With the F-35 fighter aircraft being introduced in Europe currently, there is a growing need to establish European regional maintenance capabilities.

Terma has substantial expertise and experience in developing, designing, and manufacturing electronic components and software to industries and customers within the international defence market.

Scandinavian Avionics has substantial expertise and experience within the areas of maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) of avionics components for both civil and military aircraft and helicopters.

In practice, Terma and Scandinavian Avionics will:

– Jointly, as one team, provide a proposal on support of F-35 avionics toward the F-35 Programme Office;

– Seek mutual MRO possibilities on the EH-101 helicopter, UH-60R Seahawk, and C-130;

– Jointly invest in depot stand-up capability and seek possibilities to establish the facility in close cooperation with the Danish Ministry of Defence.

Abstracts are invited for ION GNSS+ 2018: GNSS + Other Sensors in Today’s
Marketplace, the 31st International Technical Meeting of the ION Satellite Division taking place from 24 to 28 September 2018 (with Tutorials on 24 to 25
September) at the Hyatt Regency Miami in Miami, Florida.

ION GNSS+ 2018 is the world’s largest technical meeting and showcase of GNSS technology, products and services and will bring together international leaders in GNSS and related positioning, navigation and timing fields to present new research, introduce new technologies, update current policy, demonstrate products and exchange ideas.
Note: This year ION GNSS+ 2018 features two unique tracks, each with different
abstract and manuscript submission requirements.

The Young Aviation Professionals Programme is a special development programme targeted for the next generation of aviation professionals. It is led by ICAO in conjunction with IATA and ACI. The twelve-month annual programme is open to candidates who have advanced university qualifications and a minimum of two years professional working experience in aviation-related regulatory activities and/or the air transport industry. Once they have completed the programme, participants are well positioned to help satisfy the rapidly growing talent and innovation needs of the global aviation community.

Moshe Idan,1 president of Member Institute of IAIN, the Israeli Association for Automatic Control (IAAC) advises that the 4th HIT Workshop on Mathematics and Control Theory – A meeting around mathematics, control, navigation and related fields – will be held on 1 May 2018 at the HIT Holon Institute of Technology, Building 3, Conference Room, Holon, 5810201, Israel.

See the programme and the flyer.

ECDIS Ltd, IAIN Corporate Member, is a privately-owned UK-registered company. Originally offering just the IMO 1.27 Generic ECDIS course, it went on to become the largest global independent company in its field, now offering over 30 STCW courses.

Their original IMO 1.27 Generic ECDIS course is now delivered around the world every week to thousands of seafarers.

EcdisENC.com, part of the group which provides services to over 250 shipping companies globally, claims to be the world’s cheapest ENC chart distributor.

Seafarers depend on a robust distress and safety system when life is in danger at sea. The fifth session of the IMO Sub-Committee on Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue convened from 19-23 February and focused on core areas of IMO’s work relating to safety at sea.

It was announced from Linthicum Heights, Maryland, on 1 March that MITAGS-PMI has established the latest Navigation Skills Assessment Program® (NSAP) training centre in Mumbai, India. The new facility is located on the campus of Anglo-Eastern Maritime Training Centre (AEMTC), India’s leading maritime institute.

The NSAP® is a risk-based measurement tool utilizing Class A Full Mission Simulators to objectively measure mariner skill compliance against internationally accepted STCW standards. It focuses specifically on the core skills required of licensed deck officers and includes a one-on-one discussion about the specific skills of each mariner assessed by the programme.

US Department of Defense, Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office (CTTSO), the Israel Ministry of Defense, Defense Research and Development Directorate (MAFAT), and the MIT Enterprise Forum of Israel have announced CTTSC3, a unique contest to identify and support start-ups, entrepreneurs, and innovators that are driving the next breakthroughs in technology for combating terrorism.

This contest is open to start-ups worldwide with technology that can help prevent terrorism, protect people, data, or infrastructure from terrorists, assist counter-terrorism and law-enforcement organizations, or facilitate recovery from terrorist attacks. (This year the contest also includes a separate special track for Urban Navigation technologies).

WCO-2018 intends to provide a unique international platform for exchange of ideas and experiences amongst researchers, practitioners and regulators in this field. It is expected that more than 120 oral and 40 posters will be presented together with plenary lectures.

Focus will be on the fields of Ocean Economy, Maritime Law, Ocean Engineering, Ocean Energy, Green Port, Shipping, Marine Management and Environment Protection, Ocean Science and so forth. These presentations will identify or offer solutions to problems, use case studies, identify knowledge gaps or collaborative opportunities, and discuss broader applications.

