Uzushio Electric Co., Ltd. is promoting two kinds of aboard- ashore communication systems. They comprise U-MICS-E for oceangoing vessels and Marine Mail for coasting vessels, both available since April 2000. They are already mounted on many vessels and have won high appreciation of their users.

　Main functions of Uzushio's aboard-ashore communication systems include 1) periodic communication of the vessel's position and movements, 2) information on movements, 3) information on operation, and 4) e- mailing.

　The operating principles of these ship operation management systems are summarized below.

　First the function of periodic communication of each vessel's position and movements automatically works to transmit the vessel's position determined by GPS to the shipping company on shore at regular times every day. At the shipping company's office on shore, the received data are displayed on an electronic chart on the personal computer. The items of displayed data include the vessel's name, position, running speed, sailing direction and scheduled time of arrival at the destination.

　Then, as movements information, the operation schedule planned by the office ashore is transmitted to the vessel, which is operated in accordance with the received schedule.

　Then, actual time data on the port arrival/departure time and cargo handling start/end time anticipated at the moment are automatically transmitted to the shipping company office on shore as movements information.

　This flow of information enables the fleet managing department of the shipping company to manage its tonnage in accordance with an efficient fleet operation program.

　Uzushio Electric has also made available a WWW server and an e- mail server.

　E-mails and data transmitted from ships to the office ashore and vice versa are connected to the Internet via these servers. Any section in the shipping line office can access ships' movements information via its Internet-connected equipment.

　In addition, Uzushio Electric has also launched operation as an application service provider (ASP).

　As the basic framework of documents including the movements report, the chief engineer's log book and the ship's log book remain stored in ASP's server, only the data part is transmitted and received in a compressed form during routine aboard/ashore communication, and the fee charged for satellite communication is reduced correspondingly.

Address:1520 Kuo, Onishi-cho, Ochi-gun, Ehime 799-2294

Tel:+81-898-53-6111　Fax:+81-898-53-2266

URL:http://www.uzushio.co.jp