THE MARINE ELECTRONIC HIGHWAY

THE MARINE ELECTRONIC HIGHWAY

AN ECDIS VISION FOR CANADA

A REPORT TO THE ECDIS STEERING COMMITTEE

MARCH 31, 2000

J.D. Pace & Associates Inc. T8080-9-1305

The Marine Electronic Highway

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THE MARINE ELECTRONIC HIGHWAY

AN ECDIS VISION FOR CANADA

March 31, 2000

Submitted to Transport Canada - Marine Safety

11th Floor, Tower “C” 330 Spark Street

Place de Ville Ottawa, Ontario

K1A 0N8

Submitted by J.D. Pace & Associates Inc.

322 Fleet Drive Beaconsfield, Quebec

H9W 2k7



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ECDIS “Vision” Statement

ECDIS will be proactively developed in Canada to:

optimize the use of smart data in an information based “intelligent” marine transportation system to contribute to navigation safety, environmental protection and marine transportation efficiency;

create an effective communication and information management infrastructure capable of delivering accurate, up-to-date and real-time marine information to users;

establish ECDIS technology as the “heart and hub” of an instrument based, people centered, navigation process supported by national regulations.

Emphasize the use of Bridge Resource Management concepts and effective training to ensure mariners derive maximum operational benefit from ECDIS information.

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY __________________________________________________________________ 5



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2. HISTORICAL OVERVIEW _________________________________________________________________ 8

3. INTRODUCTION ________________________________________________________________________ 12

3.1 BACKGROUND ____________________________________________________________________________ 12

3.2 OBJECTIVES ______________________________________________________________________________ 12

3.3 GENERAL ________________________________________________________________________________ 13

4. TECHNOLOGY __________________________________________________________________________ 15

4.1 CYBERTECHNOLOGY AND TRANSPORTATION ______________________________________________________ 15

4.1.1 Cybertechnology and Transportation - Findings _____________________________________________ 16

4.1.2 Cybertrechology and Transportation - Recommendations ______________________________________ 16

4.2 NAVIGATION SIGNAL ________________________________________________________________________ 16

4.2.1 Navigation Signal - Findings _____________________________________________________________ 17

4.2.2 Navigation Signal - Recommendations _____________________________________________________ 17

4.3 INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS __________________________________________________________________ 17

4.3.1 International Standards - Findings ________________________________________________________ 18

4.3.2 International Standards - Recommendations ________________________________________________ 18

4.3.3 Recommendation: The Canadian Hydrographic Service should continue to participate in the ongoing

evolution of ECDIS technical standards and specifications, particularly, as concerns S-57 data. ____________ 18

4.4 ECDIS __________________________________________________________________________________ 18

4.4.1 ECDIS - Findings _____________________________________________________________________ 19

4.5 ECDIS BACK-UP __________________________________________________________________________ 20

4.5.1 ECDIS Back-up - Findings ______________________________________________________________ 20

4.5.2 Finding: Many Canadian stakeholders believe that only another ECDIS can properly back-up ECDIS based

on their desire to maintain full navigational functionality. __________________________________________ 20

4.5.3 ECDIS Back-up - Recommendations _______________________________________________________ 20

4.6 ERGONOMICS _____________________________________________________________________________ 21

4.6.1 Ergonomics - Findings _________________________________________________________________ 21

4.6.2 Ergonomics - Recommendations __________________________________________________________ 21

4.7 PORTABLE ECDIS _________________________________________________________________________ 21

4.7.1 Portable ECDIS - Findings ______________________________________________________________ 22

4.7.2 Portable ECDIS - Recommendations ______________________________________________________ 23

4.8 ELECTRONIC CHART DATA ___________________________________________________________________ 23

4.8.1 Electronic Chart Data - Findings _________________________________________________________ 25

4.8.2 Electronic Chart Data - Recommendations __________________________________________________ 26

4.9 ENC CHART PRICING _______________________________________________________________________ 26

4.9.1 ENC Chart Pricing - Findings ____________________________________________________________ 27

4.9.2 ENC Chart Pricing - Recommendations ____________________________________________________ 27

4.9.3 Recommendation: To stimulate S-57 data sales in Canada alternative pricing options should be investigated

for weekly, monthly, pay-per-use, or pay per cell scenarios. _________________________________________ 27

4.10 ENC CONTENT AND QUALITY ________________________________________________________________ 27

4.10.1 ENC Content and Quality - Findings _____________________________________________________ 28

4.10.2 ENC Content and Quality - Recommendations ______________________________________________ 28

4.11 UNIVERSAL SHIPBORNE AUTOMATED IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS - AIS __________________________________ 29

4.11.1 Universal Shipborne Automated Identification Systems (AIS) - Findings __________________________ 30

4.11.2 Universal Shipborne Automated Identification Systems (AIS) - Recommendations __________________ 30

4.12 THE “I” IN ECDIS ________________________________________________________________________ 31

4.12.1 The “I” in ECDIS - Findings____________________________________________________________ 32

4.12.2 The “I” in ECDIS - Recommendations ____________________________________________________ 32

4.13 VOYAGE DATA RECORDING - VDR ____________________________________________________________ 33

4.13.1 Voyage Data Recording (VDR) - Findings _________________________________________________ 33

4.13.2 Voyage Data Recording (VDR) - Recommendations __________________________________________ 33

4.14 VESSEL TRAFFIC SERVICES - VTS _____________________________________________________________ 33

4.14.1 Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) - Findings ___________________________________________________ 34



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4.14.2 Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) - Recommendations ___________________________________________ 34

5. PEOPLE ________________________________________________________________________________ 34

5.1 PEOPLE ISSUES ____________________________________________________________________________ 34

5.1.1 People - Finding ______________________________________________________________________ 35

5.1.2 People - Recommendation _______________________________________________________________ 35

5.2 CULTURE ________________________________________________________________________________ 35

5.2.1 Culture - Findings _____________________________________________________________________ 36

5.2.2 Culture - Recommendations _____________________________________________________________ 36

5.3 TRAINING ________________________________________________________________________________ 36

5.3.1 Training - Findings ____________________________________________________________________ 37

5.3.2 Training - Recommendations _____________________________________________________________ 37

5.4 HUMAN FACTORS __________________________________________________________________________ 37

5.4.1 Human Factors - Findings ______________________________________________________________ 39

5.4.2 Human Factors - Recommendations _______________________________________________________ 39

6. PROCESS _______________________________________________________________________________ 39

6.1 PROCESS ISSUES ___________________________________________________________________________ 39

6.1.2 Process Issues - Recommendations ________________________________________________________ 41

6.2 BRIDGE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT _____________________________________________________________ 41

6.2.1 Bridge Resource Management (BRM) - Findings _____________________________________________ 42

6.2.2 Bridge Resource Management (BRM) - Recommendations _____________________________________ 42

6.3 NAVIGATION PROCEDURES ___________________________________________________________________ 42

6.3.1 Navigation Procedures - Findings _________________________________________________________ 45

6.4 NAVIGATION PROCEDURES - RECOMMENDATIONS __________________________________________________ 45

6.5 ECDIS REGULATION _______________________________________________________________________ 46

6.5.1 ECDIS Regulation - Findings ____________________________________________________________ 49

6.5.2 ECDIS Regulation - Recommendations _____________________________________________________ 49

6.6 ECDIS VISION IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE _____________________________________________________ 50

7. MARINER’S WORKSHOP - MONTREAL, MARCH 10, 2000 ___________________________________ 51

7.1.1 Mariner’s Workshop - Recommendations ___________________________________________________ 52

8. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS _______________________________________________ 53

8.1 CONCLUSIONS ____________________________________________________________________________ 53

8.2 KEY CHALLENGE; BUILDING ON EXPERIENCE ____________________________________________________ 53

8.3 THE MARINE “ELECTRONIC” HIGHWAY_________________________________________________________ 54

8.4 ECDIS “VISION” STATEMENT ________________________________________________________________ 54

9. REFERENCES ___________________________________________________________________________ 55

10. ANNEX 1 - INTERIM REPORT TO THE ECDIS STEERING COMMITTEE _________________________ 56

11. ANNEX 2 - STAKEHOLDERS CONSULTED ________________________________________________ 63

12. ANNEX 3 - SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS _________________________________________ 64

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY



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In the decade leading up to the year 2000, Canadian marine stakeholders proactively developed electronic charting technologies and pioneered the use of this revolutionary navigation system to improve navigation safety, protect the marine environment and enhance transportation efficiency. Canada played a significant role in the development of international performance standards for this new technology that would eventually become known as ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display Information System). As a result of the early implementation of prototype ECDIS by Canadian shipowners operating in the Great Lakes the true potential of this technology to improve navigation in confined waters during reduced visibility became generally known. The adoption of prototype ECDIS by Canadian shipowners during the 1990’s occurred at a time when the technology was still undergoing rapid technical development. Canadian ECDIS manufacturers were striving to develop their equipment to comply with the international standards and to gain type approval. The Canadian Coast Guard developed a national infrastructure to provide Differentially corrected Global Positioning System (DGPS) signals. The DGPS signal was the enabling technology that allowed ECDIS to display the ships position with high precision in real time. The Canadian Hydrographic Service took on the responsibility to produce electronic vector data charts. This would prove to be a significantly complex technical challenge. At the same time, shipowners and their crews learned how to apply this technology at sea to improve operations. To do this the shipowners implemented a comprehensive training program to teach mariners about ECDIS and a new concept called Bridge Resource Management. During the latter part of the 1990’s the Canadian shipowner’s who made an early investment in prototype ECDIS patiently waited for the CHS to produce electronic chart data which would comply with the international S-57 standard. This would require the original issue Canadian vector data to be upgraded. The shipowners also waited for the prototype ECDIS to be upgraded to IMO compliant, type approved, ECDIS by the manufacturers, to fulfill the terms of their original purchase agreements. Unfortunately, the expected transition from prototype ECDIS to fully IMO compliant ECDIS capable of displaying S-57 data did not occur in Canada before type approved ECDIS became available from international manufacturers. This was compounded by the fact that many prototype ECDIS carried on Canadian vessels were not capable of displaying S-57 data by the time the CHS announced that they needed to discontinue production of the original Canadian vector data for budgetary reasons. By early 1999, Canadian shipowners became concerned that ECDIS technical developments were not keeping pace with international developments. Some Canadian shipowners were confronted by an inability to technically display S-57 data because of the system limitations of some prototype ECDIS at a time when this was the only data that would be available. The shipowner’s problems were subsequently compounded by the announcement that electronic charts would be priced at $80.00 per chart. The pricing strategy announced by the CHS private sector partner Nautical Data International Inc. (NDI) resulted in a major backlash from the shipowners who have yet to purchase S-57 data in any quantity.



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By late 1999, the stakeholders were becoming very concerned that ECDIS development in Canada had stalled and actions needed to be taken to get ECDIS development back on track. This concern was highlighted by the fact that at the time of writing no Canadian flag vessel presently operating in Canadian waters is permananetly fitted with a type approved IMO compliant ECDIS capable of displaying S-57 chart data. (In April of 2000 one Canadian vessel began to sea trial a Transas type-approved ECDIS.) Even the S-57 data has been rejected by many mariners who do not like the “look and feel” of this new generation of data. The ECDIS Steering Committee, comprised of representatives from Transport Canada, Marine Safety and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, including representatives from the Canadian Coast Guard and the Canadian Hydrographic Service undertook to investigate the ECDIS issues that had begun to slow down ECDIS development in Canada. In the course of this investigation a contract was awarded to J.D. Pace & Associates Inc. to perform a literature review and meet with national stakeholders to develop a vision for the future application of ECDIS in Canada and the steps required to achieve such a vision. The stakeholders would also be asked to consider the development of ECDIS regulations in Canada which is of timely concern to Transport Canada. The consultant was also directed to identify the steps required to evolve ECDIS and associated technologies into a new marine transportation infrastructure concept called the Marine “Electronic” Highway. The consultant met with national stakeholders during the month of February 2000. The stakeholders consulted proved to be well informed on ECDIS issues and were very interested in contributing to the ongoing development of ECDIS in Canada. While it was appreciated that there were issues that needed to be resolved to get ECDIS back on track there was significant support for harnessing ECDIS to improve marine transportation performance across Canada. A Mariner’s Workshop was held as part of the national consultation to obtain feedback on the ECDIS issues and comments raised by national stakeholders. The experience gained with electronic charting over the course of a decade in Canada clearly established that, in more than just narrow technical parameters, ECDIS needs to be considered in terms of people and process, as well. While investigating the future of ECDIS it was decided that the Marine “Electronic” Highway would be conceptualized in terms of a balanced approach to people, process and technology issues. Taken together, recommendations developed from the investigation of people, process and technology constitute the strategic plan for transforming ECDIS and associated technologies into the Marine “Electronic” Highway. ECDIS technology is investigated from the perspective of the far reaching impact that information technologies are having not only on transportation but nearly every facet of human endeavor. If ECDIS is developed with a focus on local and autonomous application that is typical of most advanced information technologies the resulting impact will only be localized and incremental improvement to operations. Alternatively,



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ECDIS development may be considered in terms of a more mature application where this new navigation technology integrated with other technologies can greatly improve performance and create new capabilities. This second approach is the focus of the Marine “Electronic” Highway. In Canada, stakeholder experience with ECDIS and the state of technical development of ECDIS in the year 2000 certainly indicates that a system wide application with significant improvements in operational performance is possible. People issues are discussed from the perspective of optimizing the man-machine interface to ensure that human being perform well in the presence of ECDIS technologies. The premise is advanced that new technologies, such as, ECDIS should focus on human performance and be evolved to support the human decision maker and not to replace him or her. The need to support the introduction of new technologies with a change management process to ensure that the mariner understands the purpose of the new technologies is considered key to achieving successful implementation. Additionally, the importance of mariner training is emphasized. Canadian stakeholders have utilized mariner training effectively in the past to ensure functional proficiency with ECDIS and such new concepts as Bridge Resource Management. Future training is recommended to support the ongoing implementation of ECDIS and Automated Information Systems (AIS), including, ongoing refresher training. To ensure that the full potential of ECDIS and associated technologies is harnessed to improve systemwide performance the key issue of “process” must be considered. There are many examples where new technologies, in particular computer based technologies, have failed to improve performance because the capabilities of the technologies have not been harnessed to a designed process. During consultation with national stakeholders it became clear that ECDIS processes have not yet been clearly defined. This is a deficiency that must be overcome if ECDIS and the Marine “Electronic” Highway are to achieve their full potential to optimize marine transportation performance in Canada. It is proposed that navigation with ECDIS be defined as an instrument centered process undertaken in a bridge environment where Bridge Resource Management concepts are practiced and detailed navigation procedures are utilized. The stakeholders have indicated that they are prepared to endorse the development of ECDIS regulation. With the type-approval of the first internationally manufactured ECDIS it is thought timely to begin the ECDIS rulemaking process. On the issue of ECDIS standards Canadian stakeholders are in favor of adopting the international standards. The timetable for implementing ECDIS regulations will require further refinement with the stakeholders. However, the stakeholders understand that a delayed implementation will serve to deny users the potentially significant performance improvements that are expected to result from a system wide application .

