The Commissioners of Irish Lights (CIL) informed that the General Lighthouse Authorities (GLA) of the UK and Ireland are conducting their regular review of marine aids to navigation (ATON) services.
Every five years, the General Lighthouse Authorities (GLA), comprising Irish Lights, Northern Lighthouse Board and Trinity House in the UK, conduct this review to assess AtoN requirements.
Over time changes can occur which affect Aids to Navigation requirements and their development such as trade patterns, vessel types and volume, the seabed, development of offshore projects or changes in technology. The review will include individual AtoN and systems of AtoN to ensure international standards are met and surpassed.
The authorities are calling all users of marine Aids to Navigation to contribute to the review by commenting on the usefulness and usability of existing AtoN provided by the GLA, on any proposed requirement for the provision of additional AtoN; improvements to the current mix of AtoN; technological developments or additional services.
Feedback is also welcomed on Irish Lights data service which provides near real time meteorological information.
International standards require average availability ranging from 97 percent to 99.8 percent and Marine Aids to Navigation must serve all users of the sea, from small leisure and fishing craft to large liners and cargo vessels. Input from experienced users is essential to the process of defining the correct mix of Aids to Navigation. Local knowledge and experience built through time at sea cannot be replaced by desktop analysis no matter how modern and sophisticated the tools may be,
… Captain Robert McCabe, Director of Operations and Navigation Services, Irish Lights said.
Responses should be submitted before 30th July 2019.
