The 4th e-Navigation Underway Asia-Pacific Live Conference
The Republic of Korea is about to hosting the 4th e-Navigation Underway Asia-Pacific Conference, including a special showcase of the Maritime Connectivity Platform.
The Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) is hosting this virtual e-Navigation Underway Conference (ENUW) from 8-9 September with the theme of Collaborating to harmonize maritime digitalization.
The Conference will be held using a virtual platform, and is being co-organized with the Danish Maritime Administration (DMA) and the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA).
ION nominations for Fellows and Annual Awards Program
In the US the ION Annual Awards Program is sponsored by The Institute of Navigation and recognises individuals making significant contributions or demonstrating outstanding performance relating to the art and science of Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT).
Readers are invited to submit their nominations at an early date for ION’s Fellows and Annual Awards. Nominations are due by 15 October.
Galileo next-gen satellites on the horizon
Following the European Commission’s decision to accelerate development of Galileo Next Generation, ESA has asked European satellite manufacturers to submit bids for the first batch of the Galileo Second Generation (G2) satellites. The new spacecraft are expected to be launched in about four years.
The next-generation satellites will provide all the services and capabilities of the current first generation, together with a substantial number of improvements as well as new services and capabilities.
Switching off DGPS in the UK
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The General Lighthouse Authorities of the UK and Ireland (GLA) have taken the decision to close its DGPS service at the end of March 2022, following user consultation and a considered review of how the system is being used. Other national maritime authorities have also taken the decision to close their DGPS service, while others maintain operations for the foreseeable future – each administration provides the aids to navigation (AtoNs) they deem appropriate for the risks within their waters.
Fourth DRONE ENABLE Symposium postponed to 2021
Due to the ongoing impacts of travel restrictions, public health concerns of large gatherings and uncertainty in the short to medium term caused by COVID-19, ICAO has made the difficult decision to postpone the Fourth DRONE ENABLE Symposium, which was originally scheduled for 9 to 11 September 2020 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The symposium, renamed DRONE ENABLE 2021, will now be held from 13 to 15 April 2021, with the location remaining Rio de Janeiro.
ICAO has extended the submission deadline to 25 September 2020. Those that have already submitted responses are welcome to update their original submission and those that were unable to meet the original timeline are invited to provide a submission by the revised deadline.
ICAO unmanned aviation bulletin 2020-1
On 31 July ICAO issued Unmanned Aviation Bulletin 2020/1, the fifth in the series, reporting on unmanned aviation operational and regulatory developments.
The Bulletin clarifies Key Terms applying to Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and related activities.
Readers are invited to freely disseminate this Bulletin to colleagues, members of organisations or constituents.
UK to send emergency relief to Lebanon
Following the explosion at Beirut Port on 4 August the UK Government announced a package of emergency support to Lebanon, making up to £5 million in emergency humanitarian funding available to help people made homeless by the disaster.
Furthermore, the UK offered enhanced support to the Lebanese Armed Forces, who are central to the Government of Lebanon’s response, including tailored medical help, strategic air transport assistance, and engineering and communications support.
In addition the UK offered to send an EMT advance clinical advisory team who could provide initial assessment and coordination with search and rescue teams.
HMS Enterprise (illustrated) will steam to Lebanon to assess the damage of Beirut’s port and help the port return to normal operations. Deployment of the ship will complement the immediate package of military and civilian support above.
Completion and commissioning of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS-3)
On August 3, 2020, a news conference was held at the State Council Information Office, for announcing that the BDS-3 was formally commissioned. Ran Chengqi, Director General of China Satellite Navigation Office and the spokesperson of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, made the introduction.
“On July 31st, General Secretary XI Jinping of the CPC Central Committee announced to the world that BDS-3 was formally commissioned, marking the completion of the ‘three-step’ BDS development strategy, and a new era for BDS to serve the world and benefit mankind.”
RAF Typhoons intercept over the Baltic
On 31 July the (UK) Ministry of Defence reported that RAF fighter jets operating from Siauliai Air Base, Lithuania on Operation AZOTIZE had intercepted a Russian military formation operating over the Baltic Sea.
The Typhoons approached the Russian formation to identify its composition and established it was an IL-38 MAY Maritime Patrol Aircraft, being escorted by two SU-27 Flanker B Fighters.
This was the first time in recent years that the RAF have seen and intercepted a MAY which was operating alongside a Russian Oscar class submarine, which the Typhoons photographed on the surface as it transited towards the West across the Baltic Sea.
