Connectivity

UK-based union Nautilus has backed calls for crew internet, data and satellite calls to be made free for three months to cover the peak infection period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nautilus 24/7 provider ISWAN, on behalf of Nautilus and other trade unions, seafaring charities, the UK Chamber of Shipping and international maritime medical experts, have urgently requested global satellite provider Inmarsat and shipboard high-speed internet solutions provider KVH Industries to enable free calls. In separate letters to the service providers, ISWAN executive director Roger Harris asked Inmarsat to grant additional free data and free satellite calls, and for KVH Industries to grant additional free data and free satellite calls for seafarers aboard vessels on international voyages for the next three months: Seafarers on board vessels are being badly affected, often unable to leave their ship because of port state and other restrictions. They are having to stay on board for a lot longer than they signed up for and are being prevented from going ashore. Many seafarers are also stranded and unable to return to their home countries. Mr Harris said communication back home is the 'number one welfare concern of seafarers, and the link with home has become even...

Knowing exactly where you’re sailing and where to sail next is the most important part of a vessel’s navigation which can be accomplished by the use of GPS. Yet, what happens when your GPS gets spoofed? GPS spoofing, often leading to GPS outages, causes major disruptions to the shipping industry impacting safe navigation, leading to paralyzed shipping lanes, collisions and untraceable attacks.

GPS spoofing is a common incident nowadays, with the People's Republic of China reporting that in 2019 there was a number of GPS spoofing incidents in and around coastal areas and ports. In light of the dangers and challenges of GPS spoofing, the Club alerts all stakeholders to take precautions if experiencing jamming, or spoofing.

Navigation relies heavily to the Global Positioning System. This is because it is easy to use, accurate and reliable. However, GPS signals can be compromised by both natural and human sources. If that happens it can lead to inaccurate data or complete loss of GPS signal, North P&I Club informs.

Luckily, modern shipping has GMDSS to rely on in case of an emergency onboard.

NYK Line, MTI Co. Ltd., Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, and NTT DATA Corporation have successfully conducted a proof-of-concept experiment for a next-generation onboard IoT platform. The test was held aboard 'Hidaka', a domestic coastal vessel owned and operated by Kinkai Yusen Kaisha Ltd. of NYK Group.

Knowing exactly where we are at each time is a key component of safe navigation and the use of GPS and ECDIS provide this capability nowadays, but the continuing trend to rely solely on this means of navigation rather than to cross-check with other independent and reliable navigation techniques introduces a significant risk, CHIRP notes.

The IMO's Sub-Committee on Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue is taking place, having begun from January 15 until the 24th, continuing its ongoing work to review the GMDSS requirements, to enable the use of modern communication systems in the GMDSS, while removing requirements to carry obsolete systems.

AMSA informed that on 1 July 2020 it will discontinue its Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) service. The increased accuracy of GPS and introduction of other global positioning constellations, such as GLONASS, GALILEO and Beidou, mean that AMSA’s DGPS service is no longer needed.

Ships have reported an increasing number of cases of significant GPS interference and jamming in recent months. The geographic areas with more than one reported incident include the eastern and central Mediterranean Sea, the Persian Gulf, and multiple Chinese ports.