2. HISTORICAL OVERVIEW



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Canada contributed pro-actively to the development of electronic charting from the start and has achieved a much deserved international reputation for excellence in all areas of this significant navigation technology. The rapid evolution of electronic charting in Canada during the 1990’s was the result of an impressive degree of cooperation between Government and private sector stakeholders. Together, they combined to develop and trial electronic chart data, manufacture electronic chart hardware and software, deploy Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) transmitters and receivers, install and implement electronic charting technology on vessels and train mariners in electronic chart use in the context of Bridge Resource Management (BRM). Overall, the Canadian approach to developing electronic chart technologies has served as an effective model for the world. In 1990, the Canadian Public Review on Tanker Safety and Marine Spill Response Capability recommended that the CHS “expedite development of electronic charting technology and the required infrastructure, then introduce regulations requiring the use of electronic charts on all tankers in Canadian waters” . In 1992, the CHS acted on the aforementioned recommendation and initiated a Demonstration Project on electronic charting to develop expertise in the production of electronic charts and to test the performance of electronic charts in preventing groundings. Hydrographers from the Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) were involved in early theoretical discussions concerning electronic charting and contributed significantly thereafter to every major developmental milestone leading to finalization of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Performance Standard for ECDIS

1. The CHS

assumed a leading role in the creation and production of electronic chart data conforming to the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) vector data standards

2. The actual production of electronic vector charts proved to be technically

challenging and required the CHS to re-tool and re-learn chart making for the electronic age. Credit for ensuring the availability, quality and updating of electronic chart data in Canada belongs to the CHS. To accommodate the rapid implementation of electronic charting technologies by Canadian marine users, the Canadian Coast Guard accelerated deployment of DGPS in Canada. By this action they provided the enabling technology necessary to determine vessel position with the precision required to support navigation in confined waters. The electronic chart display was the only effective way to harness the positioning precision possible with DGPS. Mariner’s quickly applied the combination of electronic charts and DGPS to improve navigation safety in Canadian waters. The contribution that a Canadian manufacturer of electronic charting equipment made to the development of electronic charting in Canada was significant. The availability of a

1 IMO Resolution A.817(19), Performance Standard for Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS)

2 IHO Publication S-52 “ Specifications for Chart Content and Display Aspects of “ECDIS” and IHO Publication S-57 “IHO Transfer

Standard for Digital Hydrographic Data”



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locally manufactured ECDIS prototype with advanced functionality was instrumental in the early implementation and development of electronic charting in Canada. The ongoing development of the first generation of electronic chart equipment benefited from the close support and presence in Canada of a system manufacturer offering highly sophisticated equipment. In every case, the first generation electronic chart equipment deployed did not meet the technical criteria required to be an IMO ECDIS and none of the systems were type approved as required by the International Electro-technical Commission (IEC).

3 The “starting gun” for ECDIS type-approval was the

completion of the IEC’s work in 1998. The willingness of Canadian shipping companies to purchase non-compliant equipment before it’s use was regulated stands as a unique aspect of the Canadian adoption of electronic charting technology. By purchasing electronic chart systems at an early stage of development the Canadian users would gain the benefit of enhanced performance immediately with an expectation that equipment would be made compliant later. The early adoption and rapid deployment of electronic charting by a large percentage of the Canadian Great Lakes Fleet was wholly unanticipated. The CHS sponsored Electronic Chart Pilot Project

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Canadian Great Lakes fleet with electronic chart systems (ECS) served as a catalyst to accelerate the implementation of electronic charting by Canadian marine operators. The Canadian marine industry actively participated in the development of the technology by reporting performance and forwarding technical recommendations for system and data improvement to the CHS, CCG and manufacturers. The Canadian shipping companies provided specialized training to support the introduction of electronic charting on the navigation bridge often in concert with the introduction of newly developed Bridge Resource Management (BRM) concepts. The impact of electronic charts supported by DGPS and training on navigation safety in Canada was dramatic and conclusive. Mariners reported significant reduction in the navigation workload and greater ease in making navigation decisions. The significant reduction of navigation related incidents on electronic chart equipped vessels operating in the Great Lakes clearly demonstrated the capacity for ECDIS to enhance navigation safety. Experienced, trained mariners and electronic charts proved to be a winning combination which reduced accidents. However, one unexpected but welcome result also became evident, the use of electronic charts improved operational efficiency and enhanced commercial performance. One of the more interesting aspects of the Canadian implementation of electronic charting was the relative absence of regulations as a driver. The Canadian marine industry demonstrated a finely honed sophistication in safety management by voluntarily adopting electronic charting to improve navigation safety. During the

3 IEC Publication 61174, Operational Methods of Testing and Required Test Results (for ECDIS), 1998

4 Electronic Chart Pilot Project - Final Report, Offshore Systems Limited, North Vancouver, B.C., 1997



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electronic chart implementation period many of those same Canadian companies also voluntarily developed and implemented Safety Management Systems that complied with the IMO International Safety Management (ISM) Code. The commitment from the highest levels of management required to successfully implement the ISM Code in many Canadian shipping companies was similarly evident in the decision to invest in electronic charting to improve navigation safety. The Canadian experience with the development and implementation of electronic charting in Canada has been positive. Navigation safety and efficiencyin Canada has been improved through the adoption of electronic chart systems and Canadian mariners have gained a weel deserved reputation for being the most experienced users of electronic charting in the world. The use of electronic charts in the Great Lakes environment demonstrated the real potential of this technology to enhance piloting and shiphandling in confined waters which had not been properly appreciated before. Electronic charting was recognized as a technology which could eventually provide alternate solutions to the traditional levels of service offered in terms of fixed and floating aids to navigation and so influence strategic investment in the future. Electronic charting has contributed to the refinement of navigation safety margins which has improved commercial performance within an envelope of enhanced safety. By all accounts, the development of electronic charting in Canada should be cause for ongoing pride. However, there is a concern within the Canadian marine industry that the ongoing development of electronic charting has lagged behind expectation. There are many reasons for this perspective. The first type approval of an ECDIS was granted to a foreign manufacturer (Transas) during 1999. This was a significant milestone event in terms of the development of ECDIS technology. Unfortunately, no ECS presently carried on Canadian ships have achieved type approval. It is not clear when, or, how currently operational electronic chart systems will be upgraded to ECDIS compliance. Further, the CHS recently announced that they will no longer support the first generation NTX vector data charts at a time when many ECS on Canadian flag vessels cannot display the newly available S-57 data. During the last decade of electronic chart development and implementation leading up to the millennium Canadian manufacturers, developers and operators of electronic charting technologies gained unparalleled experience with this burgeoning technology. However, at the time of writing no Canadian vessel has a fully IMO compliant type-approved ECDIS onboard. Few Canadian vessels have even achieved the ability to display IMO compliant S-57 chart data and regularly update their electronic charts with the latest Notices-to Mariners corrections. There is a strong sense within the marine community that the potential for ECDIS to serve as the foundation for a powerful modern marine “electronic” highway to further improve navigation safety and enhance commercial performance has not been realized.



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3. INTRODUCTION

3.1 Background

This report presents the work of J.D. Pace & Associates Inc. who were contracted by Transport Canada and The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to undertake a project to study in consultation with national stakeholders the status of ECDIS in Canada and to recommend a course of action to support the future development of this significant navigation technology in Canada. The initial phases of this work involved a background review of the literature with respect to ECDIS and associated technologies to investigate potential application models in preparation to meet with national stakeholders to gain insight into problems and challenges related to the ongoing development of ECDIS. Stakeholders were consulted that were located or had interests in the following regions: East Coast, St. Lawrence River, the Great Lakes, the West Coast and the Arctic Regions. The results of these earlier phases of the work were reported in an Interim Report to the ECDIS Steering committee (APPENDIX 1) and key elements of the earlier work are incorporated in the body of this report. The tertiary phase of this work comprised a Mariner’s Workshop to further consult with national stakeholders on ECDIS issues discerned in the initial phases of the work and to asses support for draft recommendations. The results of this phase of the work is summarized in Mariner’s Workshop of this report. This report presents the findings of the final phase of the study, wherein the strategic needs and priorities required to achieve an ECDIS “Vision” for Canada are linked to the overarching objective of creating a Marine “Electronic” Highway.

3.2 Objectives

The overall objectives of this study were: (a) to develop a “vision” statement for ECDIS including recommendations on the steps required to achieve the vision appropriate for incorporation into a strategic action plan for ECDIS in Canada. (b) to investigate the national perspective of commercial shipping stakeholders concerning Government rulemaking related to ECDIS in Canada;



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(c) to investigate the strategic requirements necessary to develop ECDIS and associated technologies into an integrated system which could serve as the foundation for a marine “electronic” information infrastructure capable of supporting enhanced marine safety and commercial performance in Canada.

3.3 General

Canadian stakeholders gained significant experience with electronic charting technologies throughout the 1990’s. During that time period Canada became a hotbed of ECDIS technology development with Canadian manufacturers significantly leading the world in terms of the quality and functionality of the prototype ECDIS hardware and software developed. The Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) was involved in every aspect of ECDIS development in Canada and played a leading role in ECDIS development in the international theater, as well. Most importantly, the CHS produced electronic charts for display on the electronic chart systems that were operational on Canadian vessels without which there would not have been the wide implementation of ECDIS that occurred in Canada. At some point in the development of any new technology, there is a moment of truth when the technology is adopted for use. The success of the early trials often determines the reception of the technology in the marketplace and determines the future rate and course of development. In Canada, a major commercial fleet, along with units of the Canadian Coast Guard and Canadian Navy were equipped with prototype ECDIS equipment in a very early stage in the development of the technology. The early commitment to outfit a large number of vessels and take the technology operational created a catalyst for the ongoing development of ECDIS in Canada that had far reaching ramifications. Most importantly, the technology was given a profile that it would not otherwise have enjoyed. The almost immediate impact that the newly deployed technology had on navigational safety in the trial fleets established the technology as viable and lead to further fleet deployments. The spirit of cooperation among interested parties that was evident during the early implementation period helped ensure that the ECDIS technology would continue to be developed as quickly as possible in Canada. By 1995, ECDIS was widely deployed across fleets in the Great Lakes and on each coast. By training mariners in ECDIS and Bridge Resource Management concepts the shipowners were able to exploit the highest operational return from the new technology. As a result of unique circumstances, ECDIS had become operational in Canada many years before it otherwise might have. The impact of ECDIS on operational safety, environmental protection and improvements in transportation efficiency was significant. The reduction in accidents and lost time improved operational costs which helped many shipowners make a commitment to acquire ECDIS technology which was still under development. At the time of writing, many stakeholders across Canada have gained considerable operational experience with electronic charting technologies. The operational benefits



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of ECDIS are broadly understood. In fact, the stakeholders consistently report that ECDIS improves navigation safety, environmental protection and enhances transportation efficiency. In the opinion of many stakeholders the positive impact on safety and commercial performance is indivisible and one issue cannot be separated from the other. This is a perspective that has a direct bearing on future ECDIS applications. Over the years that ECDIS has been operational in the Great Lakes / St. Lawrence River corridor and in other coastal areas, mariners have demonstrated their ability to safely and efficiently transit confined waters in all stages of visibility with a high degree of conformance to the passage plan. Through the ECDIS implementation period in Canada, mariners began to appreciate that ECDIS creates an entirely new way to navigate

5. The display of a vessel’s precise

position on an electronic chart, in real time, creates an understanding of the tactical situation in the mind of the mariner that is normally not possible using traditional methods. The introduction of even more information via Automated Information System (AIS) will only serve to enhance the mariners tactical awareness of the situation around his or her own ship. Recently, vessels have begun to acquire access to the INTERNET while underway and this has opened up vast new opportunities to connect the mariner to information sources and sensors outside the ship. It is now possible to appreciate that the future of ECDIS will be very closely linked with satellite communication systems having sufficient bandwidth and low enough cost to support continuous INTERNET delivery onboard ship. In the early stages of ECDIS use onboard ships the full functionality of ECDIS was not employed which meant that ECDIS was under utilized. Never-the-less, ECDIS still contributed to improve operational performance. In order that ECDIS contribute to the navigational safety of a vessel to the fullest extent it is crucial that ECDIS be utilized in a more formal way. The most effective way to achieve a disciplined use of ECDIS is to create detailed navigation procedures that support a designed ECDIS process. This approach is very significant to the future use of ECDIS in Canada. A transition to navigation as a fully instrument based process is recommended herein as the most powerful and effective way to harness ECDIS to support targeted navigation outcomes. Although the onboard local use of ECDIS is known to have a significant impact on operational performance the true power of ECDIS will only be achieved when it is used effectively in a system wide application. This sort of an application will depend on the availability of AIS, highly effective communication links and interconnection with traffic managers in the Seaway or VTS. The integration and interconnection of ECDIS to powerful databases ashore that provide a basis for optimized traffic management decisions is the motivation for creating the Marine “Electronic” Highway. During the consultation process it became clear that the key issues that need to be considered in the creation of a modern Marine “Electronic” Highway combine

5 Dr. Lee Alexander, Captain John D. Pace, Electronic Charts: The Future Is Now, The Maritime Executive, Winter 2000, p. 30



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technology, people and process. The factors that pertain to each major issue are discussed in greater detail hereafter, as follows.

4. TECHNOLOGY

4.1 Cybertechnology and Transportation

The much heralded development and implementation of ECDIS for marine application has occurred within the context of a much broader global proliferation of information technologies. The unprecedented growth and power of information technology is confidently predicted to drive progress in the new millennium. Networks of computers and inter-linked communication systems are quickly creating a new infrastructure that will enhance every facet of human activity. Transportation modes around the globe are being transformed by the onslaught of ever changing information technologies which are dramatically altering the relationships between organizations and people and, in turn, their interactions with transportation systems and the technology. Cybertechnology has been coined to describe the full range of these communication technologies. A peculiar attribute of cybertechnologies is their ability to extensively connect people across a range of operating system thresholds. This new level of interconnectivity is creating a technical revolution which will have a deep impact on the future of transportation and society as a whole. As is often the case with technical innovation, the early applications of cybertechnologies may only result in localized incremental improvements in performance. However, as these applications mature and integrate into other activities it is often found that they greatly improve performance and create new capabilities.

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Cybertechnologies have advanced to the extent that it is now opportune to begin building the overarching information management infrastructure required to enhance performance across the transportation modes. In the marine mode, ECDIS is proposed as one of the key cybertechnology components of a new information driven infrastructure. Finding an effective way to implement ECDIS in such a way as to ensure that optimal safety and transportation efficiency improvements are gained is one of the major challenges facing Canadian marine stakeholders.

6 John B. Hopkins, Cybertechnology and Transportation, Transportation Strategic Planning and Analysis Office, John A. Volpe

National Transportation Systems Center, http://www.volpe.dot.gov/spirit/background/hopkins.html



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4.1.1 Cybertechnology and Transportation - Findings

4.1.1.1 Finding: Cybertechnologies will enable the creation of new transportation infrastructure and make the development of an “intelligent” marine transportation system possible.

4.1.2 Cybertrechology and Transportation - Recommendations

4.1.2.1 Recommendation: Develop the performance criteria for a cybertechnology enhanced “intelligent” marine transportation system infrastructure in Canada.

4.1.2.2 Recommendation: Develop ECDIS and AIS as a component of a cybertechnology enhanced “intelligent” marine transportation system.

4.2 Navigation Signal

The Global Positioning System (GPS) precision navigation signal is the enabling technology which makes ECDIS such a powerful navigation management system. The availability of Differentially corrected GPS (DGPS) further enhances the ability of ECDIS to support precise navigation in confined waters. Without ECDIS it is not possible to take advantage of the accuracy of DGPS while navigating in confined waters. In 1993, the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) began a program of making DGPS correction signals available in Canada to augment the accuracy of the GPS signal. The infrastructure required to deliver DGPS signals to mariners in Canadian waters will be completed in the year 2000. The announcement by the United States Government that GPS will be made commercially available for the foreseeable future will ensure that at least one precise navigation signal is available for marine navigation purposes. While navigators have come to depend on the use of DGPS to support navigation in confined waters, over reliance on one navigation signal alone without checking the position by independent means is not considered to be a sound navigation practice. Operational experience with DGPS has revealed that the signal is subject to periodic downgrading as a result of interference from electro-magnetic signals from transmission towers and/or other sources, multi-pathing errors or shadowing by structures or landmass. Loran-C, a potentially viable navigation back-up signal is being discontinued. Glonass and D-Glonass offer a potential solution for providing a back-up navigation signal. The selection of a suitable back-up signal for use in Canadian waters or techniques to satisfactorily monitor the signal strength of DGPS need to be resolved to ensure that a



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precise navigation signal is continuously available for mariners using ECDIS in confined waters.