One of the most famous names in the navigational chart business Thomas Gunn (pictured), has underlined his commitment to the digital age in navigation by designing a new Challenger software that will speed up the delivery of digital charts and weekly navigational updates.

Developed by Poseidon Navigation Services Ltd, an international Admiralty chart agent and digital distributor Gunn has created, Challenger has already received approvals by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA); the UK Hydrographic Office; as well as a host of flags including Panama, Marshall Islands, Singapore, Isle of Man, to name but a few.

It provides updates for Admiralty Paper Charts & Publications, AVCS, ADP and e-NP digital products and allows the end user to effectively manage onboard holdings, and receive updates either by a direct Web Sync or by receiving weekly e-mail files. Above all, the software will enable the vessel to remain compliant with maritime regulations at all times, it is understood.

Towards the end of February The Nautical Institute announced a consultation to help assess the latest proposals for standardised navigation equipment. The latest suggestions were presented at IMO’s fifth session of its NCSR (Navigation, Communication and Search and Rescue) Sub-committee by the Institute and other stakeholders including CIRM (Comité International Radio-Maritime), the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, and delegation members from Australia and the Republic of Korea.

Navigators’ views are sought on the latest concept for S-Mode which is in the closing stages of development before being finalised next year (2019). This is for an ‘always on’ standardisation of key features to be adopted by the leading manufacturers of navigation systems.

Human factors, new standards for hydrographic data and how best to exploit data were in focus when Korean and European organisations met to collaborate based on the results from the EU-funded project EfficienSea2.

The workshop was opened by Brian Mikkelsen, Danish Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs. On top of European partners, the workshop also had Korean stakeholders such as KJ Engineering, San Engineering, Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology and the Korea Hydrographic & Oceanographic Agency.

The main topics for the workshop were the MCP (Maritime Connectivity Platform), S-100 standards and how human factors played a role in maritime digitalization.

The Institute of Navigation announced winners of the 2017 Annual Awards at its International Technical Meeting and Precise Time and Time Interval Systems and Applications meeting held in Reston, Virginia from 29 January to 1 February.

These awards recognize individuals making significant contributions or demonstrating outstanding performance relating to the art and science of navigation.

It was announced from Aarhus on 9 February that Danish aerospace, defence and security company Terma will take part in the EU-funded project, OCEAN2020. This project will boost technological research in the maritime domain.

Terma will contribute to the consortium within areas of interoperability requirements analysis, system design, decision support analysis, and operator task analysis.

The (US) Institute of Navigation Satellite Division announced the winners of the 8th Annual ION Autonomous Snowplow Competition during the Saint Paul Winter Carnival. The competition was held from 25 to 28 January at Rice Park in downtown Saint Paul, Minnesota in conjunction with the 132nd Saint Paul Winter Carnival.

Sponsored by the ION Satellite Division, and held in cooperation with the ION North Star Section, the ION Annual Autonomous Snowplow Competition is an international event open to college and university students, as well as the general public.

This competition challenges teams to design, build, and operate a fully autonomous snowplow using state of the art navigation and control technologies to rapidly, accurately, and safely clear a designated path of snow. Eleven teams entered the competition.

The IMO NCSR Sub-Committee has approved the Danish Maritime Authority’s proposal for new ships’ routeing measures, thereby bringing new routes in the Skagerrak and the Kattegat one step closer and enhancing safety of navigation.

Because of developments in shipping, the vessels transiting these waters today are larger than those for which the routes were originally designed. Approximately 7,000 ships transit the Kattegat each year, the majority of which are deep-draught ships heading for or coming from the Baltic Sea. Consequently, there is a need to extend existing ships’ routes, thereby making it easier to keep the traffic separate in accordance with the largest water depths.

Therefore, the Danish Maritime Authority has – in cooperation with the Swedish Transport Agency and the agencies responsible for nautical charts in both countries – developed proposals for new ships’ routeing measures in the Skagerrak and the Kattegat.

In response to increased Arctic shipping traffic, the United States and the Russian Federation have proposed a system of two-way routes for vessels to follow in the Bering Strait and Bering Sea. This was reported from US Coast Guard HQ in Washington at the end of January.

The two nations jointly developed and submitted the proposal to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to establish six two-way routes and six precautionary areas.

Located in US and Russian Federation territorial waters off the coasts of Alaska and the Chukotskiy Peninsula, the routes are being recommended to help ships avoid the numerous shoals, reefs and islands outside the routes and to reduce the potential for marine casualties and environmental disasters.

