How Ships Stay Connected at Sea?
Marine communication used to be as simple as yelling from one boat to another. But if you’ve ever tried yelling while on a boat, you know how difficult it can be to make yourself heard, even at short distances. That’s why today, marine communications are more complex and rely heavily on sophisticated technology like radio, GPS, and satellite phones. This guide will help explain the different types of marine communication systems and the role they play in keeping ships connected at sea. Navigating the ocean can be tricky, even in the best of circumstances. When you’re at sea for extended periods of time, it’s more important than ever to stay connected with other ships, as well as land-based communication centres and family back home. The modern marine communication system combines multiple technologies to make this possible.
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WHAT IS MARINE COMMUNICATION?
Maritime transport is the backbone of international trade. Around 80% of the world’s merchandise is transported by sea, so it’s essential that safe navigation is a top priority for ships’ captains, as well as for all global economies. For decades, ships’ captains have communicated with each other via radio because it’s an effective and reliable means of communication between them. But it can also be a significant risk for the safety at sea. For example, false or incomplete information about a ship’s movements can be more dangerous than no information at all! To improve the maritime community’s ability to exchange data safely, reliably and securely and thus contribute to safer navigation on the open seas over long distances, we have created Auriga, which stands for Automated Reliable Internetwork Guidance that gives immediate insight into every ship’s location and activity – enabling safe maritime industries in new ways never seen before.
Today, mariners use technology to meticulously track their ship’s position. Through the utilization of things like radio, radar and satellite navigation they can check exactly where they are with respect to other ships in their area as well as their position with respect to land so as to ensure safe navigation in all circumstances. They also use radiocommunications – such as FRS, GMRS and MURS – for a variety of purposes. This includes having real-time conversations with family and friends back home or calling for help should any kind of emergency arise.
During the seventies, it was apparent that greater thought and research had gone into finding a solution to ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore communication. After IMO assessed the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) study results, ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore communication became possible using VHF radio. At this point, having a radio officer whose only job was to remain awake at all hours monitoring transmissions for an emergency was no longer necessary.
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MARINE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS USED IN THE MARITIME INDUSTRY
“Radiotelegraphy” was a technology that used radio waves to communicate via Morse code. Around 1900, it became widely used for marine communication, competing with the older system of lamps and flags. Radio communication was an important part of marine documentation in the later stages of the twentieth century. By this time ships were able to send signals about any shortages or other issues that would need to be handled by staff members on board. Today radiotelegraphy is only used for commercial contact with port and shipping services, but can also be used on a smaller scale by private vessels.
Marine communication between ships through the use of marine radios was carried out in ship-to-shore radio stations. Once satellites became a dominant form of communication, the Digital Selective Calling (DSC) system used distress alerts, urgent or safety calls, or routine priority messages, transmitted messages to a receiver for digitally remote control. DSC controllers are now integrated with VHF radios as per conventions from SOLAS (Safety Of Life at Sea).
Satellite services are not like terrestrial, or land-based communication services. For example, marine communication services must use geostationary satellites to transmit and receive signals, whereas shore stations cannot reach them. Private organizations such as INMARSAT (a commercial company) and COSPAS – SARSAT (a multi-national government agency) provide marine communications via satellite, which have a range of applications from ship navigation to having end users on your vessel receive emergency response messages from rescuers.
In terms of INMARSAT communications, the Corpas Sarsat system has a limited scope of two-way communications and is designed specifically for receiving emergency beacons (EPIRB). While INMARSAT gives the scope of two-way communications, Sarsat uses EPIRBS that in turn show additional surface to vessel signals for alarming marine authorities nearby, giving them a better understanding of what to expect. These devices are further divided into three categories: personal fixing aid (PFA), position indicating receiver (PIR) and distress alert transmitters (DAT).
For international operational requirements, the Global Maritime Distress Safety System (GMDSS) has divided the world into four communication areas. Established by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), these areas are designated as A1, A2, A3 and A4.
As much as marine communication systems have evolved over the last decade, they still have not been able to be perfected. With the incorporation of satellite-based communication systems, there is a significant increase in the level of service that can be provided to all types of marine vessels. However, with the increase in the number of vessels, there is also an increase in the number of accidents. The accidents can be minimized with the right type of marine communication system that is being used. Today almost all ships are fitted with satellite terminals for Ship Security Alerts System (SSAS) and for long-range identification and tracking as per SOLAS requirements.