MOB safety system trialled on fishing vessel FISHING
T
HE revolutionary man overboard system, MOB Guardian, is being fitted onto a
fourth fishing vessel as part of the RNLI’s trial programme. The installation is being carried out by Boat Electrics and Electronics Ltd on to FV Aeolus, which is based in Troon, Scotland. The MOB Guardian is a satellite-driven
safety system that immediately notifies SAR organisations of a man overboard or a vessel disaster incident. This system gives less than one minute’s notification anywhere in the world of onboard emergencies and the crews’ own personal safety devices (PSDs) are activated automatically by MOB. PSDs give unique visual and vibration
feedback that an alert is received and an onboard audio alarm alerts crew immediately of a MOB. In addition, the system constantly updates the reciprocal bearing to the position of the MOB, and automatically notifies SAR coordinates via satellite of a vessel emergency triggered via MOB or manual activation via the PSD or main unit. It also contains a unique false alert cancel facility. The crews’ PSDs are automatically
activated when immersed in water or by their proximity to the vessel. They can also be triggered manually by pushing the panic button. When an alert is received by SAR
coordinators they instantly have a vessel’s position, course, speed, and identification. The position of the MOB incident will be immediately visible to the SAR organisations. This is automatically updated relative to the vessel’s position. Meanwhile, in other news, the Isle of Man
Government has agreed funding to support improved safety measures for the island’s
The RNLI has fitted the fishing vessel Aeolus with a MOB Guardian system.
fishing fleet. Each fishing vessel registered in the Isle of Man will receive a grant of £900 towards the McMurdo-manufactured MOB Guardian. McMurdo will supply around 60 of its systems. The initiative is a huge boost for safety,
in an industry that is considered the most dangerous job in the UK, and has cost
many lives amongst the Isle of Man fishing community. On average 20-30 fishermen die each year in the course of their work in UK waters, according to the RNLI. Qualifying vessels must be 15m or under in
length with an enclosed cabin. The owner has to then pay only a contribution of £100 plus the airtime contract for the system.
Monitoring system approved for US fisheries A
N Iridium-based vessel monitoring system (VMS) from Faria WatchDog
Inc has recently been type approved by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for installation on commercial fishing vessels in US waters. The type approval certifies that the Iridium-based system meets the federally- mandated performance standards for operation in US fisheries. Under regulations adopted by the NMFS Office of Law Enforcement (OLE), commercial fishing vessels working in protected fisheries are required to be fitted with an approved tracking device, permitting OLE authorities to monitor their locations. This is the first Iridium satellite solution
to be certified under the OLE regulations, and Iridium’s coverage over all US
fisheries, as well as its low-latency satellite data links, make it a good solution for this application. Faria WatchDog’s objective was
to design and build the world’s most versatile, configurable, reliable, and cost- effective marine satellite tracking and communications system that meets both the National Marine Fishery Services’ stringent specifications and the demanding requirements of the commercial fishing industry. This product, according to the company,
has the potential to improve the industry’s fishing business, and, with the NOAA approval, it can now assist in protecting and restoring the fishing habitat while simultaneously providing the commercial fishing industry with technology
that complies with all governmental regulations. Interest in WatchDog has now exceeded
USA boundaries and the system will soon undergo testing for certification by the Australian government, as well as other fisheries management programmes worldwide. The Faria WatchDog 750 VMS is a dual-
mode transceiver product that uses the Iridium satellite network for position reporting and the Cingular GSM network for data services when working in range of shore towers. The unit provides text messaging, mandated VMS position reporting and activity code declarations, catch and notification forms, and e-mail, as well as automatic transmission of required VMS data information to OLE authorities.
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SHIP & BOAT INTERNATIONAL MAY/JUNE 2007
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