Safe and Efficient Navigation in Ports is Vital for Port Efficiency

An electronic navigational chart with port-specific chart objects and the ability to display bathymetric information in a 3-dimensional presentation at a very high resolution has resulted in a Port-ECDIS that will be of outmost benefit to port navigation, port pilotage, port engineering, dredging and terminal planning and construction. A greatly enhanced tug manoeuvring simulator with newly developed algorithms displays tug movements in near lifelike presentations, regardless of the task the tug is presently performing, whether travelling, towing or pushing. For the first time the reciprocal interactions of the tug and the assisted vessel have been included in the simulation and give the tug master a realistic feeling of the forces involved in a particular towing task. A novel display of nautical information for the ship’s command, the pilot and the involved tugs will assure that all parties will share the same information, because efficient team work requires identical information for all. In the past, the accurate positions of the assisting tugs could not always be determined with the required accuracy. The results of research and life trials have now alleviated this bottleneck, allowing comprehensive information to be displayed in a Portable Pilot Unit (PPU).

From 14. - 15. September 2009 in Hamburg / Germany these results will be demonstrated to the public. For the detailed agenda and registration for this event please click here.

WP 1.2. Precise Navigation and Manoevering in Ports Shadow Effect for Tugs

One of the technical challenges of the Efforts project is to have a reliable position of tugs. The technology used to achieve this goal is Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). As the GNSS relies on a clear view to the sky, respectively the satellites. the conditions are very special when operating close to large ships which block parts of the sky. This causes the so called “shadow effect”. In order to find out how strong the shadow effect is under certain circumstances the two different sets of GPS systems of Marimatech were tested during a test sailing on the tug “Lesum” in Bremerhaven: E-Sea Fix Pilot CAT III and E-Sea Fix Pilot CAT I.

To read the test results in detail please read the full report on the trial:

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IMO MSC Approves Mandatory ECDIS

During the 85th session of IMO's Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), the proposal to make mandatory the carriage of ECDIS on SOLAS vessels from 2012 was approved. The proposal contained amendments to SOLAS regulation V/19 to make the carriage of Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS) under SOLAS chapter V Safety of Navigation mandatory as proposed by NAV 54.

WP 1.1 Tug Assistance

By Aage Damsgaard, FORCE Technology, Denmark

The aim of this work package is the advancement of the realism of tug simulators to the benefit of port pilots who are challenged by larger ships and new tug types. Tug operators are in need of accelerated training of masters and mates to meet crewing demand use the tug simulator. This work package demonstrates the power of the simulation tool in training, port planning and it will test an onboard display system.

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WP 1.3. Port ECDIS

By Jan Prahm, TuTech Innovation GmbH, Germany

The work package 1.3. Port ECDIS, is lead by Dieter Seefeldt from the Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) in Hamburg. He is responsible for all kind of geographic and hydrographical surveys and information within the whole area of the Port of Hamburg and his section provides the user with up to date topographical and hydrographical information for the ease and safe of navigation and port maintenance.
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