4.2.1 Navigation Signal - Findings

4.2.1.1 Finding: Safe navigation with ECDIS depends on the accuracy and reliability of the electronic positioning signal selected.

4.2.1.2 Finding: DGPS is the preferred navigation signal for integration with ECDIS to support navigation in confined waters.

4.2.1.3 Finding: The continuous availability of DGPS is a key infrastructure requirement of the Marine “Electronic” Highway.

4.2.2 Navigation Signal - Recommendations

4.2.2.1 Recommendation: The performance criteria for DGPS as the primary marine navigation signal for use with ECDIS in Canada should be specified and provided for.

4.2.2.2 Recommendation: A secondary “back-up” electronic navigation signal should be identified and provided for use with ECDIS.

4.3 International Standards

Canadian stakeholders in the public and private sectors have actively participated in the development of international ECDIS standards and endorse their implementation. The technical standards and specifications governing ECDIS have been fully developed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), The International Electro-Technical Committee (IEC) and the International Hydrograpic Organization (IHO), as follows:

IMO A.817: 1995, Performance Standards for Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS).

IEC 61174: 1996, Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) Operational and performance requirements, methods of testing and required results.

IEC 945: General Requirements for Shipborne Radio Equipment Forming Part of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System and Radar Navigational Equipment.

IEC 1162: Digital Interfaces - Navigation and Radiocommunication Equipment Onboard Ship.

IHO S-52: 1996: Specification for chart content and display aspects of ECDIS

IHO S-52 appendix 1: 1996 Guidance on updating the electronic navigational chart.



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IHO S-52 appendix 2: 1997, Color and symbol specification for ECDIS.

IHO S-52 appendix 3: 1993, Glossary of ECDIS - related terms.

IHO S-57: Transfer standard for digital hydrographic data. The IMO Performance Standard A.817 explains the ECDIS concept, including the key issues;

The primary function of ECDIS is to contribute to safe navigation.

ECDIS with adequate back-up arrangements may be accepted as complying with up-to-date charts required by regulation V/20 of the 1974 SOLAS Convention.

4.3.1 International Standards - Findings

4.3.1.1 Finding: Canadian stakeholders endorse the existing international technical standards and specifications for ECDIS and do not support the development of unique Canadian standards.

4.3.1.2 Finding: Canadian ECDIS Regulations have not been developed.

4.3.2 International Standards - Recommendations

4.3.3 Recommendation: The Canadian Hydrographic Service should continue to participate in the ongoing evolution of ECDIS technical standards and specifications, particularly, as concerns S-57 data.

4.3.3.1 Recommendation: International ECDIS standards and specifications should be incorporated into Canadian regulations.

4.4 ECDIS

The next milestone on the path to ECDIS is the transition to fully IMO compliant, type-approved ECDIS. The awarding of IMO compliance and type-approval to the Russian manufactured “Transas” ECS in the fall of 1999 marked the formal arrival of ECDIS in the marketplace. It took more than a decade for any ECS manufacturer to reach this important technical milestone. The achievement of ECDIS compliance was the long awaited industry benchmark. Henceforth, a system is either an ECDIS or an ECS. The majority of systems carried on vessels currently are ECS. The marketing claims of near-ECDIS or prototype ECDIS by many manufacturers is meaningless and manufacturers are now scrambling to re-position themselves in the marketplace as sellers of compliant



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ECDIS or ECS. At the time of writing five internationally based manufacturers have achieved ECDIS type-approval. The availability of type-approved ECDIS in the marketplace is of immediate significance to Canadian stakeholders. Not one Canadian vessel has a compliant ECDIS onboard at the time of writing. Not one Canadian manufacturer has achieved type-approval status for their ECS. For many stakeholders who believed that Canadians were playing a leading role in the global development of ECDIS the failure to achieve ECDIS compliance in concert with, or ahead of, other countries was a huge disappointment but not significant in terms of real consequences. Commercial vessels may continue to operate ECS until the use of ECDIS is regulated and carriage mandated provided they carry paper charts. However, it was always the intention of the commercial operators to evolve from ECS to ECDIS through system upgrade. Unfortunately, the specific technical steps to achieve the transition from ECS to ECDIS, including the timetable and costs, is not clearly laid out although most manufacturers have spent considerable time and effort in devising a credible upgrade path to ECDIS. Shipowner’s have a number of options to consider:

operate ECS with paper charts until ECDIS carriage regulated.

follow the upgrade path and timetable set by manufacturers for existing ECS.

purchase new IMO compliant ECDIS. Shipowner’s contemplating the acquisition of ECDIS for the first time or purchasing additional equipment will probably buy type-approved ECDIS. Where manufacturers provide a cost effective and technically credible upgrade path shipowner’s will probably be inclined to upgrade their existing ECS to ECDIS. A previous investment in training and user familiarity with equipment will make this an attractive option. Some owner’s may either choose to continue using an ECS in conjunction with paper charts or may have to continue doing so for lack of a cost effective and/or feasible technical upgrade path. Some owner’s have indicated that they plan to eventually add a new ECDIS to the bridge and use the old ECS upgraded to an ECDIS as a back-up system. The most immediate concern raised by many shipowner’s is the inability of at least some of their ECS to technically display S-57 data although they can still display the original NTX vector data that is no longer supported by the CHS. This is an untenable situation that leaves the affected shipowner’s with limited choices, as follows;

wait until the manufacturer provides a technical upgrade solution.

purchase a new ECDIS.

continue to operate NTX data without CHS support;

make alternate arrangements to obtain NTX data support.

4.4.1 ECDIS - Findings



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4.4.1.1 Finding: After almost a decade of electronic chart development and operational experience with ECS, no IMO compliant, type-approved ECDIS exists on any Canadian vessels.

4.4.1.2 Finding: A migration path from ECS to ECDIS is required.

4.4.1.3 Finding: Integration levels between ECS and other navigation devices and/or sensors has not standardized in Canada.

4.4.1.4 ECDIS - Recommendations

4.4.1.5 Recommendation: In anticipation of regulated ECDIS carriage requirements Transport Canada should expedite development of the anticipated carriage requirements for ECDIS including standards for integration so that shipowner’s can efficiently plan an upgrade path or transition to ECDIS.

4.5 ECDIS Back-up

Provided that suitable back-up arrangements exist an ECDIS will comply with Regulation V/20 of the 1974 SOLAS Convention and obviate the need to carry and update paper charts. Many shipowners are looking forward to the time when they can navigate using only ENCs and free ship staff from the time consuming, boring and error prone task of manually correcting paper charts to weekly Notices-To-Mariners. The purpose of an ECDIS back-up system is to ensure that safe navigation is not comprised in the event of ECDIS failure. A number of options have been proposed but no definitive answer exists on what will constitute a proper back-up for ships plying Canadian waters. Shipowners having operational experience with ECDIS often proclaim that only ECDIS can back up ECDIS. However, when actually developing back-up arrangements many shipowners may be more inclined to select a more economical solution and settle on an ECS or some other viable alternative. At the time of writing no ships operating in Canadian waters are operating on ECDIS only without paper charts onboard. This is not likely to happen until Canadian ECDIS Regulations are developed.

4.5.1 ECDIS Back-up - Findings

4.5.2 Finding: Many Canadian stakeholders believe that only another ECDIS can properly back-up ECDIS based on their desire to maintain full navigational functionality.

4.5.3 ECDIS Back-up - Recommendations



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4.5.3.1 Recommendation: Develop the technical parameters for ECDIS back-up that will apply to vessels operating in Canadian waters.

4.6 Ergonomics

Ergonomic principles have been carefully applied during the development of ECDIS to optimize the man/machine interface. If an ECDIS is installed on the navigation bridge as a module in an Integrated Bridge System (IBS) which complies with a defined Class Notation, such as, the well known Det Norske Veritas (DNV), Watch -1 (W-1) standard, all of the appropriate ergonomic issues will have been considered and provided for. Many international newbuildings are being outfitted in accordance with a W-1 standard. However, adding ECDIS to the bridge of an existing vessel can cause significant man/machine interface problems. In order for ECDIS information to contribute optimally to safe navigation decision making it is critical that the ECDIS be installed at, or as near to, the normal conning position as possible and preferably adjacent to a radar set. This may be difficult to achieve on the bridge of some ships and if not achieved may downgrade the ability of the ECDIS to provide a constant flow of navigation information to the conning officer in an optimal way. The use of deckhead mounted remote monitors to deliver ECDIS information to the mariner at the conning position has been employed with success in many installations.

4.6.1 Ergonomics - Findings

4.6.1.1 Finding: The failure to apply sound ergonomic principles when selecting the installation position for ECDIS on the bridge may prevent the ECDIS from contributing optimally to safe navigation decision making.

4.6.2 Ergonomics - Recommendations

4.6.2.1 Recommendation: Sound ergonomic principles should be applied when locating ECDIS on the bridge to ensure that the conning officer has continuous access to ECDIS information to support safe navigation decision making.

4.7 Portable ECDIS

A significant volume of commercial shipping traffic in Canada, both domestic and foreign flag, moves under the mandatory conduct of pilots. Canadian pilots have



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gained considerable experience with electronic charting over the last ten years and have developed expertise in the use of this technology. Any proposal to use ECDIS technology on a national basis to improve navigation safety and enhance transportation efficiency will require that pilots have access to ECDIS. Although many Canadian vessels already have an electronic charting capability and increasingly more foreign flag vessels, especially newbuildings, are outfitted with Integrated Bridge Systems (IBS) complete with electronic charts, it will be some years before IMO requires carriage of ECDIS onboard vessels of international flag. To overcome this deficiency and to gain the potential benefit of ECDIS performance across the national navigation system there has been considerable discussion about equipping pilots with portable ECDIS comprised of a laptop computer, DGPS and a laser compass. In the event Automated Information System (AIS) transponders are mandated in Canada this technology shoul, also, be incorporated in the portable ECDIS. A number of seatrials using portable ECDIS have been carried out in Canada. The experience gained in these seatrials has helped to improve the specification for carry-on electronic charting equipment and its use onboard. A number of manufacturers offer a laptop outfit which meets the ECDIS performance criteria in all respects except display area. Many pilots have already begun carrying their own personal laptops onboard and this would appear to be an ever growing trend. While there is growing support among the pilots for the use of portable ECDIS there is no current plan to actually outfit this important stakeholder group with laptop equipment. However, the outfitting of pilots with portable ECDIS would appear to be a practical and cost-effective way to deliver ECDIS capability onboard vessels transiting Canadian waters that do not have ECDIS installed onboard.

4.7.1 Portable ECDIS - Findings

4.7.1.1 Finding: The technical viability of using portable ECDIS to support the conduct of navigation by pilots has been demonstrated during seatrials in Canadian waters.

4.7.1.2 Finding: Portable ECDIS will not comply with the screen dimension criteria to meet the Performance Standard.



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4.7.1.3 Finding: System wide use of portable ECDIS by pilots would ensure uniform access to the national marine “information infrastructure” designed to support navigation safety and transportation efficiency for all commercial vessels transiting Canadian waters.

4.7.2 Portable ECDIS - Recommendations

4.7.2.1 Recommendation: Develop portable ECDIS specification for use by pilots.

4.7.2.2 Recommendation: Develop commercial plan to implement use of portable ECDIS by pilots.

4.7.2.3 Recommendation: Portable ECDIS utilized by certificated pilots should be given the regulatory status of ECDIS in Canada.

4.8 Electronic Chart Data

The Canadian Hydrographic Service has taken a leading role in the development of the international standards, the production of S-57 chart data and the creation of processes for updating the data. In the early days of ECDIS development the development of the hardware and software garnered a significant degree of attention and effort. However, the real challenge to develop ECDIS as a functional technology has resided in the development of the ENC data. The CHS has mastered the technical processes required to generate ENC data but a significant number of real world challenges remain that must be resolved to establish ECDIS as a mature technology in Canada. With ongoing stakeholder commitment to the development of ECDIS in Canada it will be technically feasible to create the ENC infrastructure required to fully implement ECDIS in Canada. The same cannot be said for the ongoing development of ECDIS infrastructure, particularly the production of S-57 data, around the world. To implement ECDIS successfully the eventual establishment of a universally accepted standard for the ENC data is ultimately required. S-57 is the current standard. The status of Worldwide S-57 data is precarious. The recent IMO approval allowing use of “RASTAR” data where vector data is unavailable is one of the accommodations that has been made to overcome the lack of S-57 coverage worldwide. This move has enhanced the ongoing use of ECS but has done little to stimulate the development of ECDIS. Many hydrographic offices around the world have softened their schedule for the production of S-57 data as a result of budget constraints which further erodes the potential production of S-57 data. In the meantime, the marketplace continues to produce viable solutions that include hybrid use of S-57 data with RASTAR or other vector data standards.



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The future of ECDIS depends on the availability and quality of S-57 electronic chart data and the ability to distribute and correct this data. The status of S-57 data development and use by mariner’s is a significant benchmark to be monitored in the ongoing development and implementation of ECDIS. Although much progress has been made around the world and in Canada in regard to the development and production of S-57 data the overall situation is precarious. The production of S-57 data has proved to be complex and expensive. World coverage of S-57 data will take decades to complete, if ever and the price of S-57 data has resulted in limited sales. Canada has made significant progress in developing S-57 data when compared to the rest of the world. However, the ongoing development of S-57 data in Canada is not without problems which must be resolved if ECDIS is to be successfully implemented. The availability and quality of electronic chart S-57 data continues to be the dominant ECDIS issue in Canada and around the world. Nothing is more important to the continuing development of ECDIS than the availability of high quality data. Canada has developed a considerable portfolio of S-57 chart data and is continuing production on an aggressive schedule. The CHS has played a leading role in the development of the IHO electronic chart specifications from theoretical concept to production. Along the way they have developed considerable organizational expertise in the production and quality control of electronic chart data. They also established a public sector/private sector partnership with Nautical Data International Inc. of St. John’s, Newfoundland to distribute and update official electronic chart data products. The CHS initiated the “Electronic Chart Pilot Project” in 1992, and has from that time forward been a significant factor in the development and implementation of electronic charting in Canada and around the world. In 1998, the CHS followed up the Pilot Project with the “Great Lakes ECDIS Sea Trials” and “The St. Lawrence River Sea Trials” to obtain mariner feedback and evaluation on the use of S-57 ENCs and the functions and features of the S-52 Specification. Those studies provided valuable information which has been crucial to the development and refinement of ENC data. The task of producing national coverage of electronic chart data proved to be far more technically and organizationally demanding than anyone in the CHS anticipated. The CHS was up to the challenge, however, and they were able to produce first generation vector chart data using an in-house “NTX” data standard to satisfy the early requirements for electronic chart data. The CHS has since embarked on the production of S-57 data and have actively begun to replace NTX with S-57 data to the point where they have announced that the NTX product will no longer be supported. This has created an intractable problem for the CHS, NDI and the stakeholders. NTX chart data was developed as an interim standard to facilitate the rapid creation of first generation ENCs. When NTX data was first offered to mariners they complained that this electronic chart data did not look like the paper chart that they were used to. Over time, they began to appreciate the simple presentation and bold use of color



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which worked well on the bridge. Many years later, when developmental S-57 data was used in seatrials many mariners complained that the new electronic chart data did not look so much like an electronic chart as a paper chart. Additionally, the new S-57 data appeared very cluttered because of scaling deficiencies that have since been corrected. However, the fact remains that mariners do not like the “look and feel” of S-57 data at this stage of development. To some extent, the problem with S-57 data is caused by the way different manufacturers SENCs display the S-52 colors and symbols. Later generation ECDIS have overcome many of the display clutter problems through effective use of SCAMIN (scale minimum attribute of S-57 Object Catalogue). Other display problems with the first generation S-57 data may have been caused by uncalibrated ECS display screens. While some controversy has attended the introduction of S-57 data mariners are expected to come to appreciate the impressive functionality of this data set as the product evolves.

