Looking to future navigation
Aids to Navigation are state of the art and match the demand from shipping There may still be plenty of arguments about the need for lighthouses and the cost of light dues where these are not funded from general taxation, but it is important that Aids to Navigation are state of the art and match the demand from shipping.The General Lighthouse Authorities of the UK and Ireland have a reputation to maintain as leaders in AtoN technology and last week published their strategic document which looks ahead to 2025 and beyond. Anyone concerned with safe navigation would find it of interest.Much of it revolves around the move from what might be described as "conventional" and traditional navigation to the e-Navigation era which has been prescribed by the International Maritime Organization.But it is also important, when considering AtoNs, that these are used by all classes and sizes of shipping, with the need to consider not only commercial shipping, but a substantial population of fishing and leisure users. And while there may be assumptions made about the way in which GPS has become the subject of "overwhelming reliance" by all sorts of navigators, the GLAs' concern is for the growing vulnerability of ...
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