As an island nation, the UK relies on maritime trade for up to 95 per cent of its imports and exports. With any industry, success is inextricably linked to the people employed in it &#; meaning their welfare should be of paramount importance.
In addition to supporting the mental health of seafarers, tackling maritime safety issues is a key concern. The harsh realities of the marine environment mean there is an ever-present risk for seafarers. Fishing, in particular, remains the most dangerous industry in the UK.
These risks have only increased over time due to the sheer size of ships today and the growing complexities of operations. Ensuring seafarers are safe and healthy at work is, therefore, a fundamental component of a thriving maritime sector.
For all seafarers &#; whether they are leisurely yachtsman or sailing large cargo and passenger vessels &#; rivers, coastal waters and open oceans are inherently dangerous places.
Waterways are constantly changing and demand a high level of skill, attentiveness and adaptability. Even the most experienced navigators must keep their wits about them and remain alert for potential dangers.
Marine aids to navigation, such as buoys and lights, are essential to mark safe lines of passage and help mariners determine their position with respect to land. The guidance and aids to navigation in place in the UK help to enable safe and effective decision making and minimise navigational risk and preventable accidents, ensuring that our waters are some of the safest in the world.
That being said, evolving traffic patterns, the intensification of developments like offshore renewable energy and the proliferation of larger vessels have all placed new demands on aids to navigation. In the future, changes in shipboard practices, training, skills and experience could also affect the design and use of navigational aids &#; meaning manufacturers must continuously review the level of requirements and delivery to ensure the continued safety of seafarers.
Of course, safe navigation is only possible with accurate and current information. Out at sea, there are countless variables to contend with &#; from gale-force winds to strong currents and gigantic waves. Closer to shore, conditions can be equally treacherous without adequate aids to navigation and up-to-date information that allows seafarers to make informed and safe decisions.
Emerging technologies such as data buoys and monitoring and control systems are rapidly changing and improving the way ships navigate waters and ports. For example, the Port-Log data system provides live data on wind speed and direction, which can then be shared with any incoming vessels to ensure maximum safety in the harbour area.
In many locations, such as the north coast of Scotland where conditions are often extreme, this type of remote, real-time monitoring is key to ensuring the safety of seafarers navigating surrounding waters as well as harbour masters and onshore workers.
Combined with visual aids to navigation like buoys and lights, these technological advances provide a comprehensive solution for maritime safety.
However, the safety of seafarers is not just a concern when they are sailing. Mooring can also be a perilous task, especially in rough conditions &#; causing problems for both large vessels and smaller boats. According to the European Harbour Masters&#; Committee, 95 per cent of personal injury incidents are caused by ropes and wires, and 60 per cent of these injuries happen during mooring operations.
As a result, mooring standards and practices need to be upgraded &#; driven by crucial changes in the industry such as larger ships, innovative materials and new dynamic mooring solutions. With the current COVID-19 crisis and restrictions on fleet operations, safe and robust lay-up mooring solutions have also been necessary to support out-of-service ships.
Automatic mooring terminals also have the potential to enhance mooring safety by reducing mooring time and human involvement. Many harbours are now starting to implement this technology; however, in the short term, it will not be possible to eliminate the need for shipboard mooring equipment completely.
Hydrosphere is the UK and Ireland&#;s leading supplier of aids to navigation, providing high-quality, reliable and cost-effective solutions to improve the safety of seafarers and all those working in the maritime industry. Contact us today to discuss your requirements.
Virtual Reality? Exploring virtual aids to navigation. Virtual aids to navigation can be used in situations where it is not practical to use physical aids to navigation, or where information is needed faster than a buoy can be placed. The information they give should be treated in the same way. Deidre Lane MNI, Navigation Services, Commissioners of Irish Lights explains
A virtual aid to navigation can be described as digital information, broadcast from an Automatic Identification System (AIS) station, to place an aid to navigation that does not physically exist in the water. Virtual aids to navigation are visible on the AIS Minimum Keyboard and Display (MKD), or as a symbol on ;appropriate display systems.
