Electrical systems on ships

and shipyards.
Assignment-I

Submitted by,
Group No.5 Gopikrishnan S,
Goutham Venkatesh K,
Harsh Rohit,
Hisham Ibnu Hamza

Satellite Navigation
The idea that led to development of the satellite navigation systems dates back
to 1957 and the first launch of an artificial satellite into orbit, Russias Sputnik I.
Dr.William H. Guier and Dr. George C. Wieffenbach at the Applied Physics
Laboratory of the Johns Hopkins University were monitoring the famous beeps
transmitted by the passing satellite. They plotted the received signals at precise
intervals, and noticed that a characteristic Doppler curve emerged. Since
satellites generally follow fixed orbits, they reasoned that this curve could be
used to describe the satellites orbit. They then demonstrated that they could
determine all of the orbital parameters for a passing satellite by Doppler
observation of a single pass from a single fixed station. The Doppler shift
apparent while receiving a transmission from a passing satellite proved to be an
effective measuring device for establishing the satellite orbit.
The Navy Navigation Satellite System (NAVSAT, also known
as TRANSIT) was the first operational satellite navigation system. The systems
accuracy was better than 0.1 nautical mile anywhere in the world, though its
availability was somewhat limited. It was used primarily for the navigation of
surface ships and submarines, but it also had some applications in air
navigation. It was also used in hydrographic surveying and geodetic position
determination. The transit launch program ended in 1988 and the system was
disestablished when the Global Positioning System became operational in 1996.

Principle of operation.

The satellites are launched into orbits which are as nearly as possible circular
and polar, and at a height of approximately 1125 km. Each satellite orbits the
earth in approximately one hundred and seven minutes, continuously
transmitting a two minute message on each of two frequencies (150 MHz and
400 MHz). The message contains information which accurately defines the
satellites orbit. To precisely determine its present and future orbits each
satellite is tracked as it passes within sight of each of the four tracking
stations. Then for the following twelve to sixteen hour period, the specific
position of the satellite at two-minute intervals is computed. This data along
with time corrections, is passed to three injection stations. The injection stations
store this information until the time of injection, when the antenna of the
appropriate station locks-on to the satellite, and data is transmitted to it. The
two minute transmission message of the satellite is then refreshed with the new
orbital data.

Satellite system.

Global Positioning System Concepts

GPS measures distances between satellites in orbit and a receiver on Earth, and
computes spheres of position from those distances. The intersections of those
spheres of position then determine the receivers position.
The distance measurements described above are done by
comparing timing signals generated simultaneously by the satellites and
receivers internal clocks. These signals, characterized by a special wave form
known as the pseudo-random code, are generated in phase with each other. The
signal from the satellite arrives at the receiver following a time delay
proportional to its distance traveled. This time delay is detected by the phase
shift between the received pseudorandom code and the code generated by the
receiver. Knowing the time required for the signal to reach the receiver from the
satellite allows the receiver to calculate the distance from the satellite. The
receiver, therefore, must be located on a sphere centered at the satellite with a
radius equal to this distance measurement. The intersection of three spheres of
position yields two possible points of receiver position. One of these points can

be disregarded since it is hundreds of miles from the surface of the Earth.

Theoretically, then, only three time measurements are required to obtain a fix
from GPS. In practice, however, a fourth measurement is required to obtain an
accurate position from GPS. This is due to receiver clock error. Timing signals
travel from the satellite to the receiver at the speed of light; even extremely
slight timing errors between the clocks on the satellite and in the receiver will
lead to tremendous range errors. The satellites atomic clock is accurate to 10 -9
seconds; installing a clock that accurate on a receiver would make the receiver
prohibitively expensive. Therefore, receiver clock accuracy is sacrificed, and an
additional satellite timing measurement is made. The fix error caused by the
inaccuracies in the receiver clock is reduced by simultaneously subtracting a
constant timing error from four satellite timing measurements until a pinpoint
fix is reached.
Assuming that the satellite clocks are perfectly
synchronized and the receiver clocks error is constant, the subtraction of that
constant error from the resulting distance determinations will reduce the fix
error until a pinpoint position is obtained. It is important to note here that the
number of lines of position required to employ this technique is a function of the
number of lines of position required to obtain a fix. GPS determines position in
three dimensions; the presence of receiver clock error adds an additional
unknown. Therefore, four timing measurements are required to solve for the
resulting four unknowns.
References.
Marine Electronic Navigation- S.F.Appleyard
Pdf on Satellite navigation by National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, USA

