I. Current Aids to Navigation and their Improvement
For ships to navigate safely and efficiently, they must be able to verify their own position at all times, avoid dangerous hazards, and determine safe courses. Aids to navigation are essential indicators for this.
1. Visual Aids to Navigation
Visual aids to navigation indicate positions, sea routes, and the location of obstacles, through the use of lights, markers, and colors.
In FY 1995, JMSA installed 75 new visual aids to navigation and improved or repaired 429 existing ones. In addition, it rebuilt three that were damaged by the Great Hanshin-Awaji Island Earthquake.
During FY 1996, JMSA is installing 65 new visual aids to navigation and improving or repairing 485 existing ones.
2. Radio Aids to Navigation
Radio aids to navigation use radio waves to provide positional and directional information. They have the advantage of being able to be used over a broad sea area and not being affected by the weather. Of the various radio aids to navigation, wide area radionavigation systems such as Omega, LORAN A, LORAN C, and DECCA expedite the determination of ship position when ships cannot visually confirm coastlines or lighthouses because they are on the open sea or because of poor visibility. In addition, radio beacon stations including micro wave beacon stations indicate the direction of key target points or the existence of obstacles when ships are passing through coastal waters.
In FY 1995, JMSA began the installation and establishment of the new differential GPS. In addition, it improved or repaired 45 existing radio aids to navigation.
During FY 1996, it is improving or repairing 49 existing radio aids to navigation and continuing with the establishment of the differential GPS.
3. Audible Aids to Navigation
Audible aids to navigation use sound to identify the location of lighthouses or other aids. Major lighthouses and other aids to navigation located along the coasts of Hokkaido, the Sanriku district, and other areas with heavy fog or snowstorms are equipped with audible aids to navigation. They serve to identify the location of lighthouses or other aids to navigation to ships at sea that cannot visually discern coastlines and lighthouse beacons due to poor visibility.
