A Vision for Visual & Electronic Aids to Navigation (AtoN) for Africa ANTHONY PARKER STEVE NELL

1. A Vision for Visual & Electronic Aids to Navigation (AtoN) for Africa ANTHONY PARKER STEVE NELL Swakopmund, Namibia 2011

2. Welcome to the World of“Innovation not Imitation”

3. Aids to Marine Navigation • World leader in Aids to Navigation • Over 1000 port and coastal AtoN systems delivered worldwide • Over 50 years in business starting as supplier to offshore oil industry • Members of IALA, IAPH, UKHMA, RTCM, IEC, CIRM, and NAM • Products include: • Lighted Beacons and Floating Aids • Radio Aids and AIS AtoN • Audible Aids • Power Sources • Support Structures • Remote Monitor & Control • Services • Installation • Maintenance • Consultancy

4. Global Presence Dubai, UAE Burgess Hill, UK Dabbrook, UK Ottawa, Canada Shanghai Safe Sea Services, UAE Vancouver, Canada HQ Houston, USA Singapore Lafayette, USA 10 Global Offices 125 Employees World Wide

5. Marine Data Solutions (MDSol) MDSol assists Maritime Authorities and Associated Industries to achieve their desired business objectives through the provision, maintenance and support of World Class Maritime Technology Solutions, such as Domain Awareness, Management Information Systems, Software Solutions, Docking Aid Systems, Aids to Navigation and Maritime Simulators

6. Part of the Marine Community International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) International Harbour Masters' Association (IHMA) Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services (RTCM) COMITE INTERNATIONAL RADIO-MARITIME (CIRM)The International Association for Marine Electronics Companies British Marine Industries Federation (BMEA) Commission Electrotechnique Internationale (IEC)International Electrotechnical Commission

7. Equipment Certifications http://www.tidelandsignal.com/web/html/certification-CD.htm

8. Safe Sea Services • Tideland offers installation and maintenance of its products and all other manufacturers’ products through its Safe Sea Services company. Services include; • Surveys • Installation of AtoN equipment • Deployment of buoys and other floating aids • Commissioning of fixed and floating aids • Design and maintenance of mooring systems • Risk Assessment • Training • Programs are flexible, provide cost effective AtoN maintenance and are tailored to the needs of the client.

9. A Vision for Visual & Electronic Aids to Navigation (AtoN) for Africa Swakopmund, Namibia 2011

10. Background Since 1980s • Increases in the safety of marine navigation. • Advances in electronic technology carried on SOLAS ships. • e.g. GNSS, Radar, AIS, ECDIS • Advances in visual AtoN technology • e.g. Solar power packs, LED, self-coloured polyethylene

11. Introduction The presentation considers: • The impact of technology on AtoN. • Absolute/Minimum Effective Range • Atmospheric Transmissivity @T=0.74 • How these requirements can be used to specify AtoN. • How developments in technology can enhance AtoN efficiency.

12. Means of Navigation Open Sea Navigation • Primary: GNSS • Back-up: mariners will always want a means to fall-back on Navigation in Coastal/Confined Waters • Primary: visual AtoN • Back-up: GNSS & Radar Note: GNSS is vulnerable to extra-terrestrial and man-made interference.

13. Key Words/Phrases II • The presentation examines the key words/phrases: • Identifies DTV(Day time visibility) and A/MER (Absolute/Minimum Effective Range) requirements as subjective judgements best made with local knowledge. • Identifies Nominal Light Range as a means of using A/MER requirements to develop a specifiable light range. • Highlights the irrelevance of specifying Focal Plane Heights when the required Geographic Range is less than 5 nm. • Offers estimates of DTV and A/MER requirements for consideration in the following situations:

14. Key Words/Phrases III Coastal Waters The Approaches to confined waters • Fairway Buoys • Channel Entrance Buoys • Harbour Entrance Lateral Marks Within Ports and Harbours • Channel Buoys • Harbour Entrance Lateral Marks • Points of Navigational significance • Other AtoN requirements

15. Factors Determining AtoN Size • Local Environment • Sea conditions, Depth, Current, Wind Speed • What is the “must see range”? • Daytime = DTV • Night-time = A/MER

16. DTV – Day Time Visibility III

17. Geographical Light Range I • A/MER of an AtoN = its Geographical Light Range • Limited by: • curvature of the earth • elevation of the light • observer’s height of eye • refraction of the atmosphere

18. Geographical Light Range II

19. Geographical Light Range III • Suitable lights can be visible at 5nm at heights of eye above 1-2m! • Therefore, for “must see” ranges up to 5 nm – it is generally unnecessary to specify the FPH for a buoy.