A significant milestone in the transition from ENC to ECDIS will occur in Canada with the change over from NTX to S-57 data. The transition from NTX to S-57 data has been complicated by the technical inability of a first generation ECS to actually display S-57 data. The shipowners are pursuing a technical solution to resolve this issue with the manufacturer. The inability of some Canadian ECS systems to display S-57 data became a critical operational concern when the CHS announced their intention to stop supporting the NTX data product and move forward with the S-57 data product in the spring of 1999. Eventually, the CHS and NDI reached an agreement with the shipowners and continued to support the product through to the end of 1999. Clearly, progress from ECS to ECDIS depends on the availability of S-57 data and the capacity to use it at sea. One aspect of data quality that concerns the mariner is timeliness of chart updating to reflect changes resulting from hydrographic survey. In areas such as ports where knowledge of the depth alongside has potentially significant commercial and safety implications it is imperative that information determined by spot survey can quickly be added to the chart. The speed of such an updating can mean money to the port and the shipowner. The process to improve the updating of chart survey base data is urgently required.

4.8.1 Electronic Chart Data - Findings

4.8.1.1 Finding: Mariners tend to judge ENC data by the visual “look” rather than performance. Mariner’s do not like the “look” of the first generation of S-57 data and are therefore reluctant to use S-57 data.

4.8.1.2 Finding: Mariner’s must be involved in the future evolution of S-57 data to ensure that S-57 data meets mariner’s requirements.

4.8.1.3 Finding: The decision to no longer support NTX data and to begin the transition to S-57 data is deemed to be a necessary step in the CHS business plan but requires



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owners to overcome ECS technical limitations, undertake a new round of training and expend funds to acquire S-57 data.

4.8.1.4 Finding: NTX chart data was infrequently updated to Notices-To-Mariners which resulted in navigation decisions being made using uncorrected charts.

4.8.1.5 Finding: The softening of support for the development of S-57 data around the world may expose this data standard to pressures to replace it with a de-engineered standard or an entirely new standard.

4.8.1.6 Finding: The time between the acquisition of new sounding information in ports and along shipping routes and the time this information is actually transferred to a chart as an update is often extended by administrative process.

4.8.2 Electronic Chart Data - Recommendations

4.8.2.1 Recommendation: The ongoing production of S-57 data should continue unabated and be supported by a process to evolve and improve the data based on user input.

4.8.2.2 Recommendation: A process to solicit, obtain, analyze and incorporate users comments to evolve and improve S-57 data should be developed.

4.8.2.3 Recommendation: The transition from NTX to S-57 data needs to be completed expeditiously to ensure that mariners can gain experience with the enhanced functionality of this data set and to begin receiving the chart updating service.

4.8.2.4 Recommendation: In Canada, ENC data should continue to be produced in accordance with the S-57 standard.

4.8.2.5 Recommendation: Find ways to expedite updating of charts to reflect new sounding information.

4.9 ENC Chart Pricing

A significant factor that has created massive opposition to the adoption of S-57 has been the pricing strategy developed by NDI, the private sector partner of the CHS.



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After considerable analysis, NDI set a market price of $80.007 for an annual license for

the use of an S-57 ENC and the updating service required to correct each chart to the weekly Notice-To-Mariners. Marine managers have been quick to condemn the fact that they do not own the chart and the cost of maintaining a Great Lakes portfolio on an annual basis would increase by as much as $10,000 per year. The cost of a deep-sea portfolio based on this pricing would be significantly higher. The shipowner’s backlash against the price of S-57 data and mariner’s rejection of S-57 data signals a real problem with the central technology in ECDIS and solutions are urgently required. This is, also, a worldwide issue.

The fact that little or no S-57 data has been sold to Canadian shipowner’s is clear evidence of the serious nature of this ongoing problem between the data provider and the customer. The Canadian shipowner’s have condemned the NDI ENC pricing even when compared to other international ENC providers price lists which often shows equivalent or higher annual license fees. The poor sale of S-57 data in a hotbed of ECDIS development, like Canada, has gained considerable attention around the world. International observers have long looked to Canada as the model for best practices in implementing ECDIS. However, there is a sense that the Canadian private sector model for distributing S-57 data is not being supported by the Canadian marketplace. This has caused considerable concern among international Hydrographic Offices (HO) who are presently contemplating production of S-57 data and must necessarily consider the market potential for such information

4.9.1 ENC Chart Pricing - Findings

4.9.1.1 Finding: The $80.00 per S-57 data set annual license fee set by Nautical Data International is unacceptable to many stakeholders, particularly, those operating vessels on the Great Lakes.

4.9.2 ENC Chart Pricing - Recommendations

4.9.2.1 Recommendation: To stimulate the operational use of S-57 data the annual license fee for S-57 data needs to be re-assessed and adjusted to a level acceptable to the stakeholders.

4.9.3 Recommendation: To stimulate S-57 data sales in Canada alternative pricing options should be investigated for weekly, monthly, pay-per-use, or pay per cell scenarios.

4.10 ENC Content and Quality

7 Nautical Data International Inc., S-57 ENC Product Pricing, (3,15,2000), http://www.ndi.nf.ca/ndi99/products/pordinfo/s-

57_price.htm



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The content and quality of S-57 data is expected to improve over time as the data evolves. At the moment CHS uses the paper chart as the point of departure for the creation of the ENC which places a limit on their resolution and overall accuracy. This is particularly a potential problem when the ENC is displayed at scales much larger than the original paper chart. The most significant concern for S-57 data is the quality of the base data derived from, in many cases, old hydrographic surveys which are not sufficiently accurate to support navigation to the level of precision possible with DGPS. To fully exploit the capability of ECDIS and DGPS to support precise navigation with reduced safety margins in confined waters the CHS will have to begin to re-survey shipping routes and ports on a prioritized basis. The rate at which re-surveying can be pursued will largely depend on the allocation of funds made available to the CHS for this purpose. Great Lakes mariners were the first to identify the potential for ECDIS to improve navigation safety in confined waters and during port maneuvers. To further enhance the use of electronic charts in such circumstances the mariners began to ask for “super scale” charts. Prototype “super scale” charts have been developed by CHS and tested by mariners with positive results. The use of “super scale” charts have been demonstrated to contribute to the safety of navigation and may prove to be a significant factor in enhancing navigation decision making during precision maneuvering but the cost of producing this data remains prohibitive for the time being unless privately commissioned by a shipowner, port authority or dock owner.

4.10.1 ENC Content and Quality - Findings

4.10.1.1 Finding: Most existing Canadian charts are not sufficiently accurate to support precise navigation using DGPS in confined waters with reduced safety margins.

4.10.1.2 Finding: Mariners will require DGPS accurate electronic charts to optimize safe and efficient navigation when using ECDIS.

4.10.2 ENC Content and Quality - Recommendations

4.10.2.1 Recommendation: Canadian stakeholders must determine the shipping routes and ports that require re-survey to DGPS accuracy on a prioritized basis and ensure that adequate funding is allocated to the CHS to undertake the designated surveys.

4.10.2.2 Recommendation: Where new survey base data is available second generation ENC should be produced with “super-scale” to enhance navigation safety.



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4.11 Universal Shipborne Automated Identification Systems - AIS In 1998, IMO Resolution MSC.74(69), Annex 3, Recommendation on Performance Standards for a Universal Shipborne Automatic Identification System (AIS) was formally adopted by IMO. According to SOLAS chapter V, Regulation 19 “AIS shall:

provide automatically to appropriately equipped shore stations, other ships and aircraft information, including the ship’s identity, type, position, course, speed, navigational status and other safety-related information;

receive automatically such information from similarly fitted ships; monitor and track ships, andexchange data with shore -based facilities.” This significant new ship to ship, ship to shore (4S) transponder technology is expected to supplement existing navigational systems including radar and ECDIS and significantly enhance the situational awareness of the Officer of the Watch (OOW). With AIS, the mariner will gain upstream response time to plan and respond early to developing tactical situations. AIS is also expected to enhance the management of marine traffic. The most significant aspect of AIS when used in conjunction with ECDIS is that it will liberate the mariner from the captive electronic chart database and provide additional dynamic tactical information from the marine environment external to the ship. By linking the resident database in ECDIS to a dynamic flow of information from sensors or databases external to the ship the power of ECDIS will increase dramatically. In addition to the basic ship status information, AIS will also be used to automatically receive chart update information and other safety information. Eventually, “real time” information, termed “marine information objects (MIO)” in ECDIS terminology, including: water level; sea state; weather and ice information, may be made available to vessels via AIS. The use of AIS to enhance the power of ECDIS is another important cybertechnology component in the building of the Marine “Electronic” Highway. Canadian stakeholders have over the last few years participated in seatrials of prototype AIS transponder equipment sponsored by the Canadian Coast Guard on the East Coast, the St. Lawrence River and the West Coast. The operational experience gained in these trials convincingly demonstrated the functional ability of this equipment to improve situational awareness for mariners and shore based VTS watchstanders. West Coast stakeholders strongly endorsed the use of AIS provided the transponders are carried by fishing vessels, tugs and tows, and large recreational vessels, in addition to SOLAS vessels. The West Coast stakeholders call for broad carriage of AIS shows a sophisticated understanding of one of the impacts of cybertechnologies. Once users



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gain access to improved levels of information it is usually followed by a quest for ever greater levels of high quality information. Active plans are underway by the St. Lawrence Seaway in close cooperation with the stakeholders to begin operational use of AIS in the Seaway in 2001. The voluntary adoption of AIS by the Seaway will precede any move by IMO or Transport Canada to regulate the use of AIS. The implementation of AIS in the Seaway is expected to improve the safety of navigation by providing enhanced tactical information to the conning officer and to optimize the flow of marine traffic through the system. The use of AIS information together with ECDIS is clearing the way for the Seaway and the system users to confidently expand performance parameters to include deeper transit drafts and continuous operation in periods of reduced visibility on the strength of improved information flow.

4.11.1 Universal Shipborne Automated Identification Systems (AIS) - Findings

4.11.1.1 Finding: Seatrials in Canada have demonstrated the positive influence that AIS information contributes to navigation safety by enhancing the mariners understanding of the tactical situation.

4.11.1.2 Finding: The integration and display of AIS information on ECDIS has the potential to significantly enhance the mariners navigation decision making ability by providing real time information about operational environmental conditions.

4.11.1.3 Finding: In addition to SOLAS and other large commercial vessels AIS transponders need to be carried on fishing vessels, tugs and tows and yachts to enhance the capacity of AIS to provide comprehensive tactical information.

4.11.1.4 Finding: The St. Lawrence Seaway is actively pursuing implementation of AIS technology for use in the Seaway in close cooperation with the stakeholders.

4.11.2 Universal Shipborne Automated Identification Systems (AIS) -

Recommendations

4.11.2.1 Recommendation: The early adoption of AIS transponder technology in Canada will enhance navigation safety by improving the availability and quality of information used by the mariner to make navigation decisions.

4.11.2.2 Recommendation: AIS transponder carriage should be mandated across a broad spectrum of vessels ranging from cargo vessels, tugs and tows, fishing vessels and large yachts.



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4.12 The “I” in ECDIS

The integration of ECDIS onboard with databases onshore to provide real-time information, the “I” in ECDIS, has the potential to radically transform bridge operations by providing a constant stream of key information to support navigation decision. The creation of the infrastructure necessary to organize and communicate the high volumes of data necessary to fuel ECDIS with real-time information at low cost is the central challenge in creating the Marine “Electronic” Highway. The struggle to develop ECDIS has for many years focused on the creation of the electronic chart S-57 standard and the production of the ENC data, call it the “EC” in ECDIS. As important as the development of the ENC has been, its has only provided the mariner with an electronic version of the information historically carried in paper format. However, the ability to connect ECDIS to information databases and sensors outside a vessel will unleash the real power of ECDIS. The dynamic information provided in real-time or as a forecast is referred to as Marine Information Objects (MIO). Water level, water flow, wind, weather, AIS/VTS, visibility and sea state are only some of the data sets that will be delivered to ECDIS. MIO information will be the new currency of value on the bridge of a ship. The IMO, IHO and World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have undertaken considerable work in preparing the criteria for IMO infrastructure development. The St. Lawrence Seaway AIS Project has begun to grapple with the organizational requirements to deal with the provision of MIO, as has Nautical Data International Inc. and the CHS. However, considerable work remains to be done in Canada to identify the organizational responsibilities and infrastructure required to assemble, quality check and deliver MIO to ships. AIS has been identified as the initial method for delivering some MIO to ECDIS. The AIS communication pipeline is VHF in the maritime band. Mariners may wish to gain access to other MIO that is not provided via AIS. The amount of information that can be delivered to a vessel will only be limited by bandwidth and cost. The cost of delivering MIO via satellite is probably too high to support real time information transmission at this time. This is expected to change with the advent of the next generation of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite systems, Inmarsat IV and Teledesic. Teledesic is planned to comprise 288 LEO satellites and will be capable of supporting reliable wireless delivery of the INTERNET to ships at sea. The capability of accessing the INTERNET at sea will open up vast new horizons of information for mariners. Not only will it be possible for the ship to be integrated with vast arrays of information it will be possible for computer chips onboard to communicate automatically and independently with computer chips ashore. The arrival of the INTERNET onboard will



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create the potential for ships to function with new efficiencies in an “intelligent” marine transportation system. Connection to the INTERNET will make it possible for the vessel to be a “node” on a corporate INTRANET and provide managers ashore with a “virtual” picture of shipboard operations in real-time. Delivering the INTERNET onboard at low cost is the key to creating the Marine “Electronic” Highway.

4.12.1 The “I” in ECDIS - Findings

4.12.1.1 Finding: The integration of resident ECDIS databases with supplemental real time information communicated to vessels via AIS or by other means will significantly enhance the quality of information available to mariners to support navigation decisions.

4.12.1.2 Finding: The potential volume of real time Marine Information Objects (MIO) that can be imported into ECDIS has the potential to overwhelm the mariner with information overload unless managed effectively.

4.12.1.3 Finding: Broad bandwidth and low cost communication is required to optimize the use of MIO with ECDIS.

4.12.2 The “I” in ECDIS - Recommendations

4.12.2.1.1 Recommendation: The organizational and infrastructure requirements necessary to support the acquisition and communication of MIO to mariners needs to be identified for Canadian implementation.

4.12.2.2 Recommendation: Information management processes need to be developed to manage the collection and assure the quality of MIO prior to transmission to ships.

4.12.2.3 Recommendation: Develop VHF communication infrastructure required to support transmission of AIS information to vessels.

4.12.2.4 Recommendation: Target delivery of MIO to vessels via INTERNET as optimal communication solution for transmission of navigation data when satellite communication bandwidth and cost thresholds permit.

4.12.2.5 Recommendation: To stimulate user confidence in the ENC and MIO data transmitted to the vessel via wireless communicationa data authentication procedures should be developed.



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4.13 Voyage Data Recording - VDR

In the information rich environment of a modern ship the ability to selectively record key operational data will materially assist in the downstream analysis of marine incidents. The combination of ECDIS and the IMO approved VDR will make feasible the recording of key voyage data and this combination is to be encouraged as yet another means of using information to improve operational safety. The use of ECDIS voyage data in the “play-back” mode will be potentially useful for training purposes to improve the “upstream” performance of the bridge team. In the near future, the INTERNET may be used to transmit operational telemetry directly to managers ashore.