External communication
equipment
Satellite Communication
In 1962, the American telecommunications giant AT&T launched
the world's first true communications satellite, called Telstar. Since then,
countless communications satellites have been placed into earth orbit, and the
technology being applied to them is forever growing in sophistication.
Communication satellites are orbiting relays which receive, amplify, process,
and retransmit signals from one point to another point on the surface of the
Earth. Communication satellites have been in use since the 1960s for providing
wideband global connectivity and long-range circuits of high quality virtually
unencumbered by propagation difficulties. A satellite provides coverage within
its footprint that is the area from which it is visible.
In the maritime community, satellite communication systems such
as Inmarsat provide good communication links to ships at sea. These links use a
VSAT type device to connect to geosynchronous satellites, which in turn link the
ship to a land based point of presence to the respective nations
telecommunications system. With the overcrowding of the hf spectrum, the
need for new and advanced long-range communications became apparent.
Satellite communications (SATCOM) systems have shown they can provide
survivable, reliable, high-capacity, secure, and cost-effective
telecommunications for the military.

Diagram- Satellite communications system.

Functional block diagram.

Principle of operation.

The communications systems use satellites that are either

geostationary or orbiting. With a geostationary system the satellite remains in a
fixed position relative to a given geographical location (the satellite is actually in
a fixed orbit and moves in a consistent relationship to the Earth). With this type
of system the satellite can, at all times, receive and transmit messages to any
transmitter or transceiver that is within the fixed geographical area visible to
the satellite. A communications system based on geostationary satellites may
have more than one satellite to cover a greater percentage of the Earths
surface.

An orbiting communications satellite moves in an orbit so that it

passes above a given geographical location at periodic time intervals. Such a
system means that earth bound transmitters or transceivers come into the
satellites range at these periodic time intervals and transmit or receive only
while the satellite is in range or visible. The transmitter may store messages
until the satellite is in range. When messages are transmitted to the satellite,
they may also be stored in the satellite until the satellite comes into range of a
receiving earth station. Unlike a geostationary system, a single satellite can
feasibly cover the whole of the Earths surface. However, there will be time gaps
in coverage when the satellite is not in view of given geographical locations.
Increasing the number of satellites will increase the coverage of the system by
decreasing the time gaps when a satellite is not in view of a given location.

In both types of system a fixed or mobile transmitter can be used. Such a

transmitter is mounted on a vessel, aircraft, building etc. and uses a radio signal
to send a message to the satellite mounted transponder. The message can be
stored in the satellite for later forwarding or immediately forwarded to a
receiver or transmitter with a receiving capability (transceiver) mounted on
another vessel, aircraft, building etc. In some cases the receiving station will be
a large fixed station (an earth station) which will link to the normal terrestrial
telephone system.

Purpose of use/Applications.
One important aspect of the satellite communications network is that it continues in
operation under conditions that sometimes render other methods of communications
inoperable. Because of this, satellites make a significant contribution to improved
reliability of Navy communications. Satellite communications have unique advantages
over conventional long distance transmissions. Satellite links are unaffected by the
propagation variations that interfere with hf radio. They are also free from the high
attenuation of wire or cable facilities and are capable of spanning long distances. The

numerous repeater stations required for line-of-sight are no longer needed. They furnish
the reliability and flexibility of service that is needed to support a military operation.

Telephony
The first and still, arguably, most important application for communication
satellites is in international telephony. Mobile telephones (to and from ships)
must be directly connected to equipment to uplink the signal to the satellite, as
well as being able to ensure satellite pointing in the presence of disturbances,
such as waves onboard a ship.
Television and Radio
There are two types of satellites used for television and radio:
Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS): DBS is a term used to refer to satellite
television broadcasts intended for home reception, also referred to as direct-tohome signals. It covers both analogue and digital television and radio reception,
and is often extended to other services provided by modern digital television
systems, including video-on-demand and interactive features.
Fixed Service Satellite (FSS): FSS is the official classification for geostationary
communications satellites used chiefly for broadcast feeds for television and
radio stations and networks, as well as for telephony, data communications, and
also for Direct-To-Home (DTH) cable and satellite TV channels.
Mobile Satellite Technology
.
Initially available for broadcast to stationary TV receivers, popular mobile direct
broadcast applications made their appearance with that arrival of two satellite
radio systems: Sirius and XM Satellite Radio Holdings. Some manufacturers have also
introduced special antennas for mobile reception of DBS television. Using GPS
technology as a reference, these antennas automatically re-aim to the satellite no
matter where or how the vehicle (that the antenna is mounted on) is situated.

