E-navigation is the future for passenger ship voyage planning and execution with ECDIS in the centre linked to other sensors to improve situational awareness. Saga Cruises, DFDS and Carnival discuss their investments in e-navigation technology, reports Riviera Maritime Media.
Integrated bridge systems in newbuilds
E-navigation is the future for passenger ship voyage planning, processing and execution with ECDIS in the centre linked to other sensors to improve situational awareness.
Radar, automatic identification system (AIS), satellite positioning (GPS) and compasses provide information to bridge teams and ECDIS enabling officers to plan and sail along routes, keeping passengers safe and engaged.
To ensure this continues with the newbuilding wave, top cruise ship operators work with their most experienced navigators when designing future integrated bridge systems (IBS) for their new ships.
Saga Cruises Investment on IBS
Saga Cruises did this for its new US$400M Spirit-class ships, the first of which was named Spirit of Discovery in Dover, UK, in early July. During the ceremony, Saga Cruises newbuild director David Pickett told that they took advice from classification society Lloyd’s Register and from its experienced officers when selecting the IBS.
Saga then chose Kongsberg Maritime to supply and integrate the systems throughout the Spirit-class ships. On the bridge, this includes
- dual ECDIS,
- speed pilot,
- track pilot and
- digital navigation workstations, where voyages are planned and routes checked for safety.
Mr Pickett said, “we wanted navigation, automation, engine, power management and safety management systems to communicate without conflicts or issues.”
- These ships have S-band and X-band main radar, and stern radar for tracking hazards and surrounding ship traffic.
- Also on the bridge are controls for the ship’s propulsion, manoeuvring thrusters and engine management.
- Bridge officers use ECDIS to navigate the route, working with the autopilot to control Siemens ESiPods propulsors during voyages and Brunvoll transverse thrusters for docking.
Tested technology
Saga chief operations officer Nigel Blanks says all of the ship’s bridge, automation and control systems were supplied by well-established providers that had already tested this technology.
“We needed tried and tested technology so that it met regulations, was proven and would work from the start,” he explains from the lounge on Spirit of Discovery. It is all connected to VSAT for predictive maintenance, bridge systems’ remote monitoring and downloading the latest navigational charts and weather information.
Training for officers
IBS equipment is only as good as the data it processes and the seafarers that use it. Saga works with V.Ships Leisure in the UK for technical management of the cruise ships.
“We are with V.Ships in offices in Southampton, so our deck and technical teams work close together,” says Mr Blanks. Saga uses V.Ships’ management software and its crewing services for deck and technical officers.
V.Ships was also responsible for training these officers so they are ready to serve effectively on the new cruise ships. “Training the masters and chief officers involved simulator training on programs modelled on these new ships,” says Mr Blanks.
Carnival investments
Carnival Corp uses Kongsberg and Wärtsilä for IBS on its ships. Its latest expedition cruise ships will be equipped with
- ECDIS,
- ice radar,
- dynamic positioning (DP),
- forward-looking and
- omnidirectional sonar integrated by Kongsberg.
These ultra-luxury polar-class passenger ships, which will be operated by the Seabourn brand, are under construction at the T.Mariotti shipyard in Genova, Italy, and are scheduled to enter service from 2021.
Multi-functional workstations
They will be equipped with Kongsberg K-Bridge IBS featuring multi-functional workstations with touch-sensitive control panels and joystick controls, K-Pos DP, an integrated docking aid and ice radar.
Sea Traffic Management
For the complete fleet, Carnival is also deploying Sea Traffic Management (STM) interfaces to share and receive route information from surrounding ships.
This follows trials using STM information exchange on ships within the Costa Crociere and Aida brands. These ships use STM-supported standardised formats and interfaces of exchange information to optimise voyages to mitigate collision risks.
STM was incorporated into Costa Crociere’s fleet operations centre software Neptune. This enables Carnival to interact with other STM services, ports and shore centre operators, said Carnival Maritime IT director Franco Caraffi, who is part of the Information Technology Costa Group.
Increased safety on board
“With our fleet operations centres we have further increased safety on board our ships,” he says. “With STM we can use this solution to share voyage plans with all other STM-enabled services, such as route optimisation and vessel traffic service centres to create a shared situational awareness.”
Neptune software evaluates voyage optimisation suggestions received by shore centres through the maritime digital infrastructure. Carnival then shares voyage plans automatically with vessel traffic services along the route.
Information displayed on Wärtsilä ECDIS
STM information interacts and is displayed on Wärtsilä ECDIS on Carnival’s ships involved in the STM validation project, which is a regional e-navigation testbed operating in the Baltic region.
Carnival is also rolling out ChartCo’s Regs4ships on its entire fleet to help shore managers to identify and implement future changes in maritime regulations and synchronise compliance across brands and head offices.
STM has spawned other e-navigation testbeds such as Real Time Ferries which uses onboard awareness of ferry delays to inform passengers, goods handlers and public transportation. Also, STM BALT SAFE will increase tanker safety in the Baltic Sea by providing information on ferry cross-traffic.
Ferry e-navigation
ECDIS is a vital navigation aid for ferry operators to improve safety. Particularly for DFDS, which was a pioneer with all its ships having two, and some having three, ECDIS on board for redundancy and reliability.
DFDS marine standards manager Jakob Lynge says, its ships have dual ECDIS to enable officers to plan and execute routes. ECDIS has its own independent power supply and GPS position input to minimise failures or incorporating incorrect information during voyages, he says.
“We have an innovations department that is constantly following e-navigation developments. And we test equipment that could make our navigation even safer.” Mr Lynge says this could include using unmanned aerial vehicles to provide visual information to ship captains.
Annual International e-Navigation
DFDS also hosts the annual International e-Navigation Underway Conference on board its passenger ships. This year it was on Pearl Seaways, where industry leaders discussed current and future e-navigation technology and regulations.
For other ferry operators, implementing ECDIS has been a slower process with some still using paper charts as a back-up to a single ECDIS as a primary device for navigation.
IMO compliant safety notices
ECDIS must have updated electronic navigational charts (ENCs) with the latest safety notices included for them to be compliant with IMO regulations and useful as a navigation aid. It also needs accurate information from the sources and alarm ranges set by bridge officers.
Captain’s Viewpoint
A European ferry captain says it is cumbersome to view and create routes on ECDIS, even using a large display. Because, unlike paper charts, the screen can only show a slice of the voyage – like looking at the route through a spyhole.
However, unlike paper charts, safety navigation notices can be swiftly added, and more information can be displayed.
This captain says some ECDIS from eastern Asian manufacturers (not wanting to name any particular suppliers) are not intuitive enough for users. He thinks they are developed by computer experts and not seafarers, citing the forms in the menu system as evidence. In comparison, he found that ECDIS by European manufacturers was better designed for users. These issues can be overcome through familiarisation training and redesigning ECDIS software, which manufacturers are working on.
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Source: Riviera Maritime Media