4.13.1 Voyage Data Recording (VDR) - Findings

4.13.1.1 Finding: VDR technology will create an invaluable record of voyage event data for downstream analysis.

4.13.1.2 Finding: VDR technology will enable effective auditing of operational performance against planned actions.

4.13.2 Voyage Data Recording (VDR) - Recommendations

4.13.2.1 Recommendation: Voyage event data from ECDIS should be used as a training aid to improve the “upstream” performance of the Bridge Team.

4.14 Vessel Traffic Services - VTS

Effective management of the nations waterways by Vessels Traffic Services has always depended on an accurate appreciation of vessel position in relation to know geographic locations. AIS transponders will significantly enhance the tactical quality of the information used by VTS watchstanders and improve their ability to effectively monitor marine traffic. In the early phases of ECDIS development, mariner and shore based traffic managers tended to use electronic charting technologies for local, and autonomous applications. This will all change with the introduction of AIS which has the capacity to create a high level of system wide interconnectivity. The “networking” of the waterway will enhance the ability of mariners and VTS watchstanders alike to arrive at decisions that will be most likely to optimize the safety and commercial performance of the system.



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The advent of AIS and ECDIS technologies may, over time, modify the role of the VTS watchstander. Modern VTS displays are capable of providing a highly accurate representation of the surrounding traffic. With AIS and ECDIS, it is increasingly possible, if not highly likely, that the VTS watchstander will possess a high percentage of the same information actually being used by individual vessels to support onboard navigation decisions. With the arrival of Teledesic or a competing wireless satellite communication system in the next 4 to 5 yeqars the transmission ashore of raw shipboard radar data and even video feed looking forward from the bridge window, the VTS watchstander may be able to “see” what the mariner sees. The ability to effectively share information may enhance the ability of the VTS watchstander, under the right circumstances and within authorized limits, to actively support onboard navigation decision making as a “virtual” mariner. The subject of shorebased VTS control of vessels remains highly controversial within the marine community. However, the national interest in achieving waterway safety may be well served by establishing intervention thresholds and procedures empowering VTS to establish directive control of the movement of a vessel for cause under carefully specified circumstances.

4.14.1 Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) - Findings

4.14.1.1 Finding: The use of AIS technology will reduce dependence on VHF communication.

4.14.1.2 Finding: AIS technology will provide VTS watchstanders with an enhanced tactical appreciation for the disbursement and movement of marine traffic within the management systems.

4.14.1.3 Finding: System wide deployment of AIS and ECDIS may support alternative forms of VTS and/or modified roles for VTS watchstanders.

4.14.2 Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) - Recommendations

4.14.2.1 Recommendation: Regional VTS infrastructure should be upgraded to support AIS information transmission and receipt in conformance to a national standard.

5. PEOPLE

5.1 People Issues



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The introduction of new technologies such as ECDIS onto the navigation bridge of an operating ship for the first time will often be met with resistance from the mariner unless some effort to achieve buy-in is attempted. This was particularly so in the early days of ECDIS development when many mariners had not yet been introduced to computers of any kind. These days mariners are more likely to be familiar with computers but just as resistant to change, as always. Since the successful application of new technologies depends on the mariner successfully applying the latest technology it is of crucial importance to gain their support. A change management process is required when introducing new technologies to the bridge.

8

The announcement of a policy explaining the corporate motivation for adopting new technologies together with an expression of commitment to the new technology by senior management generally helps overcome initial resistance to change. A commitment to support the introduction of new technologies with training usually elicits a positive support from mariners. A communication program that keeps those affected by pending change in the loop and provides them with a feedback opportunity, is usually regarded with favor. The introduction of ECDIS and AIS, especially, in the context of the creation of a new Marine “Electronic” Highway may be expected to generate resistance that will best be overcome through process of change management. There are two change management issues that need to be considered: 1. Managing the impact of change on internal ship processes; 2. Managing the impact of change on external ship processes.

5.1.1 People - Finding

5.1.1.1 Finding: Operational experience has demonstrated that mariners tend to reject new technologies and resist change unless they “buy-in” to the change process.

5.1.2 People - Recommendation

5.1.2.1 Recommendation: The implementation of new technologies should be supported by a change management process.

5.2 Culture

ECDIS is primarily an information management system that is specialized to store and display marine navigation information. The shear quantity and quality of navigation

8 Douglas K. Smith, “Taking Charge of Change,” Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1996



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information displayed by ECDIS has changed the balance of power on the bridge by providing open access to highly accurate navigation information to anyone on the bridge. This was not always the situation and it has taken time for mariners in some quarters to get used to the idea that there is no value in retaining a pecking order for the dissemination of information on an ECDIS fitted bridge. When ECDIS is introduced to the navigation bridge, forces of cultural change will be generated to create new organizational values that embrace open access to navigational information. This is an important aspect of Bridge Resource Management that needs to be understood.

5.2.1 Culture - Findings

5.2.1.1 Finding: Changes in the level of information available on the navigation bridge introduced by ECDIS and AIS has the potential to change relationships on the bridge.

5.2.2 Culture - Recommendations

5.2.2.1 Recommendation: Organizational values need to be modified to support the changing role of information on the navigation bridge.

5.3 Training

A key element in the successful implementation of electronic charting in Canada was the emphasis that was placed on ECDIS training. The marine managers that were responsible for the implementation of ECDIS in Canadian fleets had evidently heeded the lessons learned more than a generation before when radar was bolted to the deck and mariners were left with only a manual to ponder. Consequently, a generation of mariners were left to struggle with how to use a radar to try and avoid “radar assisted collisions”, not all were successful. The subsequent development of Simulated Electronic Navigation (SEN) and ARPA Radar training courses finally recognized the importance of training to support the use of sophisticated navigation instruments. ECDIS requires the same specialized training as ARPA to ensure that its functionality and limitations are properly understood. The Canadian emphasis on linking the implementation of ECDIS to training has been ongoing for almost ten years and has lead to the creation of a Canadian Training Standard for ECDIS which aligns with the IMO ECDIS Training Standard. Based on stakeholder feedback it is evident that there is a highly developed national perspective on the importance of training to develop mariner competence in new navigation technologies.



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5.3.1 Training - Findings

5.3.1.1 Finding: Stakeholders have consistently linked the operational effectiveness of ECDIS to the quality of training provided to the mariner.

5.3.1.2 Finding: A Canadian ECDIS training standard has been developed with direct input from stakeholders having operational experience in the use of ECDIS.

5.3.1.3 Finding: The implementation of AIS should be supported by training.

5.3.1.4 Finding: A Canadian AIS training standard has not been developed.

5.3.2 Training - Recommendations

5.3.2.1 Recommendation: Implement mandatory training and certification of all Canadian mariners who will have operational responsibility for using ECDIS to conduct navigation in accordance with the ECDIS Training Standard.

5.3.2.2 Recommendation: Companies should ensure that mariners complete an ECDIS manufacturers training course on the actual equipment that they will be using at sea in addition to the ECDIS Training Standard course.

5.3.2.3 Recommendation: To maintain operational proficiency mariners should participate in mandatory refresher training for ECDIS.

5.3.2.4 Recommendation: Develop Canadian AIS training standard for AIS.

5.3.2.5 Recommendation: Implement mandatory training and certification of all Canadian mariners who will have operational responsibility for using AIS to support navigation decision making in accordance with an AIS training standard.

5.4 Human Factors

The effective use of ECDIS has convincingly demonstrated the positive contribution that this technology can make to safe navigation. However, the navigation prowess of ECDIS can be easily defeated by the presence of human factors that result in human error. To successfully employ ECDIS to achieve the desired safety outcomes it is



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important that human factors issues be understood and procedures developed to overcome them. The “Royal Majesty” grounding revealed a number of human factors lessons concerning the implementation of new technologies that need to be heeded to ensure a safe outcome results from implementing new navigation technologies

9. The causal factors

contributing to the grounding were identified as being:

over reliance on technology.

failure to apply corrective action.

deficiencies in understanding technology. However, further human factors investigations revealed that there were other issues that needed to be considered if the incident was to be properly understood. Integrated Bridge Systems (IBS) have introduced a high degree of automation to the modern bridge

10. It is well known that human beings are notoriously poor at monitoring highly

automated equipment because the human response to inactivity is boredom. Experience has shown that when mariners are asked to perform their traditional navigation role in the presence of “high tech” navigation systems there is a high risk that they will feel cut out of the decision loop and under perform. To overcome the human factors which create the risk of human error the watchstander’s role needs to be redesigned to keep him or her at the center of the navigation process. Technology should be developed to assist humans and not replace them, although, that is technically feasible. However, to ensure that human actions do not contribute to the development of operational error it is crucial that wherever possible new technologies should be designed to fit into the scheme of operations. At this stage of technical evolution the aim of technology should not be to replace the navigator but, rather, to empower him or her to concentrate on achieving navigation excellence, as an outcome.

9 Marine Accident Report, Grounding of Panamanian Passenger Ship ROYAL MAJESTY near Nantucket Island,

Massachusetts, June 10, 1999, Abstract of Final Report NTSB Public Meeting, March 12, 1997,

http://www.ntsb.gov/prssrel/970312.htm

10 Mike Jones, “The Role of Bridge and Shore Resource Management Teams” U.S. National Transportation Safety

Board, Vancouver Smart Forum 98, http://199.60.85.201/SmartForum98/confnotes/page3.htm



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5.4.1 Human Factors - Findings

5.4.1.1 Finding: Human factors issues may cause human beings to make “errors” when monitoring highly automated functions

5.4.1.2 .Finding: The impact of introducing new technologies into traditional operations needs to be considered during implementation.

5.4.1.3 Finding: ECDIS and S-57 data was developed using human factors and ergonomic design criteria.

5.4.2 Human Factors - Recommendations

5.4.2.1 Recommendation: A human centered approach needs to be established when implementing new technologies to preserve an active human role.

6. PROCESS

6.1 Process Issues

The move to implement new technologies is often motivated by the desire to change performance outcomes. The expectation that new technologies will improve safety or commercial performance is widely shared across the transportation modes and, indeed, across all industries. However, there exists significant statistical data that indicates that new technologies, even those that are effectively supported by training, do not deliver the safety or commercial performance results that are anticipated. The “Royal Majesty” grounding and recent reports suggesting that computers in the work place have not been the boon to productivity that was foretold, is evidence of this. The missing component that needs to be added to reach optimal performance objectives is - process, especially management process, with a strong emphasis on “how” work is to be done.

“A process is a specific ordering of work activities across time and place, with a beginning, an end, and clearly identified inputs and outputs: a structure for action.

11

11

Thomas H. Davenport, Process Innovation: reengineering work through information technology (Harvard Business School

Press): 6.



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Unless marine managers are prepared to orient themselves to focus on process it will be unlikely that they will be able to take full advantage of cybertechnology infrastructures like the Marine “Electronic” Highway.

“Management attention must be directed to converting the raw capabilities of infrastructure into the operational and management process innovations they enable. Otherwise, it becomes an expensive tool for doing the same work”.

12

The linkage of people and process to technology is an underlying principle in the development of the Marine “Electronic” Highway concept. Accordingly, any commitment to invest in new marine information infrastructure needs to be accompanied by a parallel commitment to create processes that will enable enhanced performance. The system-wide application of cybertechnologies across the marine mode is supportive of process innovation that may create entirely new efficiencies. The ideal approach to infrastructure creation is to “brainstorm” process innovations before technical specifications are developed. To derive the operational potential from infrastructure it is imperative that managers onboard ships and onshore implement the design processes. This implies a greater degree of structure in the way managers onboard vessels and onshore perform their work. The successful application of information management technologies to marine transportation will require development of processes that are:

local and autonomous to ships.

system wide. The processes that are developed will determine the extent to which the adoption of new technologies results in only minor, incremental changes or entirely new magnitudes of performance. Over the course of ECDIS development more attention has been directed to the legal equivalency of ECDIS to paper charts than to its actual use. However, this limited focus detracts from the process enabling power of ECDIS that, if properly harnessed, will contribute to higher performance levels. ECDIS has the capacity to change the way work is performed on the bridge and only by changing the way work is performed through process specification will ECDIS provide an economic return by consistently improving safety and transportation efficiency. By harnessing ECDIS power through the application of process, mariners will be finally able to execute navigation plans without layers of safety margin upon safety margin which has been the mariners historical response to outstanding concerns about the

12

Thomas H. Davenport, Process Innovation: reengineering work through information technology (Harvard Business School

Press): 296.



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quality of navigation information available or their ability to accurately measure to determine their position in the environment. Mariners will always need to calculate and apply safety margins but ECDIS will provide information that will allow the mariner to more confidently calculate and employ a single engineered safety margin that will both ensure vessel safety and contribute to optimal commercial performance.

6.1.1.1 Process Issues - Findings

6.1.1.2 Finding: Performance improvements do not automatically follow the introduction of new technologies unless linked to Finding: process improvements.

6.1.1.3 Finding: Marine transportation safety and efficiency depends on process effectiveness.

6.1.1.4 Finding: Process change is the link between new technology applications and economic return.

6.1.2 Process Issues - Recommendations

6.1.2.1 Recommendation: Define key processes that are enabled by ECDIS and develop process innovations that will optimize application performance.

6.2 Bridge Resource Management

Bridge Resource Management (BRM) is a concept that has been applied to the management of bridge operations that reduces the risk of human and operational error while a ship is navigating.

13 BRM practices are based on the principles of Crew

Resource Management (CRM) developed by commercial aviation to overcome the risk of human error in the cockpit. BRM stresses situational awareness and the use of error trapping to identify and break developing error chains. A central requirement for successful BRM is effective communication and integration of all available resources among the bridge team. Canadian stakeholders proactively implemented BRM concepts and training in parallel with the implementation of electronic charting, commencing in 1994. One of the outstanding benefits of BRM was the creation of a bridge culture that values the open exchange of information. BRM has helped create the ideal operating environment to optimize the use of information technologies, like ECDIS and AIS.

13

Richard T. Johnson, Bridge Resource Management, National Transportation Board, International Conference on Marine

Simulation and Manueverability, St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada, October 1993: 1



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IMO has suggested that shipping companies take the initiative to voluntarily implement BRM concepts on their vessels in keeping with the Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeepers for Seafarers, 1978 as amended in 1995 (STCW). Transport Canada has endorsed voluntary training in BRM and has developed a training standard, Bridge Resource Management -TP13117E. There is no regulatory requirement for BRM training for the time being.

6.2.1 Bridge Resource Management (BRM) - Findings

6.2.1.1 Finding: Bridge Resource Management practices have improved the safety of navigation by stressing situational awareness, by providing techniques to trap errors, break developing error chains, establish open channels of communication and integration of available resources among the Bridge Team (BT).

6.2.1.2 Finding: The implementation of Bridge Resource Management practices has created a bridge culture that values open communication and the sharing of information.

6.2.2 Bridge Resource Management (BRM) - Recommendations

6.2.2.1 Recommendation: Implement mandatory Bridge Resource Management training for all Canadian flag watchkeeping officers .

