The concept of a Novel based navigation network, funded by the ARIADNA project, could be essential in paving Europe’s future in Maritime Navigation.
With the majority of goods travelling to their destination by sea, it goes without saying that the concept of a novel satellite-based navigation network is of imperative importance to Europe.
Through the EU-funded ARIADNA project, position data is combined with information on the relative position of other vessels. This occurs through what is known as the “volumetric navigation system”or VNS, for maritime and inland navigation. As a result, all vessels share information and in the process form part of a collaborative navigation network with the aim of ensuring maritime safety as well as increasing the efficiency of European parts. Furthermore the provision of warnings and manoeuvring support to avoid collision followed by warning assessments to vessels approaching ports are assured. This will come into force through the use of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology.
In effect, the system safely guides all parties interacting within the navigation network. In this way collisions and also groundings can be avoided as can be seen in the strait of Gibraltar exercise. Here the benefit of transmitting the ship size, tonnage and speed of each ship to other vessels and infrastructure in the area was demonstrated. Moreover it helped to disseminate the potential of the project to port authority experts, who gathered to witness the demonstration.
Whilst the concept of a novel satellite-based navigation network shows much potential, many, including project manager Carlos de la Cuesta, believe that the technology provided is not mature enough and hence further research is required. As a result only time will tell whether or not such an innovative project will be put into action.
For more information visit:
http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_15_02_18_en.html?infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=33996