IMO on Digitalization of shipping – more important than ever
Digitalization, big data, and new technologies such as artificial intelligence are key in enabling the post-COVID recovery, IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim told a 28 July webinar on Digital Connectivity and Data Standards1.
He commented: ‘Cooperation between shipping, ports and logistics will be vital for enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of shipping and therefore facilitating trade and fostering economic recovery and prosperity.’
He highlighted IMO’s key role in ensuring shipping can embrace the digital revolution – while ensuring safety, environmental protection as well as cyber security.
Indian Ocean Tsunami warning exercise
At its 12th session held in Kish Island, Iran in March 2019, the Inter- governmental Coordination Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/IOTWMS) decided to organise an Indian Ocean Wave Exercise (IOWave20) in 2020 and established a Task Team to plan and conduct the exercise. At its intersessional meeting held in Jakarta, Indonesia on 29 September 2019, the Task Team decided to conduct the IOWave20 exercise on 6, 13 and 20 October 2020.
IOWave20 will simulate Indian Ocean countries being put in a tsunami warning situation and require the National Tsunami Warning Centre (NTWC) and the National and/or Local Disaster Management Offices (NDMO/LDMO) in each country to implement their Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Sulphur-sniffing drone checking emissions
According to the Danish Maritime Authority (DMA) this drone is provided by the European Maritime Safety Agency, and will operate in a specific area north of the Great Belt. This is the second time EMSA has tested a sulphur-sniffing drone in Denmark. Last year, a different model patrolled in the area for three months. The new drone has previously been used for various surveillance tasks.
By flying into the ship’s exhaust gas plume, the drone can use its sniffer technology to register the sulphur content in the ship’s fuel. These data are immediately available to the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, who can then follow up if a ship is emitting too much sulphur.
ScanReach innovation boost for onboard wireless connectivity
Innovation Norway reported on 22 July that it had awarded financing to ScanReach for a series of development projects to make operations safer, greener and more efficient at sea by bringing wireless connectivity to the maritime and offshore industries. Valued at NOK 18,5 million, it is one of the largest support packages of its kind from Innovation Norway this year.
To quote John Roger Nesje, ScanReach CEO: ‘ScanReach has spent the last five years developing a unique technology for onboard wireless digital communication through steel. Applying this technology will be a key driver for digitalization and optimization of the global maritime industry, while creating enormous opportunities for value creation in the Norwegian maritime industry.’
GIDAS: Real-time interference detection making satnav safer
“It’s simply a matter of output power,” say Andreas Lesch of Austria-based OHB Digital Solutions. “A navigation signal on the ground is equivalent to the light from a 60 watt lamp aboard a satellite, some 23,222 km away in space in the case of Galileo. So these faint signals can be jammed by more powerful local radio signals, either accidentally or deliberately, or even misleading fake navigation signals, known as ‘spoofing’.”
“Our new GNSS Interference Detection and Analysis System, GIDAS, is designed to safeguard critical infrastructure against jamming or spoofing, by performing continuous monitoring of key signal bands. By doing so, GIDAS can raise the alarm in real time, identify the type of interference then pinpoint the location of these dangerous portable devices causing the interference so the authorities can take immediate remedial action.”
ION Joint Navigation Conference 2020 cancelled
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The Institute of Navigation (ION) has announced that the annual ION Joint Navigation Conference JNC scheduled to take place September 8-11 in in Covington, Kentucky/Cincinnati, Ohio, has been cancelled. This decision was made in light of COVID-19 and the current DOD/government travel restrictions that are limiting travel. The restricted nature of the JNC conference does not make a virtual experience possible.
A Guide to Port and Terminal Management
As we are all well aware ports are essential in facilitating the movement of goods from one area of the world to another. Over time the size and complexity of ports have increased, but basic needs remain the same.
A Guide to Port and Terminal Management by Capt. Bill Chalmers, FICS, is aimed at students and port employees who intend to broaden understanding of their industry.
The focus of this book is on the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers’ syllabus and examinations for Port and Terminal Management. This book provides an additional source of reading for candidates who are undertaking not only these examinations but studying other recognized courses.
EASA and EUROCONTROL joint unit cements cooperation
Director General EUROCONTROL Eamonn Brennan and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Executive Director Patrick Ky together officially opened the joint EASA-EUROCONTROL Technical and Coordination Office (TeCO) at EUROCONTROL’s Brussels HQ on 10 July. The Office is designed to improve the efficiency of the two organisations’ joint activities.