6.2.2.2 Recommendation: Make mandatory the adoption of Bridge Resource Management practices on Canadian flag vessels.

6.3 Navigation Procedures To derive optimal benefit from ECDIS it is necessary to consider how it will actually be employed in the practice of navigation and to then design procedures to ensure its effective use. In the early applications of ECDIS many mariners were so satisfied with seeing the position of the ship on an electronic chart in real time that they utilized little of the advanced functionality available. Although even the most simplistic use of ECDIS contributes to improved navigation safety there is much more that can be achieved by designing an application process. The simplistic use of ECDIS by mariners typifies the application of cybertechnologies without design. The result is limited, local and incremental performance improvement only. This can be significantly improved upon and needs to be, if full advantage is to be gained from ECDIS. In order for ECDIS to be truly effective in supporting navigation decision making it is crucial that navigators:



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employ full ECDIS functionality.

program ECDIS with a comprehensive Passage Plan.

utilize specialized navigation procedures. One of the key attributes of ECDIS is its ability to support quick and effective decision making by the mariner. Navigation decision making is most accurately described as a process comprising eight specific steps, as follows: 1. Formulating a problem. 2. Identifying decision criteria. 3. Allocating weights to the criteria. 4. Developing alternatives. 5. Analyzing alternatives. 6. Selecting an alternative. 7. Implementing the alternative. 8. Evaluating decision effectiveness.

14

In the context of ECDIS application, navigation decision making is significantly enhanced by utilization of full system functionality, including but not limited to:

display of route line.

display of selected way points and safety contours.

entry of vessel drafts and safety parameters.

activation of alarms. The development of a detailed Passage Plan for programming into the ECDIS is a crucial element that if properly done raises navigator confidence and reduces navigation workload and stress during the passage. Passage planning is a traditional aspect of navigation that continues to be central to the use of ECDIS. Constant reference to the route line displayed on ECDIS is the main task of the navigator. With the Passage Plan programmed into ECDIS the mariner can effectively apply the eight step decision process to make necessary navigation decisions. ECDIS simplifies the mariners efforts to monitor the present position of the vessel and allows the mariner to concentrate more effort on preparing to deal with future events. The existence of a comprehensive detailed Passage Plan and the means to execute it is a central requirement to the achievement of a safe navigation outcome. The better the plan and the better the planned way that it is to be carried out, the more likely the plan will achieve the desired results. While this is generally agreed by the stakeholders there is a broad interpretation as to how each of these elements should be carried out.

14

Bridge Team Training, Team Management, CSL Demo, Centre for Marine Simulation: 11



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Stakeholders who operate ships with an ISM Code compliant Safety Management System need to have a process for management approval of standard Passage Plans. ECDIS provides a simple and efficient way of facilitating this requirement. When considering the availability of navigation procedures applicable to ECDIS, reference was made to standard navigation procedures as follows:

Nautical Institute, Bridge Team Management, A practical Guide; Bridge Procedures Guide.

International Chamber of Shipping.

stakeholder navigation procedures.

ISM Code compliant navigation procedures. One of the striking aspects of all of the navigation procedures reviewed was the overwhelmingly general quality of the procedures described. A common attribute shared by navigation procedures reviewed was the large discretionary choice given to the mariner. Navigation procedures tend to be general guidelines only and it is left to the mariner to select specific navigation techniques for application at each stage of the passage, as they see fit. Mariners are comfortable with this approach because it gives them freedom of choice to respond to navigational situations as they develop and reflects the mariner’s sense that navigation is a re-active process. This may explain why mariners do not tend to pay too much attention to the application of navigation procedures. However, the lack of applied navigation procedures in navigation creates a risk of error. One navigation procedure that is clearly called for is the methodology required to cross-check DGPS position displayed on an ECDIS. In terms of navigation procedures, ECDIS may be regarded as a process “enabler” which can drive process innovation. ECDIS has the capacity to change the way navigation is performed and to enhance the outcomes. Increasingly, mariners consider ECDIS to be the “heart and hub” of the navigation bridge. The addition of AIS will only strengthen the central role of ECDIS in directly supporting navigation. In the future, the addition of “expert” decision support software will further enhance the central role of ECDIS, either, as a stand alone console or, as a component in an IBS. The key to developing a navigation process that will consistently deliver: navigation safety; environmental protection and transportation efficiency; is to define navigation as an instrument based process with ECDIS as the primary navigation instrument. The development of an entirely instrument based navigation process is the logical consequence of adding ECDIS technology to the bridge. The addition of real time information to ECDIS, together with wide area tactical information provided by AIS will substantively enhance the quality of the navigation information flow to the mariner. With constant reference to the displayed passage plan the mariner will be able to continuously interrogate the navigation database of active and passive information contained in ECDIS and effectively measure the performance of the vessel in comparison to the passage plan and observe the conformance of the vessel to



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designated safety and efficiency criteria. Detailed procedures to achieve a standardized instrument based regime to control navigation with ECDIS need to be developed. In terms of developing a navigation application to exploit the power of ECDIS and AIS, the development of an instrument based process, is the only approach that carries with it the potential to create a system-wide improvement to safety and efficiency that exceeds the mere incremental. A fully instrument based approach to navigation control has strong analogies in commercial aviation and submarine operation. The implementation of an instrument based, standardized approach to navigation, focused on ECDIS and AIS, within the context of a BRM environment is expected to significantly improve the safe operating potential and commercial efficiency of vessels. As cybertechnologies create ever more transparency into ship operations and blurs the boundaries between ship and shore, it is probable that new organizational relationships will begin to evolve that may contribute to improved performance. In such cases, it is anticipated that a common understanding of operational procedures will enhance the capacity of “virtual” watchstanders to contribute to the ongoing efficiency of the vessel in a beneficial way. It takes “smart” instruments to create an “intelligent” transportation system and, they need to be used in a “knowledgeable” way. Defining navigation as an instrument based process and designing the procedures to establish a new navigational regime is a fundamental pre-cursor to navigation on the Marine “Electronic” Highway.

6.3.1 Navigation Procedures - Findings

6.3.1.1 Finding: ECDIS applications in Canada has improved navigation safety, contributed to environmental protection of the marine environment and enhanced commercial performance.

6.3.1.2 Finding: Navigation decision making is enhanced by information displayed on ECDIS.

6.3.1.3 Finding: In order for ECDIS information to have an optimal effect on navigation it must be accessed, analyzed and utilized in an active and organized way.

6.3.1.4 Finding: ECDIS enables a shift to fully instrument based navigation.

6.4 Navigation Procedures - Recommendations

6.4.1.1 Recommendation: Define navigation as an “instrument” based process with ECDIS as the primary navigation instrument.

6.4.1.2 Recommendation: Develop standard Passage Planning procedures to fully utilize the functionality of ECDIS.



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6.4.1.3 Recommendation: Develop procedures for cross checking DGPS derived position via a secondary position fixing method employing a secondary electronic navigation signal or parallel indexing technique or other method.

6.5 ECDIS Regulation

The responsibility for developing regulations governing the domestic carriage requirements and use of ECDIS lies with individual Flag States. Transport Canada, Marine Safety will be responsible for regulating the use and carriage of ECDIS in Canada. Transport Canada has indicated that they will begin the process of developing ECDIS regulations and carriage requirements for Canadian Flag vessels commencing in the year 2000. No other National Administration except Germany has started to draft ECDIS Regulations. The development and implementation of electronic charting technologies in Canada paralleled the development period of the international technical standards and specifications for ECDIS. A number of Canadian shipowner’s purchased electronic chart systems well before the ECDIS standards were finalized. This was atypical behavior from an industry that normally waits for regulation before adopting new technology and is highly adverse to buying first generation equipment because of the low functional performance and fast obsolescence risk of such an acquisition. There were a number of factors that motivated early adoption of electronic chart equipment which could, at best, only be characterized as prototype ECDIS and was, in fact, only ECS:

improvements to navigation safety.

availability of Canadian manufactured systems.

availability of enabling technology GPS, then DGPS.

commitment by CHS to produce chart data.

software based operating systems which allowed systems upgrades.

purchase order contracts which required downstream upgrade to ECDIS. At sea, the prototype ECS delivered enhanced navigation safety in a convincing manner. The absence of regulations during this technology incubation period appears to have stimulated the development of electronic chart technology. The lack of formal regulation was compensated for by a highly professional approach by the shipowner’s technical staff to self-regulate the use of this new navigation technology. The clear contribution that ECS made to safe navigation reduced the pressure to regulate the technology until type-approved ECS and a chart updating service was available. The year 2000 has arrived but after almost a decade of experience with electronic charting, ECS manufacturing and vector data production in Canada, not one single IMO



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compliant ECDIS system is operating on a Canadian Flag vessel. The upgrade path to reach IMO compliance for existing Canadian ECS is not clear. It remains to be seen if viable technical upgrade solutions exist and/or the shipowner’s are prepared to make another capital outlay to upgrade existing equipment. Meanwhile, the availability of IMO compliant ECDIS in the marketplace directs unwelcome attention upon the non-compliant status of ECS equipment currently carried on many Canadian commercial vessels and which is heavily depended on to support primary navigattion safety decisions. One of the objectives of this study was to determine the level of support for ECDIS rulemaking by the national stakeholders. The stakeholders response was encouraging and generally supportive which is to be expected from a group that has largely self-regulated the use of electronic charting, to date. The availability of type-approved, IMO compliant ECDIS is reasonably perceived to mark the end of the unregulated period for non-IMO compliant ECS. The following point needs to be made very clearly. Canadian shipowner’s who invested in ECS equipment during the 1990’s did so with the expectation that these same systems would be upgraded to fully IMO compliant ECDIS by the manufacturer in an early timeframe. The fact that this did not happen does not sit well with the shipowner’s despite their general satisfaction with the performance of their non-IMO compliant ECS. Unfortunately, the very situation that they hoped to avoid by purchasing prototype navigation equipment has occurred. They are now facing the risk of early obsolescence, the need to potentially purchase all new equipment and perhaps deal with the risk of liability for using unapproved equipment for navigation. The arrival of type-approved ECDIS is the long awaited signal to the IMO and National Administrations that ECDIS Regulations needs to be placed on the regulatory development agenda. Stakeholders who were consulted endorsed the development of ECDIS regulations. The majority of stakeholders were in favor of developing regulations which were faithful to the international ECDIS standards. Great Lakes shipowner’s were supportive of introducing Canadian Modifications, where appropriate. Virtually none of the stakeholders consulted supported development of a uniquely Canadian regulatory regime. The time frame for introducing regulations needs careful study. Transport Canada has proposed a early timeframe of one to three years to create appropriate rules. Many stakeholders were prepared to support this early timeframe when the topic was discussed in private. However, at the Mariner’s Workshop held in Montreal on March 10, 2000, the attending stakeholders recommended development of ECDIS regulations in step with IMO although IMO have indicated that they will not pursue ECDIS rulemaking before 2008 or, 2010. It is expected that stakeholders will protect a soft position on timetable and attempt to keep their options open until the rulemaking objectives together with a proposed timetable is presented for formal endorsement by Transport Canada.



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The time frame for developing ECDIS regulations in Canada needs to be carefully reviewed. If Canada follows the IMO timetable another decade will pass before operating rules and carriage requirements are introduced. This would certainly give the Canadian stakeholders a chance to acquire IMO compliant ECDIS in a leisurely fashion. On the other hand, a long delay in introducing ECDIS regulations might prevent the stakeholders from gaining the safety and commercial performance returns that might otherwise be derived from the regulation of ECDIS. Alternatively, the proactive regulation of ECDIS by Canada in an early timeframe would potentially serve as a catalyst to begin development of a new information based infrastructure which would serve to stimulate ship safety and raise economic performance to new heights. The Canadian Shipowner’s Association and the Chamber of Maritime Commerce endorsed the optimal use of new navigation technologies in their 1998 strategy paper entitled “A Competitive Vision For The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Waterway”. Similarly, a strategy paper entitled “An Assessment of the U.S. Marine Transportation System” was submitted to the Congress in September 1999 which proposed a plan to develop an “intelligent” transportation system based on the creation of an intermodal “cybertechnology” infrastructure to stimulate competition and economic growth. Singapore and Germany have indicated that they will forge ahead with the regulation of ECDIS. Both of these countries intend to harness ECDIS and supporting cybertechnologies to improve the safety and efficiency of their marine transportation system. It is expected that once successful models are implemented other countries will begin to implement ECDIS on an accelerated timeframe even if they have no current plans to do so at this time. By developing ECDIS regulations in an early timeframe and providing operating incentives for voluntary compliance Transport Canada may be able to create a competitive advantage for proactive shipowner’s while delaying the impact of rulemaking on the activities of more conservative operators. The one to three year timeline for developing ECDIS regulations in Canada proposed by Transport Canada during the national consultation process was generally endorsed by the stakeholders. This is in keeping with the very pro-active and informed nature of the stakeholder base in Canada. Their overriding concern is to get the implementation plan right. Certainly, the voluntary adoption of electronic charting by Canadian stakeholders in the 1990’s would logically lend itself to follow through with the development of ECDIS regulations at an appropriate time. The stakeholders have been aware of the need to eventually develop ECDIS regulations from the beginning of their experience with ECDIS. The arrival of type-approved ECDIS on the scene is recognized as a legitimate catalyst for rulemaking in Canada. However, with the relatively unsettled state of ECDIS technology issues in Canada the stakeholders are also interested in keeping their options open for some time, hence, the indication of support for the IMO timeline endorsed by the attendees of the Mariner’s Workshop in Monteal on March 10th, 2000. It is anticipated that the ongoing consultative process will reveal firm support for an early implementation of ECDIS in Canada.



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The stakeholders have expressed growing concern about ECDIS liability issues and are increasingly sensitive to the ongoing use of ECS in the post-ECDIS type approval period. As well, they seek clarification on the impact that ECDIS carriage and use will have on definitions of: seaworthiness, due diligence and the prudent mariner. It is anticipated that early regulation of ECDIS in Canada would address these issues and mitigate gathering stakeholder concerns. The integration of ECDIS and other information technologies so as to create a powerful new marine transportation infrastructure will require careful design and management. The stakeholders are increasingly looking to the Government to assume the lead role in managing the processes necessary to create this new marine infrastructure.

6.5.1 ECDIS Regulation - Findings

6.5.1.1 Finding: The self-regulation of electronic charting by stakeholders has been effective in developing ECDIS though the proto-type phase.

6.5.1.2 Finding: Stakeholders support adoption of International Standards for ECDIS.

6.5.1.3 Finding: Transport Canada has proposed a one to three year timeline for the development of ECDIS regulations and carriage requirements in Canada, as from May 2000.

6.5.1.4 Finding: Type-approved, IMO compliant ECDIS is available in the marketplace.

6.5.1.5 Finding: S-57 data and an updating service is available in Canada.

6.5.2 ECDIS Regulation - Recommendations

6.5.2.1 Recommendation: ECDIS Steering Committee to assume leadership role and coordinate ongoing development and implementation of ECDIS and AIS with stakeholders.

6.5.2.2 Recommendation: Prepare cost-benefit analysis to support ECDIS rulemaking.

6.5.2.3 Recommendation: Continue to use Service Fee incentives to motivate shipowner’s to adopt ECDIS.



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6.5.2.4 Recommendation: Proceed with development of Canadian ECDIS Regulations commencing in May 2000.

6.5.2.5 Recommendation: Link ECDIS regulation to process application.

6.5.2.6 Recommendation: Canadian stakeholders must proactively support the regulatory affairs process to develop ECDIS Regulations and Carriage Requirements for Canadian Flag vessels and clearly indicate to Transport Canada support for accelerating the coming into effect of these regulations.

6.5.2.7 Recommendation: As a precursor to ECDIS regulation development undertake a demonstration project to gain operational experience at sea using IMO compliant, type-approved ECDIS, as the primary source of chart information to support navigation.