Amateur radio
.

Amateur operators have access to the OSCAR satellites that have been designed
specifically to carry amateur radio traffic. Most such satellites operate as space
borne repeaters, and are generally accessed by amateurs equipped with UHF or

VHF radio equipment and highly directional antennas such as Yagis or dish antennas.
Due to the limitations of ground-based amateur equipment, most amateur satellites
are launched into fairly low Earth orbits, and are designed to deal with only a limited
number of brief contacts at any given time.

Satellite Broadband
.
In recent years, satellite communication technology has been used as a means to
connect to the internet via broadband data connections. This is very useful for users
to test who are located in very remote areas, and can't access a wireline broadband
or dialup connection.
Role of satellite communications
SATCOM links, one of several kinds of long distance communications links, interconnect
communications centres located strategically throughout the world. These SATCOM links
are part of the Defence Satellite Communications System (DSCS) and Fleet Satellite
Communications. Satellite communications systems are very important to the worldwide
military communications network for two primary reasons. First, they continue to operate
under conditions that cause problems for other methods of communication. Second,
they provide reliable and secure communications to previously inaccessible areas.
In many cases, these communications requirements can only
be satisfied by sophisticated satellite communications systems. By satisfying such needs,
SATCOM makes a significant contribution to the improved reliability of naval
communications.

Advantages of satellite communications

Some of the unique advantages SATCOM has over conventional long-distance
communications are as follows:
SATCOM links are unaffected by the propagation problems associated with hf radio
communications.
SATCOM links are free from the high attenuation problems of facilities that use wire or

cable for routing communications.

SATCOM links span long distances.
The numerous repeater stations required for line-of-sight and troposcatter systems are
not needed.
Satellite links provide the required flexibility and reliability needed to support military
operations

Capacity
Currently, military SATCOM systems can provide communications between backpack,
shore, airborne, and shipboard terminals. These SATCOM systems can handle thousands
of communications channels at the same time.
Reliability
SATCOM frequencies are only slightly affected by atmospheric phenomena and do not
depend on reflection or refraction. Reliability is based on the skill of operators and
maintenance personnel and the condition of the satellite communications equipment.
Vulnerability
Communications satellites are relatively safe from threats of harm. Because these
satellites are in such high orbits, any attempt to disable or destroy them from the Earth
would be difficult and expensive. However, Earth terminals are a different story. They
offer a more attractive target for destruction by conventional methods. But these
terminals can be protected by the same methods taken to protect other vital
installations. So overall, the satellite system is nearly free from harm by an enemy.
Operationally, highly directional earth terminal antennas provide a high degree of
freedom from jamming. The wideband system can use ant jamming techniques, which
also reduces vulnerability.

Flexibility
Mobile military satellite earth terminals with trained crews can be deployed and put into
operation anywhere in the world within hours.
Limitations
The technical characteristics of the satellite and its orbital parameters are the main
limitations to a satellite communications system. Two additional limiting factors for active
satellites are transmitter power and receiver sensitivity. Energy for electricity is limited to

whatever can be produced by the solar cells, which limits the satellites output power.
This problem is made worse by users who increase their output power to the satellite,
causing the satellite to try to retransmit at the new power level, at the expense of
reducing signals to other users.
References

wikipedia.com
marineinsight.com
Role of Satellite communications- electriciantraining.tpub.com
Satellite applications- Encyclopedia Britannica
Naval Shipboard Communications Systems- John C. Kim, Eugen I. Muehldorf

VHF Radio
Marine VHF radio refers to the radio frequency range between 156.0 and
162.025 MHz, inclusive. In the official language of the ITU the band is called
the VHF maritime mobile band.
It's installed on all large ships and most seagoing small craft. It is also used, with
slightly different regulation, on rivers and lakes. It is used for a wide variety of
purposes, including summoning rescue services and communicating
with harbours, locks, bridges and marinas, and operates in the very high
frequency (VHF) range, between 156 and 162.025 MHz. Although it is widely
used for collision avoidance, its use for that purpose is contentious and is
strongly discouraged by some countries, including the UK.
Diagram

vhf set and vhf channel.

standard handheld maritime vhf.

