at sea


Making waves


For emergency services and users such as public transport operators who conduct their activities in coastal regions, TETRA is increasingly drifting out to sea. Tim Guest reports


T


Above: on its way to be installed at


Germany’s Alpha Ventus offshore


wind farm is one of the giant rotor units. A TETRA


network provides communication between the wind farm and its shore-


based control room, and also with the


helicopters which service the farm


20


here is no doubting the success of TETRA as a digital multi-agency communications system which provides land-based fi rst responders and other users with a


medium through which to co-ordinate their operations. In Europe, TETRA crosses borders governed by the


Schengen agreement on open borders, which spans 25 countries and a population of over 400 million people. Part of that agreement was a requirement for a pan-European, cross-border communications system that could be used by the police and emergency services. Today, forces with coastal regions to police and patrol are


increasingly turning to TETRA to provide a feature-rich digital communications capability off shore. Non-emergency users with off shore activities, such as energy companies and ferry operators, are also adopting the technology to support their operations.


Rules of the sea But the rules of the sea in relation to communications are steadfast, and technologies relied upon for generations to ensure the safety of inshore and deep-sea vessels are in no danger of being usurped. On water, TETRA is merely a complementary solution to enhance the operations and mission-critical applications of a wide range of users who have business to do at sea. Maritime industry consultant Paul Eastaugh explained


that the SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) requirements, as mandated by the International Maritime Organization, include Global Maritime Distress Safety System (GMDSS) equipment and typically include an Inmarsat satcoms link/ terminal, a VHF radio capable of digital selective calling (DSC) and GPS solutions.


“GMDSS came into force in 1987 to provide a means of


global communication that also replaced morse code”, he said. “Ships above 300 tons on international voyages require a full GMDSS suite to comply with these requirements, while smaller ships and inshore craft such as ribs [rigid infl atable boats] and lifeboats have freedom of choice. “Requirements to carry specifi c radio equipment on non-


SOLAS vessels are less dependent on a vessel’s tonnage than they are on its area and type of operation. T ese craft can, eff ectively, carry whatever they like, although the globally- accepted standard is certainly to have VHF, which nowadays will preferably be equipped with DSC. “If any such craft choose to adopt any other form of


communications, like TETRA, it’s up to them.” With VHF as a maritime fact of life, interoperability with


any new communications installation or equipment is crucial. Phil Kidner, chief executive of the TETRA Association, reports that TETRA has now been interfaced with maritime


A rib (rigid infl atable boat) at sea. Picture: Zodiac Milpro TE TRA TODAY Issue 5 2011


Photo: Matthias Ibeler


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