6.6 ECDIS Vision Implementation Timeline



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Table 1 - ECDIS Vision Timeline - Proposed

7. MARINER’S WORKSHOP - Montreal, March 10, 2000

A workshop was held with stakeholders to discuss in open forum issues pertaining to ECDIS and the creation of the Marine “Electronic” Highway. Members of the ECDIS Steering Committee attended as did a cross section of stakeholders who had an interest in advancing the development of ECDIS and associated technologies into an effective infrastructure capable of improving navigation safety and the protection of the marine environment and enhancing transportation efficiency. The workshop provided the first opportunity in the consultative process to discuss in a group setting the developing vision that the integration of ECDIS with people and process would form the foundation of the Marine “Electronic” Highway. The attending stakeholders represented a significant cross section of ECDIS expertise from both the public and the private sector, including: system manufacturers and data producers, shipowner’s representatives, industry organizations, pilots, Hydrographers, port managers, Seaway representatives, infrastructure managers, regulators and a marine lawyer. The participants highly endorsed the consultation process initiated by The ECDIS Steering Committee. The stakeholders used the occasion of the workshop to re-iterate their ongoing concerns that ECDIS development in Canada has stalled and they look to the government for a leadership role in the ongoing implementation of ECDIS and the development of supporting infrastructure. The stakeholders made it equally clear that they want to actively participate in the future development of ECDIS and contribute to the decision making process concerning infrastructure design. Ten recommendations were tabled for discussion. Although all ten were endorsed as proposed there were a number of insightful comments that were incorporated into the development of the ECDIS “Vision”.



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The stakeholders cautioned that rapid changes are occurring in all aspects of information technology development. This fact calls into question the proposal to proceed with a phased in, incremental approach. It was suggested that an across the board implementation would be more successful in establishing an industry wide standard. The general endorsement of ECDIS implementation in keeping with the IMO timetable is believed to be more properly a desire to keep options open until a firmer indication of the government’s willingness to assume a leadership role in the implementation of ECDIS is decided. The stakeholders appear to support an accelerated implementation of ECDIS in comparison to the IMO timeline. However, support for such an action is expected to remain soft in Canada until an actual project implementation plan, complete with an analysis of cost, is developed. The stakeholders recognize that slow ECDIS implementation will delay the system wide performance benefit gains that are anticipated to follow the adoption of ECDIS. The substantive issues discussed at the workshop are reflected in the above referenced comments on technology, people and process. However, ten recommendations were endorsed by the stakeholders, as follows:

7.1.1 Mariner’s Workshop - Recommendations

7.1.1.1 Recommendation: Proceed with national development and deployment of ECDIS, AIS and INTERNET onboard together with steps to upgrade VTS.

7.1.1.2 Recommendation: Design ECDIS and AIS implementation in simple achievable increments with focus on achieving robust technology.

7.1.1.3 Recommendation: Define dynamic information (MIO) priorities for transmission to ships, and identify the service providers who will deliver real-time data.

7.1.1.4 Recommendation: Wait for broad bandwidth INTERNET service via satellite at low cost instead of developing alternate, interim or proprietary communication pipeline solutions.

7.1.1.5 Recommendation: Develop navigation model as an instrument based process, centered on Passage Planning.



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7.1.1.6 Recommendation: Develop detailed ECDIS navigation procedures for standard use on all ships.

7.1.1.7 Recommendation: Implement mandatory BRM and ECDIS training and certify users.

7.1.1.8 Recommendation: Research human factors issues and develop ECDIS.

7.1.1.9 Recommendation: Research human factors issues and develop ECDIS with human focus.

7.1.1.10 Recommendation: Perform cost-benefit analysis as part of rulemaking activity.

7.1.1.11 Recommendation: Proceed with development of regulations and carriage requirements in step with IMO.

8. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

8.1 Conclusions

This study has reviewed the marine application of ECDIS in Canada to the present and has examined in consultation with Canadian stakeholders the strategic challenges posed to development of the Marine “Electronic” Highway in Canada. Additional challenges related to the development of ECDIS Regulations have also been addressed. Finally, an ECDIS “Vision” for Canada has been proposed. Strategic actions required to achieve the ECDIS “Vision” by creating the Marine “Electronic” Highway are incorporated in the Recommendations.

8.2 Key Challenge; Building on Experience Canadian stakeholders in both the public and private sector have, together, achieved a comprehensive understanding of ECDIS technology across the entire spectrum of key issues. Canadian stakeholders have developed world leading levels of expertise in the technical development of ECDIS, including: manufacturing, software development and S-57 data production and correction. From an operational perspective, Canadian stakeholders have successfully applied ECDIS technologies at sea to improve navigation safety, and environmental protection, and to enhance commercial performance. In terms of ECDIS development and implementation few national



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stakeholder groups have achieved a degree of experience that compares to that achieved by Canadian stakeholders. The success of the Canadian ECDIS implementation to date owes a great deal to the extent to which ECDIS development was undertaken as a national program with all elements of the technology being developed here in Canada. The leadership and coordinating role provided by the Canadian Hydrographic Service is considered integral to the success of ECDIS in Canada to date. An important factor in the development of ECDIS in Canada was the pro-active adoption of ECDIS and the highly professional implementation undertaken by the stakeholders. After more than a decade of technical and operational experience with every important aspect of ECDIS Canadian stakeholders are uniquely positioned to contribute to the next phase of ECDIS implementation in Canada. Although ECDIS was developed as an international standard, the focus of the ECDIS development in Canada has been on Canadian application as is evident by the concentration of ECDIS utilization on the Great Lakes. To a large degree, Canadian stakeholders have already learned about the fundamental capabilities of ECDIS. The stakeholders are now at a stage of ECDIS evolution where they can clearly visualize a higher order use for ECDIS as the central instrument in an information management process designed to create system wide performance enhancements. The stakeholders support the development of a system wide application of ECDIS through the creation of the Marine “Electronic” Highway infrastructure that will enable ECDIS and, as a consequence, ships, to perform at the highest possible performance levels.

8.3 The Marine “Electronic” Highway

The Marine “Electronic” Highway has been conceived of in this study as a figurative concept that combines people, process and technology to take advantage of the information technologies that are rapidly transforming marine transportation. ECDIS is considered to be the central technology in terms of the Marine “Electronic” Highway primarily because it acts as the interface between information and the mariner. ECDIS is also the technology that will make it possible for the mariner to manage the ever increasing levels of high quality information that will be communicated to vessels in real time. To derive the full benefit of ECDIS and the Marine “Electronic” Highway it is crucial that the ongoing role of the mariner and the need for process be carefully considered. Canadian stakeholders have learned about the significance of people and process as a result of their early experience with implementing ECDIS. The manner in which people and process issues are factored into the future application of ECDIS technologies will largely determine the success of the Marine “Electronic” Highway.

8.4 ECDIS “Vision” Statement



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ECDIS will be proactively developed in Canada to:

optimize the use of smart data in an information based “intelligent” marine transportation system to contribute to navigation safety, environmental protection and marine transportation efficiency;

create an effective communication and information management infrastructure capable of delivering accurate, up-to-date and real-time marine information to users;

establish ECDIS technology as the heart and hub of an instrument based, people centered, navigation process supported by national regulations.

Emphasize the use of Bridge Resource Management concepts and effective training to ensure mariners derive maximum operational benefit from ECDIS information.

9. REFERENCES

1. IMO Resolution A.817(19), Performance Standard for Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS)



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2. IHO Publication S-52 “Specifications for Chart Content and Display Aspects of “ECDIS” and IHO Publication S-57 “IHO Transfer Standard for Digital Hydrographic Data”

3. IEC Publication 61174, Operational Methods of Testing and Required Test Results (for ECDIS), 1998

4. Electronic Chart Pilot Project - Final Report, Offshore Systems Limited, Northe Vancouver, B.C., 1997

5. Dr. Lee Alexander and Captain John D. Pace, Electronic Charts: The Future Is Now, The Maritime Executive, Winter 2000, P. 30

6. John B. Hopkins, Cybertechnology and Transportation, Transportation Strategic Planning and Analysis Office, John A. Volpe National Transportations Systems Center, http://volpe.dot.gov/spirit/background/hopkins.html

7. Nautical Data International Inc., S-57 ENC Product Pricing, (3,15,2000), http://www.ndi.nf.ca/ndi99/products/portinfo/s-57_price.htm

8. Douglas K. Smith, “Taking Charge of Change”, Addison -Wesley Publishing Company, 1996

9. Marine Accident Report, Grounding of Panamanian Passenger Ship ROYAL MAJESTY near Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, June 10, 1999, Abstract of Final Report NTSB Public Meeting, March 12, 1997, http://www.ntsb.gov/prssrel/970312.htm

10. Mike Jones, “The Role of Bridge and Shore Resource Management Teams” U.S. Transportation Safety Board, Vancouver Smart Forum 98, hhtp://199.60.85.201/SmartForum98/confnotes/page3.htm

11. Thomas H. Davenport, Process Innovation: reengineering work through information technology (Harvard Business School Press), p. 6

12. Ibid., p. 296

13. Richard T. Johnson, Bridge Resource Management, National Transportation Board, International Conference on Marine Simulation and Maneuverability, St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada, October 1993, p. 1

14. Bridge Team Planning, Team Management, CSL Demo, Centre for Marine Simulation, Nautical Institute, Memorial University, St. John’s, Newfoundland, p. 11

10. ANNEX 1 - Interim Report to the ECDIS Steering Committee

The consultant undertook face-to-face consultation with national stakeholders across Canada from the East Coast, through the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence region to the West



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Coast, including parties with an interest in the Arctic. The consultation occurred over the period January 31 through to February 29. The parties consulted represented stakeholders in both the public and private sectors who, taken together, encompassed a wide range of groups involved in vessel operations, commercial functions, ECDIS manufacturing, training, marine regulators and specialists in the ECDIS field. The stakeholders proved to be well informed on the issues relating to ECDIS and enthusiastically participated in the consultation process. However, it should be noted that the spectrum of interest in ECDIS ranged from a significant commitment to the technology to general awareness but no immediate plans to adopt the technology. It would appear that a sizable group of ECDIS users upgraded to ECDIS quite early in the availability time frame and have developed considerable experience and expertise in the use of this technology in a demanding operational environment. Others remain reluctant to invest in the technology owing to concerns about the initial cost, type-approval issues, availability of data, liability and lack of regulatory stimulus. The stakeholders were in unanimous agreement that the overall objective of any new technology should be to: 1/ Enhance safety of operation. 2/ Improve protection of the marine environment. 3/ Enhance commercial efficiency. Stakeholders having experience and expertise in the use of ECDIS typically had a sophisticated understanding of the issues pertaining to ECDIS and support for the technology was indicated to be broad based within the individual stakeholder group. Experienced ECDIS users tend to hold a common understanding of the operational effectiveness of this technology and the positive impact that precision navigation has on navigational safety and commercial efficiency. Additionally, experienced ECDIS users tend to emphasize that enhanced navigational safety and improved commercial efficiency are an indivisible resultant derived from the effectiveness of this new technology. Virtually all early users of ECDIS were aware of the development problems attending the adoption of this technology during the prototype phase and remained positive about the benefits none-the-less. These same pioneers users of ECDIS were prepared to deal with the development challenges in the interest of gaining enhanced operational and safety capabilities. None of the users expected the equipment to remain in prototype status for the time frame actually experienced. The non-approved status of the first generation ECDIS in Canada remains an ongoing source of frustration among the early users. The domestic Great Lakes fleet of ECDIS equipped vessels and their crews of skilled officers represent, in all probability, the most experienced and skilled cadre of marine users of ECDIS in the world. This group of mariners proved the importance of ECDIS in enhancing navigational safety in confined waters and during docking maneuvers. The successful use of ECDIS by this group of expert navigators has resulted in significant



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improvements to the safety record and a commensurate improvement in commercial performance. As a result of this successful experience with ECDIS mariners and their managers are ready to support the development of the next phase of ECDIS related technologies. However, the halting development of ECDIS technology to date has created a pragmatic outlook in the user base in regard to the practical speed of development of additional new technologies. In addition, the users tend to share the perspective that new technologies should be kept simple and robust in the early phases of development and an effort should be made to walk before learning to run with burgeoning technologies. The literature review indicated that Canada has made a significant contribution to the development of ECDIS from equipment through data development and training. In fact, the CONTOUR publication represents the most comprehensive, continuous record of development of ECDIS available. Canada dominated the early development of ECDIS, especially in terms of the scope of sea deployment of the technology in a high risk navigation environment. The Canadian record of linking the implementation of ECDIS to the adoption of Bridge Resource Management techniques supported by comprehensive mariner training stands as an excellent model to the marine world. To date, International Standards in support of ECDIS and the associated technologies of Automated Information Systems (AIS) and Vessel Data Recorders (VDR) have largely been written and approved. Type approved ECDIS equipment is now available in the market place soon to be followed by similarly approved AIS and VDR equipment. Canadian based users of ECDIS are aware of the Standards and are concerned about achieving compliance to the ECDIS Performance Standard with their existing equipment. All present users of ECDIS equipment anxiously await completion of the long awaited upgrade path to type-approved compliant ECDIS equipment. However, the timeline and cost for achieving this remain obscure. It is anticipated that only fully approved ECDIS equipment will be purchased by commercial users. Canada has developed a significant number of vector data Electronic Nautical Charts (ENC) which conform to the S-57 standard. However, the marine users of this data have reported widespread dissatisfaction with the presentation library of colors and symbols which differ significantly from the original issue NTX standard ENC “look and feel” that Canadian users are familiar with. The NTX standard became the de-facto standard for ENCs as far as Canadian users are concerned. It is expected that the S-57 ENC will quickly be accepted by the mariner when properly introduced, however, resistance should be anticipated until the mariner comes to appreciate the power inherent in the S-57 ENC architecture and content. S-57 ENC availability in Canada is quite good compared to almost any other country. However, the industry has expressed considerable dissatisfaction with S-57 chart pricing. Industry concern over S-57 chart pricing remains an issue to be resolved. The industry understands that the improvement of ENC content will improve over time. The



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issue of concern is the accuracy of chart surveys sufficient to support the level of navigation precision made possible by DGPS. The time, cost and order of priority for improving chart surveys remains a significant outstanding issue which ECDIS users are anxious to see resolved. The commercial users of the Seaway, including domestic and foreign users of the system, have been pro-actively pursuing the development and implementation of AIS transponder technology for use in the St. Lawrence Seaway. The industry is highly motivated to gain the level of dynamic information available from AIS to enhance situational awareness on the bridge. The improved tactical picture available to mariners and regulators is understood to be the next significant benefit to be derived from the adoption of a new technology. With the addition of AIS to the bridge, mariners will have a pipeline capable of providing dynamic information to the ECDIS. The availability of time variable objects (TVO) in the S-57 ENC will significantly enhance the mariners understanding of the real-time environment. This in turn will lead to even further improvements in safety and efficiency. The next big advances in ECDIS will be the ability to obtain and display real-time data ranging from real-time water level, currents, weather, ice, Notices-to-Mariners and sea state to sea temperature, just to name a few of the possibilities being considered. The S-57 ENC has been developed with the display of TVO’s in mind. However, the service providers who will assemble and quality check potential real-time information data sets have not been identified yet. It has long been anticipated that AIS will be the delivery pipeline for TVO information and, perhaps, a significant stream of commercial information, as well. The bandwidth required to deliver the desired information needs further assessment. Although AIS will carry some of the marine information desired by the mariner an additional pipeline capable of carrying high volumes of data at low cost is probably required. The capability of delivering high volumes of marine and other real-time data to a ship will probably be provided by the INTERNET. The ability to use the INTERNET onboard in a cost effective way will complete the technical requirements to create the Marine Electronic Highway (MEH). The INTERNET is available onboard vessels today via Inmarsat, other satellite communication systems or high speed UHF marine modems. The INTERNET satisfies the bandwidth requirements to deliver all foreseeable dynamic information to the mariner onboard ship, however, the cost today is prohibitive. However, a new generation of Inmarsat and a competing new low earth orbit satellite communication system called “Teledesic” are expected to come on stream by 2004. The availability oh broad bandwidth, low cost wireless communication sets the time frame for achievement of the Marine Electronic Highway. To recap, the technical requirements identified as necessary to create the Marine Electronic Highway for Canada are ECDIS, AIS and satellite delivered INTERNET. These technologies are in advanced stages of development and are for all practical purposes deployable and/or available in a one to five year time frame. The bigger issue remains the availability of the dynamic information that Mariners will desire to enhance