Block diagram-Vhf transmit and receive system.

Principle of operation
A marine VHF set is a combined transmitter and receiver and only operates on
standard, international frequencies known as channels. Channel
16 (156.8 MHz) is the international calling and distress channel. Transmission
power ranges between 1 and 25 watts, giving a maximum range of up to about
60 nautical miles (111 km) between aerials mounted on tall ships and hills, and
5 nautical miles (9 km; 6 mi) between aerials mounted on small boats at sea
level.[1] Frequency modulation (FM) is used, with vertical polarization, meaning
that antennas have to be vertical in order to have good reception.
Marine VHF mostly uses "simplex" transmission, where
communication can only take place in one direction at a time. A transmit button
on the set or microphone determines whether it is operating as a transmitter or
a receiver. The majority of channels, however, are set aside as "semi-duplex"
transmission channels where communication can take place in both directions
simultaneously.[1] Each semi-duplex channel has two frequency assignments.
Semi-Duplex channels can be used to place calls on the public telephone system
for a fee via a marine operator. Sets can be fixed or portable. A fixed set
generally has the advantages of a more reliable power source, higher transmit
power, a larger and more effective aerial and a bigger display and buttons. A
portable set (often essentially a waterproof, VHF walkie-talkie in design) can be
carried on a kayak, or to a lifeboat in an emergency, has its own power source
and is waterproof if GMDSS-approved. A few portable VHFs are even approved
to be used as emergency radios in environments requiring intrinsically safe
equipment (e.g. gas tankers, oil rigs, etc).
Vhf Transmit
A typical vhf transmit and receive system is shown in the block diagram. On the
transmit side, the operator, at a remote location, talks into the handset. The
handset is connected to radio set control, C-1138. The radio set control output is
fed to transmitter transfer switchboard, SB-988/SRT. The switchboard performs
the same function as it does in the lf and hf systems. The output of the
switchboard is connected to the transmit side of the transmitter/receiver
(transceiver), AN/VRC-46 or AN/VRC-80. The transceiver converts the input
signal to an rf signal for transmission and the rf is radiated into the atmosphere
by the antenna.
Vhf Receive
In the diagram, the incoming signal is picked up by the antenna. This signal is
fed to the receive side of the transceiver. The transceiver output is fed to the
receiver transfer switchboard. The switchboard output is connected to either
radio set control or to a speaker amplifier, AM-3729, or both, depending on the
users preference. The output of the radio set control is fed to the handset and
the speaker amplifier output is routed to the speaker.

Purpose of use
Marine VHF Radios are two-way communicators which are used to transfer and
receive messages. However, the most important function of a Marine VHF Radio
is that it is very helpful when it comes to sending distress signals across the
channels to coast guards and other ships and boats in the periphery. Also,
certain Marine VHF Radios can be used for the purposes of making calls through
a marine operator for a certain sum making it double up as a telephonic
communicator too. Another important aspect of Marine VHF Radios is the fact
that they come in two main categories: portable ones and non-portable ones.
The portable ones have waterproof coverings and are battery operated in order
to facilitate the power transmission. The fixed or the non-portable Marine VHF
Radios cover a lot of aerial ground, their source of power transmission and
energy, huger in comparison to their portable counterparts and are therefore far
more feasible in terms of their operational facilities.
It is used for a wide variety of purposes, including summoning rescue services
and communicating with harbours, locks, bridges and marinas, and operates in
the very high frequency (VHF) range, between 156 and 162.025 MHz. Although
it is widely used for collision avoidance, its use for that purpose is contentious
and is strongly discouraged by some countries.

References
Marine VHF Radio- Wikipedia.
marineinsight.com
Communications system pdf- US Navy education and training center.

