ACCSEAS an e-Navigation Test Bed in Europe

Martin Bransby and George Shaw

Abstract:	The General Lighthouse Authorities of the UK and Ireland are participating and leading an international project in the North Sea Region (NSR) of Europe to plan and deliver prototype e-Navigation services. ACCessibility for Shipping, Efficiency Advantages and Sustainability (ACCSEAS) aims to identify issues which obstruct maritime access to the North Sea, identify solutions, prototype and demonstrate these successful solutions in an e-Navigation test-bed at the North Sea regional level as ‘proof-of-concept’ and to develop a sustainability plan for future e-Navigation provision in the NSR and will look to inform e-Navigation initiative globally The entire process of the implementation of prototype solutions in the e-Navigation test-bed will be supported by training and simulation, so that the test-bed will have aspects of both real-world and simulated implementation. The project is part funded through the European Regional Development Fund’s INTERREG IVB NSR initiative. European transport policy provides a shift to seaborne transport, using Short Sea Shipping to avoid road bottle necks to the movement of goods, services and people. This modal shift requires efficient and effective marine navigation services. The NSR, as a maritime hub, is at risk from increased shipping congestion and transport delays, safety issues and pollution/environmental risks that would inhibit the socio-economic development of the NSR. This is exacerbated by the proliferation of offshore installations (such as wind farms) for renewable energy. Globally, there is a trend towards larger bulk cargo and container carrying ships, which operate side-by-side with fishing boats and leisure craft in the same congested waters. Without the innovative services of e-Navigation, berth-to-berth operations may become less efficient. There may be increased risk of collisions and groundings, adversely impacting accessibility of ports and the effectiveness of logistics in the region. Consequences could be severe in terms of reduced economic sustainability, more environmental pollution incidents and the threat to safety-of-life. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) concept of e-Navigation, formally recognised by the EU and the US, provides a potential solution via harmonised, integrated and exchangeable electronic maritime information on-board and ashore. The NSR, as a crossroads of regional and global shipping, is well positioned to benefit from an implementation of e-Navigation that can increase the efficient use of resources, provide better voyage planning and track-keeping and deliver improvements in regional accessibility. ACCSEAS aims to implement and demonstrate e-Navigation systems to alleviate NSR navigation risks. The aim of ACCSEAS is to identify issues which obstruct maritime access to the NSR, identify solutions, pilot and then demonstrate these successful solutions at regional level to develop a strategy for future e-Navigation provision. ACCSEAS builds on findings of previous and currently implemented related European projects and the ACCSEAS partnership includes several partners from those projects, allowing a smooth, efficient coordination between the projects and ensuring work is seamless without overlap. A regional e-Navigation service for the North Sea inherently requires a transnational approach. Improved maritime access can only be achieved by closer co-operation between competent authorities, navigation service providers and maritime stakeholders which encompasses: technology, infrastructure, services and operations within the broad policy, guidance and regulatory frame work of the European Union (EU), the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) and IMO. ACCSEAS is a transnational project that brings together Beneficiaries (including competent navigation authorities from Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom). The North Sea presents unique challenges that will demand unique solutions both at priority locations and at the regional scale. Only through the NSR and the ACCSEAS project specifically, can the maritime administrations in the region be coordinated to address implementation of the e-Navigation solution to accessibility and to integrate with regional research providers, training organisations and suppliers. ACCSEAS produces four types of results and outputs: firstly, a practical test bed (real equipment and infrastructure in the form of e-Navigation prototypes and complementary simulations to test these); secondly, a database of information which demonstrates the effectiveness of the prototypes, primarily in the form of baseline information concerning vessel routes in the NSR and Coverage Maps of the geographical extent in the NSR of e-Navigation services for the prototypes that improve safe and efficient regional accessibility. This information will be stored within an ACCSEAS Geographical Information System (GIS); thirdly, ‘system of systems engineering’ documentation concerning maritime access issues in the NSR, how the e-Navigation Prototypes and Simulations were developed to address these and an assessment of best practices involved in establishing e-Navigation regional solutions; fourthly, analysis of the lessons learned, advice and training needs for practical e-Navigation solutions; with training modules developed from this analysis. By the completion of the project in 2015, the ACCSEAS Partnership will have undertaken all activities to produce validated real world prototypes and simulations (validated by test/demonstrations to satisfy user requirements) including: a ship positioning unit and terrestrial Back-up; ship-to-shore based communications; e-Navigation services on ship and shore. The project should also have put in place a structure for co-ordination of future e-Navigation development across the NSR. The structure will comprise a road map for service expansion and a plan for the sustainability and harmonisation of e-Navigation in NSR. The prototypes, systems engineering lessons and training information will advise the further extension of e-Navigation across the NSR using a sustainability plan and roadmap. The results and outputs will allow the e-Navigation Architecture developed in the NSR by ACCSEAS to be readily “transferable” to other EU regions and internationally. To achieve the transferability of outputs and results, ACCSEAS will disseminate information about the project to users, stakeholders, competent authorities, ports, policy and decision makers at national, regional European and International levels.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 25th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS 2012) September 17 - 21, 2012 Nashville Convention Center, Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, TN
Pages:	3658 - 3664
Cite this article:	Bransby, Martin, Shaw, George, "ACCSEAS an e-Navigation Test Bed in Europe," Proceedings of the 25th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS 2012), Nashville, TN, September 2012, pp. 3658-3664.
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