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ECDIS & Navigation

“

We pilots need more than just ECDIS.

That’s why we take our PPUs onboard

Simon Pelletier, President,

the International Marine Pilot’s Association
”

by the parent application, the app development can focus on

speciic functionalities.
The aviation industry has already established this concept

in the form of ‘Electronic Flight Bags’ which use a parent app
Mr that allows inclusion of function-speciic apps requiring less

Bergmann.type approval.
Simon Pelletier, “With a focus on human-centred design, these systems

President of the Internationalseamlessly allow for both easy switching between apps and
Marine Pilot’s Association, said exchange of information. Users can also download and install

there was clearly a demand from thenew apps as they are launched,” said Mr Bergmann.
industry for a new approach to e-Navigation One success factor for apps is the ready availability of both

solutions which had not yet been met.static data with slow update cycles, such as ENCs and digital
publications, and situational information with quick update cycles
He said the lack of functionality within the current
suite of ECDIS software had encouraged pilots to look for such as weather or tidal information, tailored to speciic needs.

solutions in Portable Pilot Units (PPUs) – essentially laptops Another beneit of the app concept is a reduction of data
running navigational support software.density, as the information can be distributed over several

“We pilots need more than just ECDIS. That’s why we take app screens.
our PPUs onboard,” he said.The benefits that the app concept could bring to users

“They provide us with data on shoals and water levelsare only limited by the developer’s creativity and since they
in real time. If there is a shoal in the channel an hour after a tend to be easy to use, apps could even play a supporting

survey is conducted, we receive the information superimposed role in navigational training, said Alexey Pirozhnikov,
on our chart. This is valuable information for us that ECDIS just Director of Software Engineering and Marine Technology

doesn’t provide.”Services at C-MAP.
In addition to functionality beneits, the cost of app “More and more focus is put on the usability of applications,

development, should also be considered. Geir Ståle Tennfjord, which is also an important aspect of e-Navigation. Lightweight

Product Manager at Vard, said: “At the moment there’s aand easy-to-use apps not only solve tasks eficiently, but also
big focus on cost reduction, and application development is help to save on staff training and familiarisation.”

very pricey. To share applications across different ships and A vital aspect of e-Navigation, according to Mr Pirozhnikov,
suppliers and reduce the integration cost would be very useful is how to deliver the intelligence within the information and

to that end.he predicts that in future, e-Navigation will focus more on
Mr Tennfjord also hinted at the potential of a maritime applications and services relying on extensive data exchange.

app store – a portal where different suppliers offer new “The integration of bridge systems along with faster data
information and navigation systems.rates and a growing number of sensors will increase onboard

“I think users don’t ask for this because they don’t think it’s connectivity. In ship-shore connectivity, higher bandwidth
possible. But if we make it possible, I think it will be a success. channels will allow for more extensive data exchange, which

Of course, the industry will have to collaborate and also focus in turn will improve ship and leet logistics as well as real-time

on safety and security, but in turn the platform will open up for voyage optimisation. As a result, increased real-time data will
creativity, new information, services and applications.”help to improve operations.” u

If correctly implemented, new apps can be easily added
or changed without affecting the rest of the system and as

a large number of basic functionalities are already handledSource: e-Navigation in app mode, www.i3magazine.net

Issue 69 2016 | The Ship Supplier | 31