Moshe Idan, IAAC President, reports that the call for presentations for GSC’18
– the 2018 annual workshop of Graduate Students in Systems and Control has now been issued.

This event is one in which graduate students in systems and control from Israeli universities are invited to present their latest research results. Such meetings provide an opportunity for graduate students to present their work to senior faculty members and to interested delegates from industry, as well as enabling students to become acquainted with the work of their peers.

Work is well in hand for the 24th Congress of the International Maritime Pilots’ Association (IMPA) to be held in Dakar, Senegal, from 22 to 27 April 2018.

A vital aspect of the biennial IMPA Congress is the opportunity for communicating and networking with over 400 pilots and international maritime experts. There will be opportunities to exchange experiences, participate in discussions and to engage with pilots regarding current issues affecting them in particular and the maritime sector in general. In turn such debates will have an impact on the strengthening of pilot safety and the maritime profession, security of port facilities, safety of navigation and the monitoring of ever-increasing vessel sizes.

An introductory item is to be found here.

ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano is seen here gearing up for his second mission to the International Space Station in 2019 on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. All astronauts who fly on Soyuz do a winter survival course in the forests near Star City, Russia.

When Soyuz lands on Earth support teams are usually at hand within minutes to help the astronauts out, but there is always the possibility that the capsule lands in a remote, cold area. As part of their normal training, astronauts learn to survive in harsh climates while waiting for rescue. For Luca, the course is more of a refresher than learning new skills – he already survived the training in October 2012 as part of his first mission.

This course includes getting out of Soyuz unaided, changing from spacesuits into more winter-friendly garments, signalling for help (as pictured here), building a shelter out of wood and the capsule’s parachute, building a fire and providing first aid.

The Copernicus Sentinel-3A satellite in orbit over the Atlantic Ocean close to Spain and Portugal shows where the sky not only features clouds but also crisscross tracks from vessels.
Br />The familiar condensation trails, a.k.a. contrails, seen in the sky usually come from aircraft, so it might seem strange that ships can also occasionally leave their mark in the sky. This rarely seen maritime twist on aircraft contrails was captured by the Sentinel-3A satellite on 16 January 2018. Known as ship tracks, these narrow cloud streaks form when water vapour condenses around
small particles that ships emit in their exhaust fumes. They typically form when low-lying stratus and cumulus clouds are present and when the air surrounding the ship is calm.

Like aircraft contrails, ship tracks may also play a role in our climate by reducing the amount of sunlight that reaches the Earth’s surface or conversely by trapping the Sun’s radiation in the Earth’s atmosphere – but this remains an uncertain aspect of climate science, it is reported.

The Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth arrived in Gibraltar on the forenoon of 9 February for her first overseas port visit.

The 65,000-tonne future flagship will be conducting a routine logistics stop having left her home in Portsmouth last week (w/e 3 February) for helicopter trials. These helicopter trials take place before the fixed wing F35 Lightning II trials later this year.

Under the guidance of the Royal Navy’s Flag Officer Sea Training organisation, all those on board have been honing their skills in dealing with a series of lifelike exercise scenarios including fires, floods, man overboard drills and a simulated crash on deck.

The current issue of The Navigator published on 8 February encourages readers to explore, learn and develop their shiphandling skills and knowledge.

This, the 17th issue of The Navigator, emphasises the value of gaining seatime.

Experts give their valuable perspectives on shiphandling methods, manoeuvres and mentoring with the aim of inspiring readers to take advantage of training opportunities and improve safety and best practice.

Shiphandling is probably the most important skill for mariners and one of the most difficult to practice. The Nautical Institute recognises the value of gaining sea-time and developing shiphandling skills and has now published Shiphandling Logbook, launched on 7 February.

This logbook aims to provide seafarers with an essential tool to help them manage the development of their shiphandling skills and take advantage of training opportunities. Mariners will be able to record and reflect on their experiences, provide evidence of what has been learned, identify gaps and be encouraged to take opportunities to learn more, it has been reported.

Barcelona-based Almarin’s navigation buoys are being installed in a growing number of markets in Europe and further afield, proving effectiveness by simple reliable design with the use of high quality materials manufactured in Europe, it is reported.

In Léman Lake (Lake Geneva), on the border between France and Switzerland, buoys (illustrated) have been installed to mark a floating containment boom in the estuary of the Rhône river, near Port Valais. The Balizamar buoys used in this project were adapted by the customer for this application.

Almarin has also supplied buoys further east, in an estuary in Beirut (Lebanon) and at Ras Nabi Younis Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Buoys to mark subsea infrastructure related to a water desalination plant have also been exported to Algeria. These products are designed to meet current
IALA recommendations.