDIS CBT module will beincluded in the library of CBT modules as‘Product Specific Training’ to meet the latestrevisions to STCW, working onSeagull’s training system software.“Used by qualified navigators anECDIS increases the safety of navigation.However, in the hands of unqualifiedoperators it may contribute tomisunderstandings and even accidents,”said Seagull managing director,Roger Ringstad.“Understanding the philosophy, limitationsand features of ECDIS is a must.”ECDIS onboard training was both effectiveand cost saving, Mr Ringstad added,since the seafarer was already in situ anddid not incur any travel or accommodationexpenses. At the same time, the candidatewould be trained in the use of thespecific ECDIS system and equipmentconfiguration onboard.The Consilium ECDIS CBT module willbe available as part of a software releaseby Seagull, as well as being physicallydelivered and supported technically bySeagull.“This course is the same as the genericonboard ECDIS course from Seagull, but ithas been amended with an ApplicationsTrainer for the Consilium ECDIS, whichwill have the same assessment mechanismbuilt in as the standard Seagull CBT modules,while the workbook will be the sameas for the standard ECDIS course,” saidMr Ringstad.The training system, which will beavailable via an annual subscription pership and upgraded for as long as the subscriptionis held, will be based on selftuitionby navigating officers whileonboard, under supervision by the ship’sMaster or an approved assessor, and supportedby an ECDIS Onboard Workbook.The ship’s Master or the approved assessorwill confirm that the candidate has performedsatisfactorily, endorse the coursetraining records and send them to theSeagull Training Centre for assessment.There, an instructor will verify that acomplete set of documents has beenreceived and that all training records andwritten responses to the workbook meet therequired minimum standard, on completionof which the instructor will issue, andsubmit to the vessel, a course certificate.Kelvin Hughes has also announcedthe signing of a similar agreementwith Seagull to develop a product-specificCBT module for its own MantaDigitalECDIS range.Kelvin Hughes is planning to offer theequipment-specific CBT package as part ofits ECDISplus package for on-board trainingon its MantaDigital range of products.“The most practical solution tomeeting the large type-specific trainingrequirement is to institute an onboardapproach,” said Spike Hughes,commercial marine systems director atKelvin Hughes.“Using this method initial training andrefresher courses can be undertaken withoutlarge costs and disruptions to the fleetoperators.”“Crews changing ships can rapidlyassimilate themselves in the operation ofthe ECDIS on the vessel they are joining,ensuring that they operate it both efficientlyand safely.”Digital Ship June/July 2011 page 30