Ships service telephone system

The Ships Service Telephone Circuit (J-Dial) requires an
external electrical power source and has a keypad just like a home phone. When
installed, it may be used as an alternate means of communication. The J-Dial
system shouldnt be relied upon because it is not as rugged as the soundpowered phone system and may go out of commission early in action. Some of
the newer systems have a limited battery backup in the event of a loss of
electrical power. On some ships, the J-Dial phones are available for damage
control communications when located near or at repair stations and may be
used when other damage control communication systems are inoperative.
Although the ships service telephones are not part of
the battle communication system, they can prove invaluable if the regular
systems fail. They are standard telephones powered by the ships generators
and are normally used in carrying out the administrative routine aboard ship.
Two features expedite the telephone-calling process: the executive cut-in
telephone and the hunt-the-not-busy-line feature. Executive cut-in telephones,
clearly marked, are for emergency calls and for the use of persons in authority.
Operationally, these telephones are the same as a standard telephone but are
limited in number and can be used to call a station that is in use. Instead of a
busy signal being returned, the cut-in phone breaks into the circuit. The caller
then can interrupt the conversation in progress to deliver an important
message. The hunt-the-not-busy-line feature can be used when a call is made to
an area that has a group of consecutively numbered telephone stations. After
the lowest numbered station has been dialed, the switchboard connects the
calling station to the lowest numbered idle telephone. When all the circuits of
the group called are in use, a busy signal is returned as with a standard
telephone

Image- Ships service telephone

Radiotelephone
Radiotelephone is one of the most useful military communications methods.
Radiotelephone equipment for tactical use usually is operated on frequencies
that are high enough to have line-of-sight characteristics; that is, the waves do
not follow the curvature of the earth. As you know, these characteristics limit
the usual range of radiotelephone from 20 to 25 miles. This is important
because it reduces the chances of the enemy intercepting the message.
Radiotelephone procedures can be learned easily by persons with no other
training in communications.
The Marine Radiotelephone Service or HF ship-toshore operates on shortwave radio frequencies, using single-sideband
modulation. The usual method is that a ship calls a shore station, and the shore
station's marine operator connects the caller to the public switched telephone
network. This service is retained for safety reasons, but in practice has been
made obsolete by satellite telephones (particularly INMARSAT)
and VoIP telephone and email via satellite internet.
Short wave radio is used because it bounces between the ionosphere and the
ground, giving a modest 1,000 watt transmitter (the standard power) a worldwide range. Most shore stations monitor several frequencies. The frequencies
with the longest range are usually near 20 MHz, but the ionospheric weather
(propagation) can dramatically change which frequencies work best.
Single-sideband (SSB) is used because the short wave bands are
crowded with many users, and SSB permits a single voice channel to use a

narrower range of radio frequencies (bandwidth), about 3.5 kHz. In

comparison, AM radio uses about 8 kHz, and narrowband (voice or
communication-quality) FM uses 9 kHz. Marine radiotelephony first became
common in the 1930s, and was used extensively for communications to ships
and aircraft over water. In that time, most long-range aircraft had long-wire
antennas that would be let out during a call, and reeled-in afterward.
Radiotelephone has some disadvantages. You may find
transmissions unreadable because of static, enemy interference, or high local
noise level caused by shouts, gunfire, and bomb or shell bursts. Wave
propagation characteristics of radiotelephone frequencies sometimes are
unpredictable, and tactical transmissions may be heard from great distances.
Most radiotelephone messages are in plain language, and if information is to be
kept from the enemy, users must keep their messages short, stick to the proper
procedures, and be careful of what they say.

Purpose of use
The ships service telephones are not part of the battle
communication system, they can prove invaluable if the regular systems fail.
The radiotelephone, because of its directness, convenience, and ease of
operation, is used by ships, aircraft, and shore stations. It has many applications
and is used for ship-to-shore, shore-to-ship, ship-to-ship, air-to-ship, ship-to-air,
air-to-ground, and ground-to-air communications. Modern means of operation
make it possible to communicate around the world by radiotelephone. One of
the most important uses of radiotelephone is short-range tactical
communications. This method permits tactical commanders to communicate
directly with other ships. Little delay results while a message is prepared for
transmission, and acknowledgments can be returned instantly. One of the most
important uses of marine radiotelephony has been to change ships' itineraries,
and to perform other business at sea.

References
Pdf on Introduction to radio-frequency communications by US Navy.

