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1 INTRODUCTION

Modern radiocommunication and information

technologies make it possible to obtain, collect and

use navigational information in maritime and inland

waterway transport.

In order to implement River Information Services -

RIS - in their inland areas, European Community

countries have adopted directives on integrated

telecommunications systems.

The main task of the RIS Centre is to ensure safety,

planning and traffic management in inland

navigation.

The integration of navigation data exchange

between seagoing and inland vessels and RIS Centre

requires the implementation of a Universal

Communication Platform.

Systems for processing and sharing

radiocommunication data between sea and inland

vessel masters, as well as RIS and VTS systems, use

terrestrial and satellite technologies..

Multifunctional Communication System is defined

as an integrated maritime and inland communication

system cooperating with RIS Centre and Integrated

Bridge System(IBS).

2 FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF

NAVIGATION DATA TRANSMISSION

MODULES AT THE RIS CENTRE [13]

RIS Centres operating in the Member States of the

European Union in accordance with the directives of

the European Commission, shall fulfil the following

functional requirements for the processing of

navigational information: [12]

− inland traffic management;

− transfer of dynamic travel data at the same time for

several participants at the same time;

Implementation of the Multifunctional Communication

System for RIS Center Supporting Inland Navigation

A. Lisaj

Maritime University of Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland

ABSTRACT: The article presents the feasibility of implementation integrated digital and analog radio-

communications systems in maritime and inland navigation at the RIS Center. Structure of the date

transmission in the RIS system was characterized. Integration of the Iridium Satellite System into a

Multifunctional Communication System for the RIS Centre was presented. The integrating DSC VHF and DSC

MF GMDSS subsystems with Multifunctional Communication System was presented. The possibilities of

integrating The LT- 3100S Lars Thrane module for Multifunctional Communication System. was presented. The

architecture of Multifunctional Communication Systems implementing distress communication procedures in

cooperation between RIS Center and Search and Rescue Centers was presented.

http

://www.transnav.eu

the

International Journal

on Marine Navigation

and Safety of Sea Transportation

Volume 15

Number 3

September 2021

DOI: 10.12716/1001.15.03.14

606

− information exchange between partners in inland

navigation;

− transmission of data packets according to EDI

(Electronic Data Interchange) standards;

− introduction of a standard UNTDID (United

Nations Trade Data Interchange Directory) data

transmission procedure in the European Union;

− transmission of complete information on locks and

bridges and on states of natural disasters;

− management of loading and unloading processes

and monitoring of container terminal operations;

− control of border crossing points;

− ship passenger services in inland waterway

transport

Figure No.1 shows the structure of navigation date

transmission in a RIS Centre.

Shore Side

Systems

Control room

(VTS, lock, bridge,

terminal,

calamity centre)

Service

Providers

(control room,

back-offices)

Wide Area Network

Wireless Short Range

Communication

Wireless Wide Area

Communication

Radar Systems

Passive Tags

Navigation

loop

Planning loop

Skipper

Human Machine Interface

Figure 1.Structure of the date transmission in the RIS

system. [12]

3 MULTIFUNCTIONAL COMMUNICATION

SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE IN THE RIS CENTRE

AND ON THE NAVIGATION BRIDGES OF

INLAND WATERWAY VESSELS [4, 6]

The Integrated Maritime and Inland Multifunctional

Communication System as a whole is a set of

equipment for the exchange of information provided

to skippers to support their navigational decisions.

The basic building blocks of communication

systems are the two radiocommunication segments:

ground and space.(Figure 2). [11]

The ground segment module for the

Multifunctional Communication System consists of

the following GMDSS subsystems: DSC VHF, DSC

MF, NBDP MF, NAVTEX, EPIRB and SART.

The space segment module for the Multifunctional

Communication System consists of the following

satellite systems: INMARSAT, IRIDIUM, COSPAS-

SARSAT , GALILEO, BEIDOU, GPS.

Figure 2. Multifunctional Communication System

architecture.[11] [Own work].

Multifunctional Communication System working

for integrated navigation bridges realizes the

following functions: [5, 8, 9, 14, 15]

− radio navigation and satellite positioning;

− determination of the traffic characteristics of an

inland waterway unit;

− obtaining information on the own motion vector;

− image of the navigational situation on the basis of

the ECDIS and Inland ECDIS electronic

navigational chart system;

− image of the anti-collision situation on the basis of

radar/ARPA and automatic identification system

(AIS),

4 INTEGRATION OF THE IRIDIUM SATELLITE

COMMUNICATION SYSTEM INTO A

MULTIFUNCTIONAL COMMUNICATION

SYSTEM FOR THE RIS CENTRE [1]