20. Nominal Light Range Definition • Luminous light range when: • Meteorological visibility = 10nm • Transmissivity Factor, T =0.74 Note: Background Lighting (Factor) is not accounted for.

21. DTV & A/MER Requirements I Coastal Waters • Primary: GNSS • Secondary: Position fixing by ship-borne Radar plus 5nm lightrange to assist point to point navigation • National Authorities may consider up to 16nm nominal light range • Geographical considerations • Traffic concentrations

22. DTV & A/MER Requirements II Approaches to Confined Waters with Fairway Buoy (FWB) • Primary will be visual with 1.5-2.0nm light from Fairway Buoy • Secondary: Parallel Index Lines, plus GNSS Waypoint, plus Racon trace, plus AIS AtoN • Speed: time to detect FWB • 6 kt = 15-20 min. • 12 kt = 7-10 min. • 30 kt (HSC) = 4 min.

23. DTV & A/MER Requirements III Approaches to Confined Waters without Fairway Buoy (FWB) • Primary: will be visual with either 1.5-2.0nm light from Channel Entrance Marker Buoys or Harbour Entrance Lateral Marks • Secondary: Parallel Index Lines, plus GNSS Waypoint, plus Racon trace, plus AIS AtoN

24. DTV & A/MER Requirements IV Within Ports and Harbours ~ Channel Buoys • By day it should be possible to see two lateral buoy pairs at the same time • For example, with 1nm DTV buoys spaced at 750m intervals. • By night it should be possible to see three pairs of buoy lights. • For example, with 1.25nm A/MER lights on the same buoys.

25. Background Lighting II Where exactly is the channel?

26. Background Lighting III

27. Background Lighting IV Background Lighting • Ambient light levels reduce effective intensity of AtoN lights • Plays a key role in conversion to/from Nominal Light Range • Multiplication Factor • Defined in IALA Publication • Specific locations will reduce effective intensity of individual AtoN when viewed from different locations/height of eye • Increasing the intensity may not be the answer! • Alternative solutions are being developed • Back-ups and alternatives are required              • Enhanced navigation/E-nav is recommended • A strong visual reference against extreme background lighting • Within IALA recommendations • 3-5Nm Range • Symbolic Value • Easy to maintain • Already used in Barcelona and Valencia Ports

28. Meeting AtoN Requirements I Technological advances • Promote an overall reduction in costs. • The use of DTV and A/MER as the primary consideration make the specification of buoy diameter and FPH irrelevant! • Floating AtoN • Polyethylene Buoys, Solar Power Packs, LED • Fixed AtoN • Solar Power Packs, LED

29. Meeting AtoN Requirements II Floating AtoN: Polyethylene Buoys • 20 year service life • Low maintenance • 30-50% less expensive through life, compared to steel • Self-coloured/UV Stabilised/High visibility • Resilient to glancing impact • Maintenance /repair carried out in situ • Oversized mooring kits allow longer maintenance intervals • Lighter weight than steel: • Less expensive to transport • Less expensive to handle • Less expensive to deploy/recover • Less expensive to maintain

30. Meeting AtoN Requirements III Light Sources: LED • Increasing intensity with reduced power consumption • 6nm for less than 4W or 10nm for less than 9W! • Increased maintenance intervals • Vertical Divergences up to 20° for Floating AtoN! • Ranges up to 16nm as standard, including for Rotating Beacons • Drop in retrofit and replacement

31. Meeting AtoN Requirements IV Micro-processor Electronic Control and Monitoring • >256 pre-programmed Flash Characters • GPS Synchronisation • Built In Test Equipment (BITE) • Remote Monitoring • Mesh Networks • Satellite Remote Monitoring (SRM) • AIS AtoN • Ship: AtoN e-Visibility • Shore: Positional & Functionality checks • Racon • -50 dBm sensitivity • Proportional Scaling • Radar Target Enhancer

32. Conclusions Conclusions • Visual AtoN retain a primary role for navigation in confined waters • Visual AtoN have a secondary role in open sea navigation and selected coastal navigation • Advances in technology support a user-focused approach: • Buoy diameter and Focal Plane Height are no longer relevant • DTV and A/MER should be used to specify AtoN • Proposals in this presentation are generalised and subjective. • AtoN providers should consider them in their local context. • Advances in technology offer considerable scope for improved AtoN capability, as well as, extending maintenance intervals (↓ cost!)

33. Recommendations Recommendations • It is recommended that AtoN providers consider a user-focused approach when specifying both the essential and optional extra AtoN equipment.

34. A Vision for Visual & Electronic Aids to Navigation (AtoN) for Africa THANK YOU Swakopmund, Namibia 2011