New Sensor Technology Integration for safe and efficient e-Navigation

This paper discusses the relation of new sensor technology on bridge resource management as pertaining to the integration of new information sources and types for ship navigation in a future e-Navigation environment. An overview of several new technologies will be provided showing how systems and devices currently available in the commercial marketplace are being adapted and used to aid ship navigation planning and decision making. Examples include live Doppler radar useful for coastal navigation available from land-based sources through broadband Internet connections, imagery from unmanned aerial vehicles to aid in ice-navigation in, and forward-looking sonar for navigating in poorly charted, uncharted and other world regions where aids to navigation are not readily available. The use of such innovative methods are not yet covered in IMO Guidelines, as e.g., for Voyage Planning, the Procedures Manual of a ship’s Safety Management System or any other document to illustrate the adoption of such technology, but needs to be considered and investigated. However, the implications of introducing such new information sources in terms of bridge watchstander (Officer of the Watch - OOW) workload and training are discussed with respect to existing guidelines and regulations. Further illustration is provided in the context of how such new information sources may be integrated with existing resources to enhance overall navigation situational awareness. This includes the information itself as well as the means and methods used to interact with the OOW in terms of bridge displays, monitors and alarms. Selected specific details of research efforts currently underway will be provided in terms of forward-looking sonar integration into the bridge environment and navigation processes. This will include results obtained from experimental studies in the laboratory as well as on a suitably equipped research vessel test bed. A description of achievements accomplished to date will be provided in terms of tasks performed; the processes and procedures employed to acquire, manage and evaluate these tasks; preliminary results and outcomes achieved; and metrics used to measure these outcomes in terms of determining whether the research goals are achievable. Comparisons between expectations and actual results will be discussed, along with an analysis of risks encountered. Lessons learned are documented regarding errors in input, process, product and/or metrics

FORSCHUNGSHAFEN ROSTOCK – MARITIMER KRISTALLISATIONSPUNKT FÜR FORSCHUNGS-, ENTWICKLUNGS- UND DEMONSTRATIONSVORHABEN MIT GNSS BEZUG

Der Beitrag gibt einen Überblick über das gegenwärtige Nutzungspotential des Forschungshafens und zeigt exemplarisch auf, wie neue GNSS Systeme sowie Ergänzungssysteme für Entwicklungen zur modernen Schiffsführung genutzt werden könne

Team training in safety and security via simulation: a practical dimension of maritime education and training

In the rather extended maritime domain, a term that should be the epicentre of any successful careerbuilding path is tailor-made training via cutting-edge simulators. To cut a long story short, the breadth of operations on the various types of ships has expanded to such a large extent that extensive practical training drills are becoming a compelling need to contribute to competent seafarers. This type of training can guarantee the positive outcome in their decision-making process and help the seafarers often being under continuous pressure, to suitably respond to the various safety and security threats on-board a vessel. The several conventions and codes introduced by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) – including MARPOL (International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships), SOLAS (International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea), but moreover ISPS Code (International Ship and Port Facility Security Code) and STCW (Standards of Training Certification and Watch-keeping) being probably the most well-known examples both within and outside the maritime community – posing and requesting significant performance demands on crews. Sophisticated simulation series that promote teamwork and cooperation are the tools urgently needed to maximize training efficacy. Handling safety situations under stress (emergency response), crisis management and reactions towards a security incident are important aspects of Maritime Education and Training (MET). The authors’ approach to address those aspects utilizes enhanced simulation based team training. They argue that an effective way to gain experience and achieve corresponding skills, are practice runs on specially designed simulators that realistically represent complex conditions on-board vessels, following the respective prompts though realistic scenarios. The concept of a safety & security training simulator is introduced; the research work related to the implementation of a learning objective oriented development of simulation training scenarios and the pedagogic value added by simulation to MET are also discussed. A very important recommendation is that maritime training needs should not be regarded simply as a means to achieve regulatory compliance. The value imparted by simulation as a pedagogic tool to the maritime teaching and learning process is tremendous; adopting the learning objective oriented development of simulation training scenarios in order to effectively address pre-identified learning outcomes is the right methodology to nurture competent seafarers

Abhängigkeit der Exposition von der Zellgröße beim Mobilfunk unter Gewährleistung der Versorgung