The latest Iridium satellite system technology

introduces in the Multifunctional Communication

System for RIS Centres in the form of Lars Thrane LT-

3100S module the following functions are realized: [1]

− Distress Alert & Safety Voice:

− Transmissions of the Maritime Safety Information

(MSI);

− General Message Communication;

− Ship Security Alert System (SSAS);

− Support for external Alarm Panels;

− Support for GMDSS Printer;

− Support for Bridge Alert Management (BAM);

− Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT);

− Voice, SMS, SBD and Modem Data (non-priority);

− Single antenna cable solution (up to 500 m);

− High-performance GNSS/GPS receiver;

− Global GMDSS Coverage (Sea Areas A1 to A4),

Figure 3 shows the module concepts for the

integration of the Iridium- Lars Thrane LT-3100S

satellite segment into the GMDSS for the

Multifunctional Communication System. [16]

607

Figure 3. Integration architecture of the Iridium- Lars

Thrane LT-3100S satellite segment module with the GMDSS

in the Multifunctional Communication System. [16]

5 INLAND NAVIGATION DISTRESS ALERT

PROCEDURES USING THE IRIDIUM SATELLITE

SYSTEM INTEGRATED IN THE

MULTIFUNCTIONAL COMMUNICATION

SYSTEM [16]

In the Iridium system (Fig.4) for inland waterway

vessels it is possible to apply alarm procedures by

using two methods. [1]

1. Distress Alert can be activated by pushing the

DISTRESS button on the front of the control unit. A

Distress Alert message will be sent to the Iridium

GMDSS Gateway (IGS) and immediately

forwarded to the RIS Center and to the Rescue

Coordination Center (RCC).

2. Use of the Voice Distress module implemented on

inland vessels and the Multifunctional

Communication System module in the RIS Centre.

Figure 4. Control panel of the distress communication

procedures of the Iridium satellite system in the

Multifunctional Communication System. [1]

Multifunctional Communication System at RIS

Centre integrated with the Iridium module The LT-

3100S Lars Thrane is not only designed for GMDSS

services.

It also offers SSAS and LRIT functionalities. It can

be used as the primary satellite communication

system on inland shipping vessels, covering the

Distress, Urgency and Safety communication needs in

terms of connectivity between the inland ships and

the RIS system. [16]

The LT-3100S GMDSS moduł also provides voice,

SMS, data, vessel tracking, and other Iridium services

with competitive airtime rates, making it the perfect

satellite communication system on board inland

vessels.

6 USE OF DSC VHF AND DSC MF IN THE

MULTIFUNCTIONAL COMMUNICATION

SYSTEM FOR INLAND NAVIGATION AND RIS

[3]

Broadcasting and receiving DSC Alerts is one of the

major facilities on a VHF and MF band

communication. [10]

The types of DSC VHF and DSC MF alerts are

classified according to their priority: [7]

− DISTRESS – indicates that a person or a ship, is in

grave and imminent danger and requires

immediate assistance;

− URGENCY – indicates an urgent call concerning

the safety of a person or vessels;

− SAFETY – indicates a call concerning Maritime

Safety Information (meteorological forecasts or

navigational warnings);

− ROUTINE – indicates a call at the lowest priority

concerning routine communication.

System DSC is used for a number of reasons and

these are: [4]

− Automatic rather than manual radio watch

keeping is available;

− Alerts using DSC are very quick (about 0.5 seconds

on the dedicated frequency on marine VHF band,

and 6-7 seconds on the dedicated frequency on

marine MF band) and do not occupy as much time

as a manual voice call. This is very important

particulary in inland ship areas where

radiotelephone channels are often occupied;

− Distress alerting can be enabled quickly with one

press of the “Distress” push button;

− Various categories of alert are available with the

following order of priority: Distress, Urgency,

Safety and Routine.

The following VHF DSC and MF DSC alerts are

available: [2]

− ALL SHIPS – an alert to all inland and maritime

vessels received within VHF and MF range of the

station sending the alert;

− INDIVIDUAL – an alert addressed and received by

only one radio station within VHF and MF range;

− GROUP – an alert addressed and received by all

those vessels having the group MMSI within VHF

and MF range;

− GEO – an alert to a specified geographical area

received by all inland and maritime stations within

that area.

7 SUMMARY

RIS Centres in EU countries such as France, Belgium,

the Netherlands, Germany and Poland, where

608

maritime and inland waterway transport cross the

waterways, requires the integration of satellite

communication systems and terrestrial analogue and

digital radio systems processing navigation data and

communication events.

The Multifunctional Communication System

enables the processing and management of an

enormous amount of navigational data, allowing the

officer of the watch to make the right decisions in

maritime and inland waterway transport.

Enables VTS and RIS Centres for efficient

cooperation with SAR rescue systems.

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