Feature 1 | NAVIGATION AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM UPGRADES
Specialist navcom suppliers improve their upgrade capabilities
A number of leading navigation and communication systems companies are upgrading their services, technology and network support for refits and upgrade work.
are being docked for general repairs or conversion work, or alternatively through the deployment of specialist in-voyage teams. The impetus is generally being provided by International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations and classification society rules, obliging ship owners to act. However there is also a perceived need to try and reduce costs, while increasing operating efficiencies, both of which are possible through upgrades or retrofits in preference to measures which would otherwise involve significant capital outlays. One of the world’s leading suppliers of
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navigation and communications systems, Germany’s SAM Electronics in fact maintains a specialist team of engineers dealing exclusively with retrofits and upgrades. Based at the company’s Hamburg headquarters, this team coordinates and supervises projects on a worldwide basis. A company spokesman says: “We use our
own team of resident experts supported by service partners and subsidiaries worldwide who will invariably carry out initial surveys prior to engineering, installation, commissioning and training. Upgrades and retrofitting of systems can, therefore, be carried out on a global basis, and it should be pointed out that all SAM electronic systems, including those for navigation and communication, are essentially designed at the outset for expansion or modification, and so this is an integral part of our operations.” In recent months the company has been
involved in a number of different projects, including several in the containership sector. For example ten of Reederei NSB’s 278m long container vessels have been retrofitted with NACOS 65-5 integrated navigation command systems featuring
14 A Nacos Platinum system of the type that SAM is retrofitting on a mega yacht.
radar-controlled trackpilots, while Hapag Lloyd’s Express-series ships have similarly been upgraded with NACOS Series 5, 65-5 INS systems, having originally been equipped with earlier models. NACOS 65-5 INS configurations have also been retrofitted to Attica’s series of Superfast ferries and to the TT Line’ ferry, Spirit of Tasmania. One particularly notable recent cruise
vessel upgrade by SAM involved the 20,159gt Astor, a Transocean Tours vessel that has been retrofitted with a Multipilot multi-function console combining radar, Ecdis, conning and automatic steering control functions. Tis formed part of a major electrical systems upgrade project handled by the company, involving modernisation of 274 passenger cabins, electrical installation in a series of suites and conversion work in three different public areas. SAM was also responsible for overall electrical installation in other areas in addition to installing new fire alarm and general alarm systems.
A significant ongoing current project
for SAM involves retrofitting of a Nacos Platinum integrated navigation system aboard an 80m megayacht undergoing conversion in Germany. Te company has also been retained to supply a new main switchboard, modify the machine control room console and retrofit alarm and monitoring systems. It will also complete all cabling onboard the vessel. SAM highlights the fact that its
NACOS Platinum system is particularly well-suited to upgrade and retrofit applications. According to the company: “This series incorporates advanced scalable navigation, automation and control systems operating with common hardware and soſtware and standardised open architecture which lends itself well to retrofit applications.” Designed for installation aboard vessels of all types and sizes - from cruise liners to offshore support vessels - the NACOS Platinum systems are designed to provide enhanced simplicity of operation while ensuring
Shiprepair and Conversion Technology 3rd Quarter 2010
here is growing demand for navigation and communication system upgrades while vessels
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