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the safety and efficiency of operation. At present, no supplier of this important information stream has been identified. With the creation of powerful navigation databases supported by a high level of dynamic information delivered in real-time via the INTERNET the bridge will be transformed into a node on what will potentially become an intelligent interconnected transportation system. The scope of intelligence within the system is only now being speculated but the potential is limitless. The potential power of the Marine Electronic Highway will be realized through the effective networking of all connected users. The power of ECDIS lays in the integration of databases. The power of the Marine Electronic Highway lays in the convergence of wireless technologies to provide all interested parties with full data sets. In the very near future mariners at sea and managers onshore will have mutual access to exactly the same information streams in real time. The impact that the availability of such shared information will have on the operation of ships will be potentially explosive and may lead to unprecedented changes in the way ships are operated and controlled. This perspective of the future is discomforting to the mariner. Never-the-less, technology is on the verge of delivering these vast sea changes and now is the time to re-engineer the bridge, if necessary, to prepare for it. If the effective use of real-time information on ECDIS leads to even further enhance navigational safety and commercial performance, and this outcome is highly likely, then there is no doubt that the changes that can be derived from this new technical revolution will occur. It is absolutely imperative, that mariners and managers understand what changes are at hand and that they combine to embrace this new technology to make it work for them. The fundamental reality that is shortly to occur is that the Electronic Marine Highway will mean a further round of change. The challenge remains to change for the good. It became clear through the consultation process that the development of an ECDIS Vision leading to the creation of the Marine Electronic Highway in Canada links people, process and technology issues. This is fairly common in all management situations. At this juncture the path that technology development will take is quite well understood. Canada has a highly advanced understanding of the technologies and considerable research is ongoing to further understand national needs. A well developed sense of the importance of training to ensure the successful introduction of new technologies into the work environment is understood within the marine community. Training remains a priority issue to derive ongoing benefit from the adoption of new technologies. Although Canada has a strong track record on the subject of ECDIS training and Bridge Resource Management (BRM) training few operators have realized that there is a need for constant refresher training to get the best performance from mariners responsible for using the latest technologies. The industry is not presently organized to implement a continuous regime of technical training. However, if Canada is to derive the full benefit



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from the transition to a high tech marine transportation system the need to modify training, as appropriate, needs to be thoroughly investigated. The consultation process revealed a significant deficiency that presently exists amongst literally all users of ECDIS or Integrated Bridge Systems (IBS). There is a concerted lack of specialized and detailed procedures to be applied when using ECDIS. This is a significant deficiency and urgently requires investigation and correction. As well, mariners persist in believing that all instruments currently found on the bridge of a vessel are only aids to navigation. On today’s bridge where all high value information is obtained from instruments this notion must be challenged. The writer strongly suggests that a new navigation model be created which clearly and unequivocally identifies navigation as an instrument based process. This is particularly important in view of the inevitable creation of the Marine Electronic Highway which will deliver huge amounts of high quality information to the bridge. The modern mariner needs to understand how he or she will make their navigation decisions and what information they will base their decisions on. There is an urgent requirement for a standard approach based on reference to instrument displayed information that will clearly be accessible in common by mariner and manager alike. Human factors issues continue to demand attention during the implementation of ECDIS and other new technologies. The lessons suggested by the Royal Majesty grounding have not yet been learned. Mariners do not perform well in a highly automated environment. No human being does. Still, the new integrated bridges have not been evolved with a human centered focus which serves to keep the mariner actively and evidently in the critical decision loop. More work is required in this area if human factors are to be overcome and the potential benefits of the new technologies achieved. If this area of concern is ignored then the inevitable will happen, human error and accident. Consultation with pilots revealed general support for the new technologies. The deployment of laptop “carry-on” ECDIS will go a long way to gaining the support of this significant body of navigation experts for ECDIS. The pilots, however, revealed that there exists an entirely unexpected situation on the bridge of many foreign vessels. It has been observed that vessel Masters are overwhelmed by commercial activities while on the bridge, or, they are choosing to select commercial activity over navigation safety activities. Likewise, there has been observed amongst junior officers a trend toward concentrating on completion of ISM Code “checklists” as a priority activity, higher, it seems than providing direct support to the bridge team. This situation, if described properly, means that problems exist on the bridge of many vessels entering Canadian waters which will not be corrected by adding ECDIS. These vessels already have ECDIS and it is not being used. Further investigation is required to determine if other activities other than navigation safety are being pursued on the bridge of ships transiting Canadian waters to the detriment of navigation safety.



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Commercially, ECDIS has proved itself as being a positive boon to commercial efficiency. Vessels are being moved with safety and confidence in all weather, including under conditions of “blind” pilotage. This saves time and time saved equals revenue earned. Again, it was stressed by all stakeholders that safety and commercial performance go hand-in-hand as inseparable pursuits which accomplishes the national policy interests of safety, environment and efficiency. The stakeholders are in general support of ECDIS rulemaking. By and large, the stakeholders wish to see the IMO standard upheld in Canada. There are pockets of disagreement here, however, most notably on the Great Lakes. The issue of concern is clearly the development of carriage requirements. This is a particular concern for vessel operators that have purchased and installed prototype equipment which does not presently comply with the IMO standard. No owner wants to find out that they have purchased the wrong equipment. Integration levels will be an area requiring careful consideration when carriage requirements are considered. Most owners realize that the ideal arrangement has ECDIS resident within an IBS. However, for Great Lakes vessels, such systems are unlikely to be installed. The outstanding concern expressed by all stakeholders remains the cost of developing the new infrastructure. These costs remain undefined, at this stage, accordingly, the industry has no idea what the impact will be on “service fees”. This needs to be considered and discussed with the industry. A cost benefit justification for any regulation needs to be undertaken as part of the regulatory development process. RECOMMENDATIONS: 1/ Proceed with national development and deployment of ECDIS, AIS and INTERNET onboard. 2/ Design ECDIS and AIS implementation in simple achievable increments with a focus on achieving robust technology. 3/ Define dynamic information priorities for transmission to ships and develop the service providers who will deliver real-time data. 4/ Wait for broad bandwidth INTERNET service via satellite at low cost instead of developing alternate, interim or proprietary communication pipeline solutions. 5/ Stress training. 6/ Define navigation as instrument based process. 7/ Develop detailed ECDIS navigation procedures for standard use on all ships. 8/ Research human factors issues and develop ECDIS with human focus.



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9/ Proceed with development of regulations and carriage requirements in step with IMO. 10. Perform cost benefit analysis as part of rulemaking activity. Note: The above presented to ECDIS Steering Committee as Interim Report by Captain

John D. Pace on March 3/2000 in Ottawa (Postscript)

11. ANNEX 2 - Stakeholders Consulted

DATE ORGANIZATION CONTACT SECTOR ROLE

31-01-00 PORT OF HALIFAX Captain R. Sherman, Public Commercial

31-01-00 ATLANTIC PILOTS Captain Alan Stockdale Captain Andrew J. Rae

Private Operations

31-01-00 ATLANTIC PILOTS Captain Patrick Gates Public Regulatory

01-02-00 Port Hawkesbury NAUTICAL INSTITUTE

Captain Joe Murphy Public Training



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02-02-00 CHS ATLANTIC Gerard Costello Public Service

02-02-00 CCG MARITIME Captain John McCann Public Operations

03-02-00 COMPANY OF MASTER MARINERS

Captain Angus McDonald 11 Representatives

Private Advisory

03-02-00 SEGUNDA MARINE Captain John Hughes Private Operations

04-02-00 GREAT LAKES TRANSPORTATION

Elke Juckes Private Commercial

07-02-00 TRANSPORT Captain A. Kasprazak Public Regulatory

07-02-00 PORT OF MONTREAL Captain J.L. Bedard Public Commercial

08-02-00 SHIPPING FED. CAN. Captain Ivan Lantz Private Commercial

08-02-00 SEAWAY Captain Dennis Kooka Public Regulatory

09-02-00 ACOMARIT (CSL INC) Edward Jackson Private Operations

10-02-00 ULG GROUP ACM

Captain Glen Spaan Captain Jim Pound

Private Private

Operations Operations

10-02-00 CHS CENTRAL Captain J. Goodyear Public Service

14-02-00 BC FERRIES Captain Stephen Poole Public Operations

15-02-00 OFFSHORE John Jacobson Private Manufacture

15-02-00 CANSTAR Helmut Lanziner Private Manufacture

16-02-00 CHS PACIFIC Ron Bell Public Service

17-02-00 CCG PACIFIC Pablo Sobrino Public Operations

17-02-00 MVTS SIDNEY Cath Werle Public Operations

18-02-00 BC CHAMBER PACMAR

Captain R. Cartwright 25 Representatives

Private Commercial

18-02-00 MTVS VANCOUVER Mike Doutaz Public Operations

22-02-00 St. LAWRENCE SHIP OWNERS ASSOC.

Nicole Trepanier (Northern Stakeholders)

Private Commercial

22-02-00 CONSULTANT Lee Alexander Private Advisory

22-02-00 CCMC Patrick Hally Public Advisory

23-02-00 CCG LAURENTIAN CHS LAURENTIAN

Marc Demonceaux 10 Representatives

Public Public

Operations Service

23-02-00 CONSULTANT Robert Van Eijle Private Manufacture

28-02-00 CSA Captain Reg Lenteigne Private Commercial

29-02-00 SHIPPING FED. CAN. Captain Ivan lantz Private Commercial



12. ANNEX 3 - SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS

Develop the performance criteria for a cybertechnology enhanced “intelligent” marine transportation system infrastructure in Canada.

Develop ECDIS and AIS as a component of a cybertechnology enhanced “intelligent” marine transportation system.



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The performance criteria for DGPS as the primary marine navigation signal for use with ECDIS in Canada should be specified and provided for.

A secondary “back-up” electronic navigation signal should be identified and provided for use with ECDIS.

The Canadian Hydrographic Service should continue to participate in the ongoing evolution of ECDIS technical standards and specifications, particularly, as concerns S-57 data.

International ECDIS standards and specifications should be incorporated into Canadian regulations.

In anticipation of regulated ECDIS carriage requirements Transport Canada should expedite development of the anticipated carriage requirements for ECDIS including standards for integration so that shipowner’s can efficiently plan an upgrade path or transition to ECDIS.

Develop the technical parameters for ECDIS back-up that will apply to vessels operating in Canadian waters.

Sound ergonomic principles should be applied when locating ECDIS on the bridge to ensure that the conning officer has continuous access to ECDIS information to support safe navigation decision making.

Develop portable ECDIS specification for use by pilots.

Develop commercial plan to implement use of portable ECDIS by pilots.

Portable ECDIS utilized by certificated pilots should be given the regulatory status of ECDIS in Canada.



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The ongoing production of S-57 data should continue unabated and be supported by a process to evolve and improve the data based on user input.

A process to solicit, obtain, analyze and incorporate users comments to evolve and improve S-57 data should be developed.

The transition from NTX to S-57 data needs to be completed expeditiously to ensure that mariners can gain experience with the enhanced functionality of this data set and to begin receiving the chart updating service.

In Canada, ENC data should continue to be produced in accordance with the S-57 standard.

Find ways to expedite updating of charts to reflect new sounding information.

To stimulate the operational use of S-57 data the annual license fee for S-57 data needs to be re-assessed and adjusted to a level acceptable to the stakeholders.

To stimulate S-57 data sales in Canada pricing options should be

investigated for weekly, monthly, pay-per-use, pay per cell or

other scenarios.

Canadian stakeholders must determine the shipping routes and ports that require re-survey to DGPS accuracy on a prioritized basis and ensure that adequate funding is allocated to the CHS to undertake the designated surveys.

Where new survey base data is available second generation ENC

should be produced with “super-scale” to enhance navigation safety.

The early adoption of AIS transponder technology in Canada will enhance navigation safety by improving the availability and quality of information used by the mariner to make navigation decisions.



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AIS transponder carriage should be mandated across a broad spectrum of vessels ranging from cargo vessels, tugs and tows, fishing vessels and large yachts.

The organizational and infrastructure requirements necessary to support the acquisition and communication of MIO to mariners needs to be identified for Canadian implementation.

Information management processes need to be developed to manage the collection and assure the quality of MIO prior to

transmission to ships.

Develop VHF communication infrastructure required to support transmission of AIS information to vessels.

Target delivery of MIO to vessels via INTERNET as optimal communication solution for transmission of navigation data when satellite communication bandwidth and cost thresholds permit.

Voyage event data from ECDIS should be used as a training aid to improve the “upstream” performance of the Bridge Team.

Regional VTS infrastructure should be upgraded to support AIS information transmission and receipt in conformance to a national standard.

The implementation of new technologies should be supported by a change management process.

Organizational values need to be modified to support the changing role of information on the navigation bridge.

Implement mandatory training and certification of all Canadian mariners who will have operational responsibility for using ECDIS to conduct navigation in accordance with the ECDIS Training Standard.



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Companies should ensure that mariners complete an ECDIS manufacturers training course on the actual equipment that they will be using at sea in addition to the ECDIS Training Standard course.

To maintain operational proficiency mariners should participate in mandatory refresher training for ECDIS.

Develop Canadian AIS training standard for AIS.

Implement mandatory training and certification of all Canadian

mariners who will have operational responsibility for using AIS to support navigation decision making in accordance with an AIS training standard.

A human centered approach needs to be established when implementing new technologies to preserve an active human role.

Implement mandatory Bridge Resource Management training for all Canadian flag watchkeeping officers .

Make mandatory the adoption of Bridge Resource Management practices on Canadian flag vessels.

Define navigation as an “instrument” based process with ECDIS as the primary navigation instrument.

Develop standard Passage Planning procedures to fully utilize the functionality of ECDIS.

Develop procedures for cross checking DGPS derived position via a secondary position fixing method employing a secondary

electronic navigation signal or parallel indexing technique or other method.

ECDIS Steering Committee to assume leadership role and coordinate ongoing development and implementation of ECDIS and AIS with stakeholders.



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Prepare cost-benefit analysis to support ECDIS rulemaking.

Continue to use Service Fee incentives to motivate shipowner’s to

adopt ECDIS.

Proceed with development of Canadian ECDIS Regulations commencing in May 2000.

Link ECDIS regulation to process application.

Canadian stakeholders must proactively support the regulatory affairs process to develop ECDIS Regulations and Carriage Requirements for Canadian Flag vessels and clearly indicate to Transport Canada support for accelerating the coming into effect of these regulations.

As a precursor to ECDIS regulation development undertake a

demonstration project to gain operational experience at sea using

IMO compliant, type-approved ECDIS, as the primary source of

chart information to support navigation.

Mariner’s Workshop - Recommendations

Proceed with national development and deployment of ECDIS, AIS and INTERNET onboard together with steps to upgrade VTS.

Design ECDIS and AIS implementation in simple achievable increments with focus on achieving robust technology.

Define dynamic information (MIO) priorities for transmission to

ships, and identify the service providers who will deliver real-time data.

Wait for broad bandwidth INTERNET service via satellite at low cost instead of developing alternate, interim or proprietary communication pipeline solutions.



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Develop navigation model as an instrument based process, centered on Passage Planning.

Develop detailed ECDIS navigation procedures for standard use on all ships.

Implement mandatory BRM and ECDIS training and certify users.

Research human factors issues and develop ECDIS with human focus.

Perform cost-benefit analysis as part of rulemaking activity.

Proceed with development of regulations and carriage requirements in step with IMO.

- End -

THE MARINE ELECTRONIC HIGHWAY

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