The US Coast Guard Alaska issued a statement informing that Sector Anchorage watchstanders are having intermittent communications in a 3,745 square-mile area of Prince William Sound, Alaska, and may not be able to hear mariners on VHF-FM radio.
Global satellite communications provider Inmarsat and its partners, Addvalue Innovation Pte Ltd and Network Innovations, launched the first type-approved IP-based terminal and Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) for fishing vessels operating in US waters, marking a significant milestone for sustainable fishing in the region.
With respect to the recent figures on boating safety, Maritime NZ stressed that waterproof communications can save a life: An estimated 59% of recreational boating fatalities involve inadequate communications, and only 40% of boaties report having two ways to call for help every time they go on the water.
Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB) issued an investigation report on the collision of two container ships while Hanshin Port, Kobe Area, Japan, in May 2018. The incident resulted to no fatalities, but it highlighted issues associated with poor communication and misjudgment.
The Norwegian Government announced an agreement with the state-owned company Space Norway to address the unstable broadband communication in the High North using satellites. The satellites are scheduled to be launched in 2022.
British seafarer welfare charity Mission to Seafarers announced the launch of its new WeCare Social Communications and Financial Literacy training programme, a training initiative aiming to address rising levels of stress among seafarers brought on by financial pressures and the misuse of social networking platforms.
Marlink will introduce a new hybrid communication service. Sealink Global 4G will enable fast, low-latency mobile services when in network range while complementing VSAT connectivity when in regulated regions. Sealink Global 4G has been tested in different regions around the world, with positive feedback on performance and reliability. The service will be available after its launch at Nor-Shipping.
It has been almost 12 years since the Hong Kong-flagged container ship ‘Cosco Busan’ allided with the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, causing one of the most discussed oil spills in US waters. The incident is a good example of how lack of communication can lead to serious environmental incidents.
Today’s ports calls are increasing to be more and more inefficient, according to a study. Yet, cross-industry collaboration and data sharing are the ones to potentially enhance the fleet and capacity utilization. As the Global Maritime Forum reports, the study presented an analysis of nine European ports, meaning four ports in the Mediterranean and five ports in the Nordic region.
The fundamental principal in Bridge Resource Management (BRM) is that vessel navigation and operation is not one-man show. BRM makes use of all available resources onboard (equipment, information, human resource) to ensure the safe completion of vessel’s voyage. Likewise in all operating systems, the navigation and handling of vessel should be protected by a single point of failure.
