IBS aids safer navigation

In many cases, the common feature leading to collisions includes fatigued officers, one-man-bridge operations at night, missed course alterations and no watch alarms. The present regulations “were not effective” said the MAIB and it has recommended that all merchant vessels over 500gt should have a minimum of a master and two bridge watch-keeping officers. It has also called for stronger rules on posting lookouts as its study identifies the late detection or failure to detect small vessels as a cause of many collisions. The MAIB cites “minimal manning consisting of a master and chief officer as the only two watch-keeping officers on vessels operating around the UK coastline, leads to watch-keeper fatigue and the inability to fulfill their duties which, in turn, frequently lead to accidents”.

Undoubtedly, this sentiment is echoed by most maritime countries and it is against this background that many shipowners are trying to improve safety by using the power of technology to alleviate some the problems associated with minimal manning. The introduction of the ?integrated bridge system? concept has been one of the main high-tech aids aimed at easing the pressure on watch-keepers by providing all the relevant information needed to navigate safely. At least, that is the theory.

Among the companies which have developed such systems, the Hamburg-based STN Atlas Marine Electronics (SAM Electronics) has created an IBS with its NACOS series of automated navigation command units incorporating proprietary radars and other sensors. Recently SAM Electronics has been accorded superior supplier status by Hyundai Heavy Industries for provision of systems aboard over 300 newbuildings completed by the world?s largest shipbuilder.

Intelligent solution

Incorporating all main ship operating functions for navigation, communication and automation with displays via three 23-inch flatscreen monitors, the bridge assembly features new component from the established Nacos series. Key sub-assembly components include new-generation Radarpilot and Trackpilot 1100 systems together with a new combined radar and electronic chart unit, Chartradar 1100, as well as a Chartpilot 9330 Ecdis and a newly-developed VDR with the innovative data management facilities Debeg 4300. Bridge assembly display functions will also include latest results from the EU-funded EPDIS (Electronic Pilot Display Information System) project headed by SAM Electronics in association with five partners from four European countries which involves advanced interactive 3D charting facilities.

The Electro Electric Systems Division of Hyundai Heavy Industries and Transas have jointly been developing the Hyundai-Transas intelligent bridge system (HiTIBS) which will incorporate hardware and software elements from both manufacturers. The HiTIBS will be available on the market later this month and the first vessel to be fitted will be an 110.000dwt tanker for Primorsky Steamship.

The system will include the Hyundai Advanced Control and Integration System (ACONIS), Hyundai Intelligent Voyage Data Recorder (HiVDR) and Hyundai Intelligent Conning system (HiConning), Transas? new generation navigation and information system (Navi-Sailor 3000 ECDIS-I) and digital radar system (Navi-Radar 3000-I) with advanced chart and AIS functionality.

HiTIBS is integrated with several navigational application programmes working on one workstation including radar, electronic chart system and conning among them. All the applications are synchronized, with important data transferring from one application to the other such as, for example, the course track is created on electronic chart systems which appears on the radar as well.

IBS is now the norm for many newbuildings as witnessed by a number of recent contracts. These include the new SeaFrance ropax ferry being built at Chantiers de l?Atlantique in France. Northrop Grumman?s Sperry Marine has been selected to supply the bridge navigation and communication systems for this newbuilding, to be named SeaFrance Berlioz, which is scheduled to enter service in February 2005. The ship will be fitted with a multi-console Voyage Management System from Sperry which will include a type-approved electronic chart display and information system, interswitched BridgeMaster E navigation radars, a networked self-tuning adaptive autopilot and main steering system, voyage data recorder (VDR), automatic identification system (AIS), gyrocompasses and other navigation sensors and systems.

The company is also involved in supplying navigation systems on 12 new tankers to be built for Italian ship owners at shipyards in South Korea and China. Each of the ships will be fitted with a complete suite of integrated navigation systems and VDRs.

Color Line, the Oslo-based ferry operator, has selected Sperry to supply navigation and communication systems for the world’s largest cruise ferry under construction at the Kvaerner-Masa-Yards in Turku, Finland. Sperry will supply a complete suite of bridge electronics, including a station integrated navigation system with electronic chart display and information system, three BridgeMaster E radars, dual fibre optic gyrocompasses, dual NaviPilot 4000 autopilots, steering controls, a SRD 500 dual-axis speed log, a central alarm manager and a communication station. The 74,600gt cruise ferry is scheduled for completion in December 2004.

Recently, Sperry supplied advanced navigation, communications systems for Ville de Bordeaux, the new highly specialized ro-ro ship that has been designed specifically to convey components for Airbus? next-generation A-380 aircraft. This vessel was built in China?s Jinling shipyard and delivered to French ship owner Louis-Dreyfus in June. Among the equipment installed is the autopilot system from Sperry that incorporates a unique self-tuning functionality that automatically adapts to the ship?s loading condition and weather.

Upgrades also feature strongly and Northrop Grumman has just completed a major upgrade of the IBS aboard the U.S. Coast Guard’s icebreaker Healy. The package included replacing the older-generation IBS computers with new high-speed processors, installation of large high-resolution flat-screen consoles and a new version of Sperry Marine’s Voyage Management System software specifically tailored for the ship’s requirements.

Croatian pair get IBS

The biggest slip-launched ship ever built in Croatia, the 166,739dwt crude oil carrier Alan, is fitted with a MantaBridge IBS supplied by Kelvin Hughes. The vessel was built by Brodosplit-Brodogradiliste and is now in service with Tankerska Plovidba.

The MantaBridge IBS on this vessel and her sistership, Hrvatska, is a fully multi-functional system operating through four Manta 2300 23″ TFT displays. X-band or S-band radar signals, electronic charts, AIS and conning information may be viewed at any display workstation position using the Kelvin Hughes CanBus-based network. The conning display has the latest harbour approach and pilotage (HAP) functionality, which allows it to show ship?s graphics relating to the performance and movements of the vessel, together with a head-up electronic chartlet to provide a pilotage overview for port operations and berthing.

The system is a fully-type approved ECDIS utilising a crystal clear 23″ TFT screen with the ability to display official ECDIS ENC charts, British Admiralty ARCS charts and C-Map CM93 vector charts. It is networked to a PC-based route planning terminal and Master Yeoman electronic chart table for work with paper charts.

It also includes AIS, DGPS, dual gyro compasses, adaptive autopilot, tri-axis speed log, paperless echo sounder, solid state anemometer, voyage data recorder and a bridge watch and alarm monitoring system.

Two new ferries ordered by Shetland Islands Council from the Northern Yard in Gdansk, will be fitted with sophisticated bridge systems from Kelvin Hughes. The first of the 65metre ferries, the Daggri, has been delivered and is fully operational. Each double-ended vessel is equipped with 8 Manta 2000 (20″) displays. Duplication of systems and displays will enable the ships to be controlled and navigated from either end of the bridge.

The Kelvin Hughes trackerball and three button control concept is supplemented by their new AFB (Auxiliary Fast Button) panel which provides the radar ?hotfunction keys? and rotary controls for gain, rain and sea clutter. The system may also be controlled remotely by Ergo-pod trackerballs on the arms of the navigator?s chairs. n