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 meeting on Navigation, Communication and Search and Rescue (NCSR) 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 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.
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