Vessel Interface in Port Waters

Clients: Port Kembla Port Corporation and the Port of Newcastle Corporation

After an extensive worldwide survey of the technologies, issues and usage of enhanced navigation assistance, Hadley (2000) wrote that: “The required technology is either available or can be seen as a realistic prospect. AIS has emerged as a key enabling technology. However, technology alone will not suffice to make change practicable. The non-technological issues are more intractable but capable of solution. Progress, if realised, can be expected to be slow; the current assessment for the spread of [enhanced navigation] is 10-15 years away”.

Over ten years on from that statement there has been significant activity, although it appears that the estimate itself was perhaps a little optimistic. It is important to note Hadley’s warning regarding the focus on technological solutions to the exclusion of non-technical issues. These issues include port operations, regulation, logistics, cultural and human factors.An excellent example of this can be found in the work currently being undertaken by IMO members on the e-navigation strategy implementation plan. E-navigation is very closely aligned with the current proposal, and has been defined by the IMO as:

“the harmonised collection, integration, exchange, presentation and analysis of marine information on board and ashore by electronic means to enhance berth to berth navigation and related services for safety and security at sea and protection of the marine environment (MSC 85/26/Add.1).

The implications of advances by IMO in the area of e-navigation for the current proposal are profound and far-reaching, yet far from unsurmountable. They do however, need to be carefully analysed and addressed at the design stage to avoid problems such as incompatibility with IMO regulations, adverse effects on port operations, or increasing risk and human error.

It is also important to acknowledge that work continues in this area in other research centres, ports, shipping companies and a myriad of technological solutions are either available, or in design stage or proposed as a potential solution at some stage in the future. Our proposal will be as cognisant as possible of these activities so as to not ‘reinvent technological wheels’.

The Alliance for Supply Chain Innovation has been established to solve exactly these types of problems – complex, multi-disciplinary projects where no one institution can boast all the relevant expertise, yet many have an important contribution to make.