Teletypewriter
A teletypewriter (TTY; also called a teletype or teleprinter) is
a device that sends a typed message to another place. A teletypewriter has
a typewriter keyboard, a local printer (so the user can see what has been typed)
and a transmitter. Messages can be sent over wires or radio waves. Teletypes
were used mostly in the early to mid-20th century. They were developed to
improve telegraphs, some of which also used keyboards, though not typewriter
keyboards.Teletypewriter (tty) signals may be transmitted by either landline
(wire), cable, or radio. The landline tty is used both by the military services and
by commercial communication companies. The Navy uses radio teletypewriter
(rtty) mainly for high-speed automatic communications across ocean areas. The
tty unit is equipped with a keyboard similar to a typewriter. When the operator
presses a key, a sequence of signals is transmitted. At receiving stations, the
signals are fed into terminal equipment that translates the sequences of signals
into letters, figures, and symbols and types the messages automatically.
The rtty mode of transmission and reception is rapidly becoming
more efficient and reliable for communications between ships and from ship-toshore. Ships copy what is known as "fleet broadcast" messages on rtty. The
speed at which message traffic is transmitted on rtty circuits depends on the
equipment in use. Normal speed of operation is 100 words per minute, but it
may be faster or slower. You may find high-speed equipment, capable of printing
a line or even a page at a time, in some communications centers. The use of
rtty has brought about a considerable savings in manpower.

Radio-teletypewriters in use aboard Adirondack (AGC-15) circa 1946

Block diagram of teletype system.

Purpose of use
Modes of operation
There are two basic modes of teletypewriter operation: asynchronous (startstop) and synchronous. The asynchronous mode is the most common. The
synchronous mode is used primarily in high-speed datasystems.
>Asynchronous Mode
In this mode, the receiving device is only allowed to run for one character and is
then stopped to await the start signal for the next character. Any differences in

speed between the transmitting and receiving device scan only accumulate
during the time assigned to one character. There is a penalty for this advantage.
Character length is increased to include the start (space) and stop (mark)
signals. These start and stop signals are part of the five unit code
(BAUDOTCODE).
>Synchronous Mode
Synchronous systems have an advantage over asynchronous systems. The start
and stop elements are not used. This allows more room for information
transmission. Time is not wasted on start and stop units. Additionally, this mode
has a higher capacity to accept distorted signals because it does not depend on
the start and stop signals for timing.
References
Pdf on Introduction to radio-frequency communications by US Navy.

Telex
The telex network is a switched network of teleprinters similar to a telephone
network, for the purposes of sending text-based messages. The term refers to
the network, not the teleprinters; point-to-point teleprinter systems had been in
use long before telex exchanges were formed starting in the 1930s. Teleprinters
evolved from telegraph systems, and like the telegraph they used the presence
or absence of a pre-defined level of current to represent the mark or space
symbols. This is as opposed to the analog telephone system, which used
differing voltages to encode frequency information. For this reason, telex
exchanges were entirely separate from the telephone system, with their own
signaling standards, exchanges and system of "telex numbers" (the counterpart
of a telephone number). When telephone and telex exchange equipment was
co-located, which was not uncommon, the different signalling systems would
sometimes cause interference.

A Teletype Model 32 used for Telex service.

siemens T-100 Telex machine.

Telex is still in operation, but has been mostly superseded by fax, email, and
SWIFT, although radiotelex, telex via HF radio, is still used in the maritime
industry and is a required element of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety
System (GMDSS).
Purpose of Use
Navtex (Navigational Telex) provides a cheap and accurate means of receiving
all safety related information closer to the coast. It is automatic, user friendly
and does not involve regular monitoring. An officer has to just switch it on and
initialize it and the receiver will print (or store, as in some models) MSI
information automatically.
The Navtex is the most convenient way of monitoring navigational
warnings, meteorological warnings, search and rescue information and other
data for ships sailing within 300 miles of shore.

