ELECTRONC NAVGATON

Electronic Navigational Devices on Ship

Prepared by: smail KARACA Halit Arda BRGL

www.marineinsight.com

Electronic Navigational Devices on Ship

Gone are the days when a ship navigation

officer had to take help of unconventional
ways to plan and navigate a voyage at sea.
Today, a ship officer has myriad of marine
navigation equipment which makes his life a
lot simpler, thanks to the advancement in
technology. Moreover, present day seafarers
are trained so as to know the functioning and
operation of all modern day navigational
equipment that have made the journey at
sea smoother and safer.

Electronic Navigational Devices on Ship

With modern day facilities and automation,

a ship today has several advanced
navigation equipment systems which give
accurate data for the voyage.
Herein, we have enlisted 30 types of
navigational equipment, both old and new,
which are present on all merchant ships.

1.

Gyro Compass

A gyrocompass is a type of non-magnetic

compass which is based on a fast-spinning
disc and rotation of the Earth (or another
planetary body if used elsewhere in the
universe) to automatically find geographical
direction. Although one important component
of a gyrocompass is a gyroscope, these are
not the same devices; a gyrocompass is built
to use the effect of gyroscopic precession,
which is a distinctive aspect of the general
gyroscopic effect.

1.

Gyro Compass

Gyrocompasses are widely used for navigation

on ships, because they have two significant
advantages over magnetic compasses:

they find true north as determined by Earth's

rotation, which is different from, and
navigationally more useful than, magnetic
north, and
they are unaffected by ferromagnetic materials,
such as ship's steel hull, which change the
magnetic field

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2.

Radar

Marine radars are usually short range

radars that are used by ships to pinpoint
locations about other ships and land in the
area. The frequencies with which these
radars are operated are known as x-band or
s-band frequencies. The x stands for secret,
as the ship radar was mainly a hidden
frequency while used for the purpose of
tracking ship during the Second World War.
The s stands for small range in the second
type.

2.

Radar

Tracking ship devices are compulsory as per

COLREGS (International Regulations for Preventing
Collisions at Sea). COLREGS is a publication that is
published regularly by the International Maritime
Organisation (IMO) to help make marine travel
safe.
With the help of ship radar, accidents can be
prevented in the oceanic area. However, even
while the ships are docked in the port, with the
help of these radars, the coast guard and the
other authorities can use them to monitor the
traffic in the small radar range.

2.

Radar

The ship radar has a screen that displays all

the objects that are present in the
immediate range of the radar. Since all the
objects are clearly visible on the screen,
navigating and monitoring the position of
the ship becomes really feasible.

www.marineinsight.com

3.

Magnetic Compass

The magnetic compass is the most familiar

compass type. It functions as a pointer to
"magnetic north". When the compass is
held level, the needle turns until, after a few
seconds to allow oscillations to die out, it
settles into its equilibrium orientation.

www.flickr.com

4.

Auto Pilot

It is a combination of hydraulic, mechanical,

and electrical system and is used to control
the ships steering system from a remote
location (Navigation bridge).

www.navitron.co.uk

resonanceexecutivecoaching.com

5. Arpa

A marine radar with automatic radar

plotting aid (ARPA) capability can create
tracks using radar contacts. The system can
calculate the tracked object's course, speed
and closest point of approach (CPA), thereby
knowing if there is a danger of collision with
the other ship or landmass.

www.youtube.com

6.

Automatic Tracking Aid

Just like ARPA, automatic tracking aid

displays the information on tracked targets
in graphic and numeric to generate a
planned layout for a safer and collision free
course.

www.michaelbriant.com

7. Speed & Distance Log

Device

The device is used to measure the speed

and the distance traveled by a ship from a
set point. By calculating the same, ETA of
the ship is adjusted or given to the port
authority and agent.

www.nasamarine.com

8. Echo Sounder

Echo sounding is a type of SONAR used to

determine the depth of water by
transmitting sound pulses into water. The
time interval between emission and return
of a pulse is recorded, which is used to
determine the depth of water along with the
speed of sound in water at the time. This
information is then typically used for
navigation purposes or in order to obtain
depths for charting purposes.

www.oicinc.com

9. Electronic Chart Display

Information System(ECDIS)

An Electronic Chart Display & Information

System (ECDIS) is a computer-based
navigation information system that
complies with International Maritime
Organization (IMO) regulations and can be
used as an alternative to paper nautical
charts. IMO refers to similar systems not
meeting the regulations as Electronic Chart
Systems (ECS).

9. Electronic Chart Display

Information System(ECDIS)

An ECDIS system displays the information

from electronic navigational charts (ENC) or
Digital Nautical Charts (DNC) and integrates
position information from position, heading
and speed through water reference systems
and optionally other navigational sensors.
Other sensors which could interface with an
ECDIS are radar, Navtex, automatic
identification systems (AIS), and depth
sounders.

dmtvietnam.com.vn

10. Automatic Identification

system(AIS)

The Automatic Identification System (AIS) is an

automatic tracking system used on ships and
by vessel traffic services (VTS) for identifying
and locating vessels by electronically
exchanging data with other nearby ships, AIS
base stations, and satellites. When satellites
are used to detect AIS signatures then the
term Satellite-AIS (S-AIS) is used. AIS
information supplements marine radar, which
continues to be the primary method of collision
avoidance for water transport.

