National maritime and port authorities have turned to communications providers to track vessels to improve safety and compliance
In the UK, the Welsh Government has contracted Applied Satellite Technology (AST)’s marine sciences division to help track inshore fishing vessels in preparation for upcoming legislation. Regulations will soon require all inshore fleets and fisheries to have tracking technology on board vessels.
AST has secured a three-year deal to provide its inshore vessel monitoring solution (iVMS) for around 400 fishing vessels that are below 12 m in length. iVMS will be tailored for a range of small inshore fishing vessels because, as AST said, a “one-size-fits-all approach is not suitable”.
AST will provide either a fixed iVMS solution for larger vessels or a flexible solar-enhanced solution for smaller vessels. Its flexible iVMS does not require connection to the vessel’s primary power. AST said this “enables quick and easy installation, with the added benefit of being self-powered.”
These units will be installed on fishing vessels throughout Wales from early in November 2020 and should be completed during Q1 2021.
“This innovative solution will enable remote asset tracking for the fleet of vessels providing sustainable management of marine protected areas, closed areas and inshore fisheries,” said AST group managing director Gregory Darling.
In Brazil, a major port terminal operator in Rio de Janeiro has contracted Fuji Metalock to upgrade and improve ship movement monitoring, enhancing the existing basic automatic identification system (AIS) with a new AIS base station and improved software. This base station uses Saab’s R40 model with a server and two workstations.
AIS is used for vessel identification and locating, and collision prevention. It enables the port authorities to maintain maritime domain awareness, environmental monitoring and intelligence applications, while enabling emergency response and rescue operations.
One of the new features of the installed software is a 3D full-scale view of the navigational situation in the area. Using this, an operator can observe navigational situations from various perspectives, providing advice to vessels to prevent accidents.
Functionality includes AIS sensor support and control with tracking integration; multi-AIS data filtering; manual or automatic target acquisition, drop and identification; transmission and reception of AIS test telegrams; target simulation; route management; configurable alarm management; recording and playback.
Fuji Metalock developed the project, and supplied the equipment and software. It supervised the installation and integration, and carried out commissioning and testing.
Meanwhile, City of Arnhem in the Netherlands has selected OpenRemote’s open-source internet-of-things (IoT) solution to develop an intelligent energy management system using advanced IoT technology.
This new data management platform will enable the city’s energy managers to automate and oversee a distributed energy system combining solar and wind power installations, electric fleet chargers, cold ironing for ships and battery storage, through a desktop and mobile application.
Solar and wind energy produced at Kleefsewaard, an industrial park located east of the city, is used to charge electric vehicles across the city and power the ships docked in its harbour.
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