Virtual aids to navigation inform navigators about dangers to navigation and safe waterways, as well as areas where extra caution is needed, or which must be avoided. Information from virtual aids to navigation should be considered in the same way as information from physical aids to navigation.& Virtual aids to navigation can be used in the following situations:
Aids to navigation transmitted using AIS are implemented in the following ways:
Virtual advantages and disadvantages
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Using virtual aids to navigation brings several advantages, chief of which are greater clarity of information and immediate positive identification. They offer improvements in first response time to wrecks and other new dangers, as well as a greater range (VHF) on Radar overlay than physical aid to navigation targets, thus giving an earlier warning of danger.
Virtual aids to navigation are not prone to the weather and will always display on MKD or Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS)/ Radar overlay. They can be detected around bends and behind islands and offer a more accurate positioning.
However, they are also subject to disadvantages, mainly the fact that not all vessels are fitted with AIS. AIS is dependent on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) , and unusual atmospheric conditions could have an effect on range.
Virtual aids to navigation systems can be vulnerable to intentional and unintentional interference or inaccuracies. For example, if a vessel&#;s AIS unit is malfunctioning or incorrectly installed, the mariner may not be aware of the position of a virtual aid to navigation, or may receive incorrect data.
In addition, users will not be able to fully utilise AIS aid to navigation functionality if there is no ECDIS or Radar overlay. Care must be taken where AIS is overlaid on Radar or ECDIS, as some manufacturers have chosen only to overlay ship messages.
Case Study: virtual buoys in the English Channel
On 15 January , the MV Ice Prince foundered 26 miles off Portland Bill at the entrance to the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) off Les Casquets, after losing more than 2,000 tonnes of its timber cargo. Although the wreck lay on the United Kingdom side of the median line, the area was within the French Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) coverage area of Joborg traffic.
On 17 January, ILV Granuaile commenced guard vessel duties 0.6 nautical miles north east of the wreck. The following precautions were put in place for mariners to indicate the wreck&#;s position:
On 18 January, four virtual buoys were deployed: two east cardinals, one south cardinal and one isolated danger mark. The virtual buoys marked the wreck using the French Coastguard&#;s AIS base station network.
In this case, there were many accent and language barrier issues; some vessels still headed straight for the exclusion zone even after stating to Joborg traffic that they were aware of the position of the wreck.
The virtual buoys were useful because they:
conditions could have an effect on range. Virtual aids to navigation systems can be vulnerable to intentional and unintentional interference or inaccuracies. For example, if a vessel&#;s AIS unit is malfunctioning or incorrectly installed, the mariner may not be aware of the position of a virtual aid to navigation, or may receive incorrect data.
In addition, users will not be able to fully utilise AIS aid to navigation functionality if there is no ECDIS or Radar overlay. Care must be taken where AIS is overlaid on Radar or ECDIS, as some manufacturers have chosen only to overlay ship messages.
Case Study: virtual buoys in the English Channel
On 15 January , the MV Ice Prince foundered 26 miles off Portland Bill at the entrance to the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) off Les Casquets, after losing more than 2,000 tonnes of its timber cargo. Although the wreck lay on the United Kingdom side of the median line, the area was within the French Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) coverage area of Joborg traffic.
On 17 January, ILV Granuaile commenced guard vessel duties 0.6 nautical miles north east of the wreck. The following precautions were put in place for mariners to indicate the wreck&#;s position:
On 18 January, four virtual buoys were deployed: two east cardinals, one south cardinal and one isolated danger mark. The virtual buoys marked the wreck using the French Coastguard&#;s AIS base station network.
In this case, there were many accent and language barrier issues; some vessels still headed straight for the exclusion zone even after stating to Joborg traffic that they were aware of the position of the wreck.
The virtual buoys were useful because they:
For more information, please visit marine navigational aids manufacturer.