Marine Engineering Progress in 1997
The engine console, boiler/turbine local control panel of the simulator are almost same as those of the real ship. Also the CRT monitoring and operation function have the same display screens as the real ship. In order to improve sense of attendance at the real ship, simulated sound generator is provided.
12.2 Fleet support system
In order to achieve ISM (International Safety Management) code effectively, development of the fleet support system is in progress recently. The system aims at safety and efficiency of navigation by total management from ship/shore. In this system, various kinds of information in the ship are integrated using shipboard local area network (LAN), which are sent to shore office via satellite communication, in order to obtain support from shore office based on these transmitted data.
Norway has been developing IT Project (Information Technology in Ship Operation) and built 2 demonstration ships in 1996 and 1997 at Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. These ships are the open hatch bulkcarriers owned by Leif Hoegh & Co., ASA, Dead weight is about 56,700 tons. In these ships, machinery monitoring system, ballast system, integrated bridge system (IBS), shipboard administration system are installed and they are linked by integrated communication system. The communication protocol is MITS developed by Norway.
Taiyo Electric Co., Ltd. delivered ship-shore communication system to two large sized container ships of NYK LINE built at IHI. This system applies FLEET MASTER (Kongsberg Norcontrol). Various data handled by DATA CHIEF 2000 alarm monitoring system are sent from ship to shore office via INMARSAT upon request message from shore office manager. Messages are sent from shore office communication computer to ship. After receiving them, data are sampled, field, and sent back to shore office automatically. Time between request to data reception is about 2 seconds depending on data rate of INMARSAT. Shore office computer for the system display has same display software as DATA CHIEF 2000 and can display the same condition as in the ship.
12.3 Navigation equipment
Furuno Electric Co., Ltd. began sale of beacon receiver for DGPS correction data. As Japan Maritime Safety Agency planned to operate 13 transmission stations of DGPS correction data stations from 1997, and 14 stations from 1998 (total 27 stations), DGPS service will be availablee in all Japanese coastal area after then. Positioning accuracy will be improved ten times compared with existing GPS.
TOKIMEC Inc. began sale of 17-inch radar, which can indicate DAC (dangerous area of collision), in addition to ordinary vector display and has near target discrimination function. TOKIMEC also adopted navigation zone danger display for collision avoidance aids of IBS.
Furuno Electric Co., Ltd. began sale of the compact radar using new small sized antenna. The outer diameter of antenna is 43 cm. Furuno also sold radar with simplified ARPA and new antenna.
12.4 Other system
Asahi Mechatronic Corp. began sale of new analogue addressable fire detection system which can monitor fire outbreak location, flow of smoke and monitor/control emergency doors using CRT graphic display.
Furuno Electric Co., Ltd. began sale of small size magnetic azimuth sensor and small size color current meter etc.
Bibliography
1) The Motor Ship September, 1997 [Takao SATO]
13. Electric Equipment and System
13.1 Summary
The technology of the ship electrical installations seems to keep a complete level, accordingly there is scarcely any remarkable developments or new products in the year 1997.
From last year on, applications of the electric propulsion system, realization of small size, distributed control and high performance system for the generator control and electric power management and development of a circuit-breaker for low voltage system with higher short-circuit breaking capacity which is required in order to comply with increase of onboard ship electric power are noted as topics in 1997.
In the regulation, SOLAS has been amended with regard to continuous electric supply from the point of view that a black out during navigation causes to serious accident by tripping propulsion equipment and steering gear, and shall apply to ships constructed on or after 1 July 1998.
13.2 Power supply and Equipment
13.2.1 Electric propulsion system
Many electric propulsion systems in Japan have been installed for the passenger ships, the special purpose ships such as observation ship and survey ship, which have such characteristics as "superior maneuverability", "low noise and low vibration", "high responsibility and redundancy", "maintenanceless", "easing arrangement of equipment", etc.