In dieser Arbeit wird der Einfluss der Zellgröße beim Mobilfunk auf die Exposition gegenüber elektromagnetischen Feldern untersucht. Die Ermittlung der Exposition erfolgt im Rahmen einer Funknetzplanung. In einem neuartigen Ansatz wird hierbei die Funkfelddämpfung für die Versorgung von der Funkfelddämpfung für die Exposition differenziert. Das entwickelte Modell wird auf verschiedene Wellenausbreitungsmodelle und Zellstrukturen angewandt und die Resultate diskutiert

Extending an open source BPEL engine for multi-tenancy support

WS-BPEL is the de-facto standard for orchestrating Web services into business processes. Workflow engines can execute WS-BPEL processes. Furthermore, workflow engines handle the communication with external service partners providing the Web services. One future goal is to achieve tenant-aware Web services and thereby tenant-aware workflow engines to handle Web services. These tenant-aware Web services are specifically configured for the tenants, and the tenant-aware engines are able to configure such a process instance and offer them on a per-tenant basis. This reduces provider costs and efforts. The goal of this diploma thesis is to describe how workflow engines can support multitenancy, especially in the area of communication, and how this is of advantage for providers who offer their services over the Web using such a workflow engine. The providers should be able to offer tenant specific instances of applications on one workflow engine. In this diploma thesis, a concept to extend a workflow engine to handle a tenant context is developed. It is therefore an extension of the workflow engine in the area of communication. The concept is implemented by extending the open source WS-BPEL engine OW2 Orchestra

Radio network planning and human exposure to electromagnetic fields

This paper analyzes the effect of a change in cell size and of transmit power control on the human exposure to electromagnetic fields. In a simplified network configuration the well accepted COST-Hata model is considered to assess the path loss. It is shown that increasing the base station density will not generally raise the exposure but can rather help to lower it significantly. The exposure due to base stations is hardly affected by allowing a transmit power reduction at the base station for individual links. In contrast to this, it is demonstrated that transmit power control at the mobile station is a helpful means to lower the exposure efficiently

From Titanic to Costa Concordia—a century of lessons not learned

The recent foundering of the Costa Concordia in January 2012 demonstrated that accidents can occur even with ships that are considered masterpieces of modern technology and despite more than 100 years of regulatory and technological progress in maritime safety. The purpose of this paper is, however, not to speculate about the concrete causes of the Costa Concordia accident, but rather to consider some human and organizational factors that were present in the Costa Concordia accident as well as in the foundering of the Titanic a century ago, and which can be found in many other maritime accidents over the years. The paper argues that these factors do not work in isolation but in combination and often together with other underlying factors. The paper critically reviews the focus of maritime accident investigations and points out that these factors do not receive sufficient attention. It is argued that the widespread confidence in the efficacy of new or improved technical regulations, that characterizes the recommendations from most maritime accident investigations, has led to a lack of awareness of complex interactions of factors and components in socio-technical systems. If maritime safety is to be sustainably improved, a systemic focus must be adopted in future accident investigations

Discussion of stern-first-method in ship handling for ship operation, education & training using fast time simulation

Some port approaches require challenging manoeuvring strategies for arrival and departure, specifically under heavy wind and current conditions. In recent papers a discussion of the “Stern-First-Method” SFM was started suggesting that it would be beneficial to go astern into the harbour instead of the conventional bow first method. In this paper the SAMMON software for “Simulation Augmented Manoeuvring Design, Monitoring & Conning” will be used to analyse this SFM for challenging scenarios to provide insights into the potential benefits of this methods. This software is based on the innovative “Rapid Advanced Prediction & Interface Technology” (RAPIT) to simulate the ships motion with complex dynamic math models and to display the ships’ future track immediately based on Fast Time Simulation in an Electronic Navigational Chart for any rudder, thruster or engine manoeuvre planned by the navigator. The SAMMON system has been developed and matured over years, and promising experiences were made at the Maritime Simulation Centre Warnemuende MSCW and other centres. Currently, specifically the use of the SAMMON Manoeuvring Planning tool will be an element of the transfer of knowledge within the current ERASMUS+ project EURO-ZA between the partners from Europe South Africa. The benefits for increasing the effectiveness of lecturing and simulator training have been proven in previous publications and will be made visible in this paper by using simulator ships both twin screw and azimuth propulsion for discussion of the SFM manoeuvring strategies.Peer Reviewe