Technological Advancements in Maritime Communication

Aerospace and Defense Review | Tuesday, April 04, 2023

Cutting-edge technologies improve maritime communication's accuracy and efficiency.

FREMONT, CA: Around the world, 90 percent of all product trade is thought to occur via the sea. The safety of seafarers and the transit of essential commodities depend on increasingly sophisticated marine communication networks.

Without the wide range of technologies that comprise the maritime communications ecosystem of today, a large portion of global trade would be impossible. These consist of coast stations that assist ships at sea, ship stations (radio communication equipment on board commercial, passenger, or patrol vessels, etc.), radar services, automatic identification, and marine distress systems.

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Redeveloping the GMDSS

Maritime distress, safety, and emergency communications are coordinated by the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System. According to reports, discussions at the ITU aim to increase the GMDSS's flexibility regarding how marine safety information is disseminated, which should pave the way for new technological applications in this field.

The GMDSS is constantly evolving to increase maritime safety and communications. The GMDSS will no longer support satellite EPIRBs that use high-frequency (VHF) devices for DSC and operate at 1.6 gigahertz (GHz). To be a new GMDSS satellite service provider, the IMO may, however, soon permit an existing geostationary satellite system to do so.

E-navigation is advancing

According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), e-navigation is defined as "the harmonized collection, integration, exchange, presentation, and analysis of marine information on board and ashore by electronic means for enhancing berth-to-berth navigation and related services for safety and security at sea and protection of the marine environment," will be increasingly used by seafarers in the future. High-speed broadband connections will enable seamen to follow real-time data displays on the bridge and keep ships and shore infrastructure updated.

VHF data exchange systems that combine data exchange, application-specific messaging, and automatic identification capabilities in the same VHF maritime band will be used by ships more frequently.

Autonomous seagoing vessels

There are also maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS) in the distance. These are vessels that, to varied degrees, can function without human input.

IMO started working on the creation of a legal framework for maritime autonomous surface ships in April 2022. The project aims to incorporate new and developing technologies into its regulatory framework while balancing their benefits against safety and security concerns, the impact on the environment and the facilitation of international trade, potential costs to the industry, and their effects on personnel board and ashore.

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