AUV vs ROV

source: http://www.hallinmarine.com

-under construction-

source: http://www.rovworld.com

 

 

 

source: http://www.km.kongsberg.com

 

source: http://www.km.kongsberg.com

Fleet Management System

BASS provide a comprehensive fleet management software for ship owners, ship managers, and operators of rigs, FPSOs and offshore units world-wide. It is a fully integrated software solution which has been build on Microsoft.NET platform, a robust, easy to use and stable system.

Study by Power in 2004 shows that BASS is among top 5 of marine software developer in the world.

Company	Staff	Customers	Vessel Served
Xantic	250	1200	7000
Danaos	100	400	2000
ShipNet	71	312	300
BASS	52	86	500
Ulysses	60	19	402

Source: Power, 2004

BASSnet^TM 2.7 is a powerful, integrated software suite designed to make ship management easier and more cost effective, thereby ensuring safe, reliable and efficient ship operations. It also covers area of audit management, self-assesments, risk assesments, quality improvement, ship inspections and port state controls, vetting inspections, and accident/ incident reporting. BASSnet software solution is designed to ensure compliance with ISM code, SOLAS, MARPOL, the STCW convention and other rules and regulation, all with less admin burden.

BASSnet fleet management systems has been recognized by five major classification societies namely; Det Norske Veritas (DNV), Bureau Veritas (BV), ClassNK, Lloyd’s Register (LR) abd Germanischer Lloyd (GL).

Source: http://www.bassnet.no

BASSnet software helps managers to take control of their ship operations and monitor their performances remotely. It provide access to higher management necessary overview of their fleet performance and alerts on critical issues.  The Software systems covers:-

• BASSnet Maintenance – planned maintenance software (PMS) for ships
• BASSnet Procurement – advanced electronic purchasing software for streamlining supply chain activities
• BASSnet Document Manager – a powerful software solution for document management in ship operations
• BASSnet SAFIR – software for improving safety and quality routines
• BASSnet Risk Manager – software to help manage the process of identifying operational hazards, assessing the risks and responding with appropriate, pro-active control measures
• BASSnet Self Assessment – software tool for assessing performance of tanker operations against a set of KPIs for TMSA
• BASSnet Report Generator – flexible reporting tool that enables users to create and customize reports
• BASS Accounting – powerful financial software solution for shipping
• BASSnet HR Manager – performs all aspects of crew management for individual ships or rigs as well as large fleets. It optimises crew management work processes and fleet planning in compliance with all mandatory and statutory requirement
• BASS Provision and Bonded Store is an advanced inventory management system to manage stock of provision and bonded store materials on a vessel

Reference:

http://www.bassnet.no/

http://www.ship-technology.com/contractors/computers/bass/

Power, T (2004). Best Practice In Shipmanagement Sftware. Digital Ship

Ship Security Alert Systems

Ship security alert systems (SSAS) is part of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code and is a system that contributes to the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO)’s efforts to strengthen maritime security and suppress acts of terrorism and piracy against shipping. (Wikipedia)

In case of attempted piracy or terrorism or threat to ship security, the ship’s SSAS beacon can be activated, and appropriate law-enforcement or military forces can be dispatched.

When an SSAS alert is triggered:

• the ship owner or its manager and Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres (MRCCs) for the country code the beacon is transmitting is notified discreetly
• national authorities dispatch appropriate forces to deal with the terrorist or pirate threat

The alert messaging of Ship Security Alert System (SSAS) solutions available across Inmarsat C, mini-C and D+ services (eg: Furuno’s FELCOM 16 / SSAS & Thrane’s SAILOR TT-3000SSA). SSAS alerts can be delivered to telex, fax, email, GSM phone, or even to other Inmarsat terminals.

Source: http://www.aecsk.com

Sample Alert Message:

—–Original Message—–

From: vessel inmarsat email

Sent: 29 Julai 2010 10:09

To: Company Security Officer

Subject: SSAS ALERT REPORT

Importance: High

To+Company Security Officer

Subject+SSAS ALERT REPORT

  !!!!  Test Call  !!!!

— SSAS ALERT MESSAGE —

Vessel Name: XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX

MMSI:        XXXXXXXXX

IMN:         XXXXXXXXX

CALL SIGN:XXXXX IMO:XXXXXXX CSO:CAPT HAMZAH

MOBILE:+60122530596 SHIP UNDER SECURITY THREAT

LAT:          04:14.79N

LON:         103:29.65E

Time:        07/29/2010 02:06:36(UTC)

COURSE:      229 deg

SPEED:        00 kt

Time:        07/29/2010 02:06:36(UTC)

SEN Ref#174513 sent on  29-JUL-10 02:07

 Reference:

http://www.inmarsat.com/Maritimesafety/sass.html

http://www.thrane.com/Maritime/Products/LRIT/SAILOR%20mini-C%20SSAS.aspx

http://www.furunousa.com/

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_Security_Alerting_System

Marine VSAT

Source: www.kvh.com

Wikipedia.com and tech-faq.com define Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) as a two-way satellite ground station or a stabilized maritime Vsat antenna with a dish antenna that is smaller than 3 meters tall.

The most of VSAT antennas range from 0.75 to 1.20 m. Data rates typically range from 56 kbps up to 4 Mbps. VSATs access satellites in geosynchronous orbit to relay data from small remote earth stations (terminals) to other terminals (in mesh configurations) or master earth station “hubs” (in star configurations).