References
Telex- Wikipedia.com
brighthubengineering.com

e-mail/Internet
E-mail is a very useful and handy means of communication. The most common mode of
providing internet on ships is through satellite. Providing a direct connection with the
satellite services through some hardware installations on the ship, easy access to internet
can be provided for all the on boarders. The hardware installations are a must so that
internet signals can be tapped from anywhere. The choice of hardware depends on number
of factors like
-

Ship size

Intended internet usage

Speed desired

Cost component

A lot of companies offer a wide range of such devices which can help you find just what you
need. But it is more like one time investment allowing easy internet access thereon. Even
on cruise ships, there are specific zones that offer internet connections for their passengers,
allowing them to access their email from any part of the world, literally. Some ships also
have marked Wi-Fi zones that offer wireless internet usage for all.
References
Marineinsight.com

Situations Wherein Engine and Deck Officers Must

Maintain Efficient Communication
>Engine Room Machinery Abnormality: A machinery in the ships engine room is
bound to face problem when at sea. In case of breakdown of any machinery, the
duty engineer must inform the bridge officer immediately without any delay. If
problem occurs in the main engine, power generator or any associated
machinery which can affect the voyage of the ship, the engineer must take all
necessary steps and inform the bridge at the earliest.

> Fire on ship: With implementation of advanced safety and automation

systems, detection of fire on board ships has become quite efficient. In case of
fire on the ship, the indication of affected location is displayed either on the
bridge or in the fire station. In such condition, it is important that deck officer
call the engine room to inform about the specific location of fire even after the
fire alarm has been sounded. The same rule also applies to the engine officer,
who must inform the bridge on how big is the fire and its condition after ringing
the fire alarm. However, only informing is not important, it is necessary that all
required steps are taken by the ships crew to stop the fire and inform other
department regarding the same.

> Fog, Traffic or Other Manned Situation: Today, most of the ships have UMS
engine room and the engine is controlled from the bridge. If any situation arises
wherein the engine is to be slowed down and manned, the bridge officer must
inform the duty engineer well in advance. These situation may include: Fog or
weather warnings, Canal Crossing, High Traffic Areas, Under-Bridge Crossing etc.

> Heavy Smoke/ Spark from the Funnel: If the ships funnel is discharging
abnormal black/ white smoke or there are sparks rising from the funnel, the
deck officer on the bridge must inform the same to the engine room
immediately as it may lead to uptake fire if ignored.

>Internal Oil Transfer Operation: Any engine room internal oil transfer procedure
must be pre-informed to the bridge officer as the transfer of oil from one tank to
another may affect the current list/ trim of the ship. Also, an informed deck
officer will keep a good overboard watch and revert back to the engine room
immediately in case of oil leakage or spill.

> Pumping Operation: Ballast pumps are high capacity pumps which are used to
correct the list, trim or draught of the ship. They are also used in ports for cargo
loading/ discharging. In order to save fuel, normally one generator is run at
higher load when the ship is at port. Hence deck officer must inform the engine
department before starting any pumps including ballast and fire pump as there
might be a requirement to start one more generators to accommodate the
power requirement.
> Deck Machinery Operation: Before starting any deck machinery including bow
thrusters and winches, the deck officer must inform the engine department so
that engineers can check and ensure that the machinery is ready to start and
the generator has enough accommodating power available. Also, in case of bow
thruster (BT), hydraulic pumps and fans are to be started sequentially before
the main operation, which the ship engineer will perform if informed well in
advance.

> OWS Operation: Nowadays, Oily Water Separator is an important ship

machinery checked by all PSCs on every visit. It is important for marine
engineers to inform the bridge and take position of the ship while starting and
stopping the Oily Water Separator (OWS). Also, bridge officers are required to
take a note of the same in the bridge log book. An overside check is also
required by the bridge officer for any oil sheen in water once the OWS operation
has started. Oil pollution from ships is a serious crime which includes huge fines
and even imprisonment. OWS operation therefore requires clear and sound
communication between officers from both the departments.

> Manning / Un-manning the Engine Room: Engine officer on duty of a UMS ship
must inform the bridge before turning on the Unmanned mode and leaving the
engine room. Engineer should inform about his visit and manned/unmanned
situation every time he/she visits the engine room and switch on or switch off
the dead mans alarm. This will help in informing the bridge officer of an

engineers presence in the machinery space. Also, in case of any mishap in the
engine room or no reply of the dead mans alarm, the deck officer can assist
and take imPilot/ PSC Onboard: It is the duty of the bridge officer to inform the
engine room about the pilot boarding time or whenever any outside authority is
about to visit the ship. This will give time to engine room staff to be ready for
important situations and prevent any kind of ship delay.

Running a ship safely and efficiently is a team-effort which requires utmost clear
communication between the deck and engine officers. The above mentioned
situations are some of the most important ones which needs great coordination
between both the ship departmentsmediate action.