10. Automatic Identification

system(AIS)

Information provided by AIS equipment, such as unique

identification, position, course, and speed, can be displayed
on a screen or an ECDIS. AIS is intended to assist a vessel's
watchstanding officers and allow maritime authorities to
track and monitor vessel movements. AIS integrates a
standardized VHF transceiver with a positioning system
such as a GPS or LORAN-C receiver, with other electronic
navigation sensors, such as a gyrocompass or rate of turn
indicator. Vessels fitted with AIS transceivers can be
tracked by AIS base stations located along coast lines or,
when out of range of terrestrial networks, through a
growing number of satellites that are fitted with special AIS
receivers which are capable of deconflicting a large number
of signatures.

10. Automatic Identification

system(AIS)

The International Maritime Organization's

International Convention for the Safety of
Life at Sea requires AIS to be fitted aboard
international voyaging ships with gross
tonnage (GT) of 300 or more, and all
passenger ships regardless of size.

en.wikipedia.org

11. Long-range identification

and tracking (LRIT)

LRIT information is provided to Contracting

Governments to the 1974 SOLAS
Convention and Search and rescue services
entitled to receive the information, upon
request, through a system of National,
Regional and Cooperative LRIT Data Centres
using the International LRIT Data Exchange.

http://www.marineinsight.com/

12. Rudder Angle Indicator

Rudder angle indicator, as the name

indicates, provide the angle of the rudder.
The display is provided on bridge to control
the rate of turn and rudder angle of the
ship.

www.nauticexpo.com

13. Voyage Data

Recorder(VDR)

Just like in Airplanes, a ship is also provided

with a black box known as Voyage data
recorder. It is said that the accident rate of
ship is higher than that of an air plane, as
the former is bigger in size and carries
several machineries in a harsh
environment, which makes it extremely
important to have a voyage data recorder
on board.

en.wikipedia.org

14. Rate of turn indicator

It indicates how fast the ship is turning at

steady rate, normally shown as number of
degree turned.

www.marine-data.co.uk

15. GPS Receiver

A Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver

is a display system used to show the ships
location with the help of Global positioning
satellite in the earths orbit.

widatech-alibaba.com

16. Sound Reception

System

This system is required for a ship with fully

enclosed type bridge. It enables the
navigating officer inside the cabin to listen
to the sound signals and fog horn from
other ships.

unicont.com

17. Navigational Lights

The following illustrate the required
navigation lights as described in the
International Regulations for Preventing
Collisions at Sea along with some memory
aids and real world notes.
Every effort has, and is being made to ensure
the accuracy of this information and to
continue to add aditional real world notes and
examples - should you have any comments,
corrections, or suggestions please contact us

safe-skipper.com

18. Ship Whistle

A ships horn is known as whistle and it is

generally provided in duplicate. One is
driven by air and the other is electrically
operated.

www.marineinsight.com

19. Daylight Signaling

Lamp

They are light signaling devices used for

emergency signaling in the day time.

www.ecvv.com

20. Pilot Card

It is an informative booklet provided to the

ships pilot. It consists of the dimension,
draught, turning circle, maneuvering,
propulsion equipment etc. of the vessel for
safe maneuvering.

everluxmaritime.com

21. Voyage Plan

A voyage Plan must be present onboard for

referring past voyage plans or planning a
future voyage.

blog.geogarage.com

22. Forecastle Bell

It is used to mark the presence of the ship

in fog or bad weather and sound the alarm
in case of any emergency.

tugboathunter.wordpress.com

23. Maneuvering Booklet

In this booklet the performance of the

propulsion plant and the ship during
maneuvering in different weathers and
situations is recorded for quick reference.

24. Black Ball Shape

It is a day time signaling shape used to

determine the characteristics of vessel with
different arrangement of ball shapes. For
e.g. a vessel at anchor will show a blackball
at foremost end of the forecastle.

www.smartmarine.co.nz

25. Record of Navigation

Activities

All the navigational activities must be

recorded and kept on board for ready
reference. This is a mandatory and the most
important log book.

www.meetingsinprogress.com

26. Record of Maintenance

of Navigational Equipment

Hard copy of the record must be present

onboard ships for ready reference of port
and regulatory authorities and must be
signed by master and duty officers of the
ship.

epequip.com

27. Wheelhouse Posters

Present in the Navigation bridge, it displays

a detailed information of maneuvering
characteristics of the ship.

www.marineinsight.com/

28. Transmitting Heading

Device

They are used to display the information of

the vessels true heading.

www.zora.ru

29. Black Diamond Shape

When the ship is being towed or when a

vessel is unable to maneuvers on itself, a
black diamond shape is shown during the
day time.

en.wikipedia.org

30. Ship Flags

Various types of ship flags with different

colors and signs are used to indicate a
ships position. Signal flags are they are
commonly known, have been used since the
ancient times and are still used on all
vessels.

www.finemodelships.com/

Referans
Http://www.marineinsight.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/
http://www.e-marineeducation.com/
http://www.marine-ed.org/
http://oceana.org/
http://www.imo.org/
http://www.lr.org/

Thank You for Listening

Thank You for ATENtion