Safety and efficient running of air traffic in Europe is based on a complex system, which comprises harmonised air traffic management and air navigation services managed by a number of different organisations. EASA acts as the European regulator of the system while EUROCONTROL is the pan-European civil-military aviation organisation playing a central coordination role.
GNSS+ 2020 will go virtual
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The ION has announced that the annual ION GNSS+ 2020 conference will now be held entirely virtual. This decision was made after careful consideration and in light of COVID-19 and the domestic and international travel restrictions that make it impossible for many speakers and participants to participate in person.
‘The virtual platform is the best way to deliver a meaningful technical program experience to all participants,’ said Lisa Beaty, Executive Director.
ION GNSS+ 2020 VIRTUAL will be held over the original dates, September 21-25, in Central Daylight Time and will live stream the plenary and all panel keynote sessions, including the Civil GPS Service Committee meeting, through the virtual web platform. These sessions will also be recorded and uploaded for viewing at a later time. Interactive question and answer will take place virtually.
ION announces five-year Journal impact factor growth
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The Institute of Navigation (ION) is pleased to announce the continued growth of NAVIGATION, The Journal of The Institute of Navigation, reflected in the latest Journal Impact Factor (JIF) report. NAVIGATION’s Journal Impact Factor has now increased to 1.7, representing a 303% five-year increase from 0.562.
The JIF of an academic journal is a measurement tool used to calculate the yearly average number of citations to recent articles published in a journal and is an indication of the relative importance of the journal within its field. It is generally recognized that journals with higher impact factors are deemed more important than those with lower ones due to its citation rate.
AutoNaut USV maps North Sea soundscape
AutoNaut has played a vital role in enabling The Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) to seize upon the quiet of the COVID-19 quarantine to map the underwater soundscape of the Belgian section of the North Sea.
Using its near silent AutoNaut USV research vessel, Adhemar (pictured), VLIZ has been able to record current noise levels, which will be compared with the marine soundscape once normal sea traffic and marine activities resume. This will help, it is reported, to determine the impact of manmade noise on natural sea life and the marine environment, building a picture of the marine soundscape in conditions that may never again be possible.
New NI President – Focus on three challenges
The newly elected President of The Nautical Institute, Jillian Carson-Jackson has vowed to help the Institute and the wider maritime community meet three important challenges – those of diversity and inclusion, branch engagement and managing the impact of technology.
Speaking at the Nautical Institute Annual General Meeting she announced a pledge from the Institute on diversity and inclusion: ‘There has been a concerted effort over the past years to raise visibility of not just women, but the overall role of diversity and inclusion in maritime. The pledge of the Institute, as a global body for maritime professionals, is to show its commitment to encourage, support and celebrate a diverse and inclusive maritime industry.’
ICS REQUEST THAT ALL SHIPS IN PORT SOUND TO HIGHLIGHT THE CREW CHANGE ISSUE
Action required: To ask member companies, shipowners, managers, port operators and any relevant national stakeholder to encourage ships captains to sound their horns when in port at 12.00 local on Wednesday, 8 July as a way of reminding governments not to forget the crew change issue ahead of a ministerial summit meeting on the subject.
UK government and UN commit to protect seafarers
UK will hold first summit to address the impact of coronavirus on shipping crew changes.
– Government will call on the international community to come together to ensure swift repatriation;
– Estimated 200,000 seafarers due to change over, with concerns around the impact on wellbeing.
Marking the International Day of the Seafarer, the UK government on 25 June announced it will host the first international summit on the impact of COVID-19 on crew changes next month, bringing together UN, political and business leaders from across the globe.
INC, ENC & IWC joint event
In 2021, the International Navigation Conference, the European Navigation Conference and the IAIN World Congress will meet at the EICC in Edinburgh, Scotland, November 15-18.
Complimentary webinar
Join us June 25, 2020 at 11:00am EDT for a complimentary webinar ‘When GNSS fails, what will you do? MarRINav!’
Co-sponsored by the Royal Institute of Navigation, the Resilient Navigation and Timing Foundation, and the Maritime Resilience and Integrity of Navigation (MarRINav) project, ‘When GNSS fails, what will you do?’ will present analysis and insights from Phase 1 of the MarRINav project