VSATs are most commonly used to transmit narrowband data (point of sale transactions such as credit card, polling or RFID data; or SCADA), or broadband data (for the provision of Satellite Internet access to remote locations, VoIP or video). VSATs are also used for transportable, on-the-move (utilizing phased array antennas) and mobile maritime communications where the use of satellite communication through a VSAT terminal on a ship at sea. Since a ship at sea moves with the water the antenna needs to be stabilized with reference to the horizon and True North, so that the antenna is constantly pointing at the satellite it uses to transmit and receive signals. (Wikipedia)

Source: http://www.kvh.com

History

C Band, 1980s

Equatorial Communications introduced the first commercial VSATs using C band (6 GHz) receive-only systems with spread spectrum technology by. In the early 1980s, more than 30,000 60 cm antenna systems were sold. They later developed a C band (4/6 GHz) 2 way system using 1 m x 0.5 m antennas and sold about 10,000 units in 1984-85.

Ku Band, 1985

Schlumberger Oilfield Research co-developed the world’s first Ku band (12–14 GHz) VSATs with Hughes Aerospace to provide portable network connectivity for oil field drilling and exploration units. Ku Band VSATs make up the vast majority of sites in use today for data or telephony applications.

Technology

Source: http://www.furuno.com

Initially in 1978, the use of VSAT antennas at sea was for transmission of television signals. Initially maritime VSAT was using Single Channel Per Carrier – SCPC technology – which suited large volume users like oil drilling rigs and oil platforms and large fleets of ships from one shipowner sailing within one or few satellite footprints. This changed when IP-based Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) technology that dynamically allocated bandwidth to each ship for shared bandwidth, lowering the entry level cost for getting maritime VSAT installed, which turned out to be of key importance to small-to mid-sized fleets, and thus to the market acceptance of VSAT.

Future applications

New VSAT systems are coming online using Ka band technology that promises higher bandwidth rates for lower costs. It has a huge capacity with a relatively low price structure. The systems provide various applications for subscribers including: telephony, fax, television, high speed data communication services, Internet access, Satellite News Gathering (SNG), Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) and others. These systems are applicable for providing various high-quality services because they create efficient communication systems, both for residential and business users.

Advantages & Disadvantages of VSAT

VSAT has many advantages, which is the reason that it is used so widely today.

• Availability; The service can basically be deployed anywhere around the world.
• Diverse; it offers a completely independent wireless link from the local infrastructure, which is a good backup for potential disasters.
• Mobility; its ability to be deployed is also quite amazing as the VSAT services can be setup in a matter of minutes.
• Coverage; VSAT’s strength and speed and its homogenous connection anywhere within the boundaries.
• Security; they offer private layer-2 networks over the air.
• Price; as the networks themselves do not have to pay much because the broadcast download scheme allows them to serve the same content to thousands of locations at once without any additional costs.
• Quality; most of the VSAT systems today support high quality connections regardless of the latency (a measure of time delay experienced in a system).

As with everything, VSAT also has its disadvantages:

• Delay; because it utilizes the satellites in geosynchronous orbit, it takes a minimum latency of about 500 milliseconds every trip around. Therefore, it is not the ideal for online games.
• The environment; similar to ASTRO, connectivity via VSAT is highly effected by weather conditions (except for C Band).
• Installation; VSAT services require an outdoor antenna that has a clear view of the sky. Not a problem on Marine but they have to factor in swell aspect when determining where to install the antenna.

Reference:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Very_small_aperture_terminal

http://www.tech-faq.com/vsat.html

Inmarsat

In 1979 the International Maritime Satellite Organization (Inmarsat) is founded as a not-for-profit international organization, set up at the behest of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a UN body, for the purpose of establishing a satellite communications network for the maritime community. It began trading in 1982. From the beginning, the acronym “Inmarsat” was used. The intent was to create a self-financing body which would improve safety of life at sea. The name was changed to International Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO) when it starts to provide services to aircraft and portable users, however the acronym “Inmarsat” remain.

In 1999, the organisation was converted into a private company, with  bulk of the organisation was converted into the commercial company known as Inmarsat plc, and a small group became the regulatory body, IMSO.

Operations

As part of its CSR, Inmarsat provides Global Maritime Distress and Safety Services (GMDSS), in international radio safety system mandate by IMO to automate and improve emergency communication in world’s shipping industry for free. It provides widest coverage area as per illustrated by figure below:

Source: http://www.inmarsat.com

Among few well known inmarsat flagship products are:-

• Inmarsat-B: It provides voice, telex, medium speed fax/data services at 9.6 kbit/s and high speed data services at 56, 64 or 128 kbit/s.

Inmarsat C terminal by Thrane & Thrane

Source: http://www.thrane.com/

• Inmarsat-C: effectively this is a “satellite telex” terminal with store-and-forward, polling etc. capabilities.

Source: http://www.youtube.com

• Inmarsat-M: provides voice (4.8 kbit/s) and medium speed fax/data services at 2.4 kbit/s. Discontinued to pave a way for Inmarsat-Mini-M.
• Mini-M: provides voice (4.8 kbit/s) and medium speed fax/data services at 2.4 kbit/s. One 2.4kbit/s channel takes up 4.8kbit/s on the satellite.

Felcom 250, Furuno Fleet Broadband terminal by Furuno

Source: http://www.inmarsat.com

• Fleet Broadband: provide cost-effective broadband data and voice, simultaneously, through a compact antenna on a global basis capable of up to 432 kbit/s (FB500). It uses L Band system which is have less rain fade effect compared to bigger VSAT KU Band and C Band system.

Applications

• Email and webmail
• Real-time chart and weather updates
• GMDSS safety
• Remote intranet and internet access
• Secure communications
• Large file transfer
• Crew communications
• Vessel / engine telemetry
• SMS text and instant messaging
• Videoconferencing
• Store and forward video

References:

http://www.bsatellite.com/Bsatellite_Rainfade.pdf

http://www.inmarsat.com

http://www.wikipedia.com