C H A P T E R
N ° 37
Maritime Ports (Part 2)
Today’s article will be the second of three articles focused on the relation between space weather and maritime ports.
Combined, the three articles will explore maritime ports as a critical infrastructure (CI), the “system of systems” design, and the anticipated ‘mega disaster’-scenario. Additionally, they will look closer at the connection between seaports and the energy sector and space infrastructure. Moreover, they will discuss the notion of cascading risks, focused on the combination of space weather, the ‘system of systems’ design, and maritime ports. Lastly, they will consider how space weather resilience can plays a significant role within maritime resilience.
In this article; C H A P T E R N ° 37 Maritime Ports (Part 2), the following topics will be explored: Maritime ports and satellites services, looking at the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and the Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) systems, and Communication capabilities enabled by satellites. Sub-topics include: ‘Navigation and tracking’, ‘Communication and connectivity’, ‘Performance and environmental monitoring’, ‘Safety, security, and emergency response’, ‘Operational efficiency’, and ‘Security and compliance’.
Image Credit: VISIWISE.
Maritime ports and satellite services
Maritime ports use satellite services for a variety of purposes, including navigation and tracking, communication for both business and crew welfare, vessel performance monitoring, and environmental and safety applications like emissions tracking, oil spills, monitoring illegal fishing, and collision avoidance. These services provide real-time data and connectivity to improve efficiency, safety, and sustainability in port operations. The ports, thus, depend on a variety of satellites within the three most commonly used orbital classes; Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), and Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO).
Navigation and tracking: are crucial at maritime ports for enhancing safety and security, optimizing port operations and efficiency, and ensuring regulatory compliance. They enable port authorities and shipping companies to monitor vessel movements in real-time, preventing collisions, managing congestion, and ensuring cargo is secure. This visibility also helps in route optimization (reduced travel time and fuel consumption), and compliance with safety and environmental regulations. Navigation and tracking at maritime ports rely on a combination of satellite constellations like the Global Positioning System (GPS), Galileo, GLONASS, and BeiDou for precise positioning, navigation and timing capabilities, and satellite networks like ORBCOMM and Spire four Automatic Identification System (AIS) to track vessel movement and communication.
Communication and connectivity: are vital at maritime ports for safety, operational efficiency, and crew welfare. They enable real-time communication between vessels and shore-based authorities, support the exchange of critical data for logistics and maintenance, ensure compliance with regulations, and allow crew members to stay connected with their families. Communication and connectivity are enabled by Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites such as Starlink and OneWeb, and Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellites like Inmarsat, and, thus, enables business operations and remote support, and helps maintaining crew welfare.
Performance and environmental monitoring: are crucial at maritime ports for balancing economic activity with environmental protection and operational efficiency. Monitoring ensures compliance with regulations, safeguards human health and local ecosystems from pollution, optimizes port operations for cost savings and competitiveness, and helps ports meet sustainability goals by providing data to make informed decisions. Performance and environmental monitoring are enabled by Earth Observation (EO) satellites like ESA’ Sentinel-1, -2, and -3, NASA’ Terra and SMAP, NOAA’ GEOS, and JAXA’ GCOM-C and ALOS satellites, and, thus, provides remote performance monitoring, emissions tracking, and environmental impact assessments.
Safety and security: are crucial at maritime ports to protect vessels, cargo, and people from threats like terrorism, piracy, and smuggling, while also ensuring the reliability of global supply chains, economic stability, and environmental protection. Strong security measures prevent illegal activities, safeguard against theft and damage, and allow trade to continue smoothly and safely, especially considering that approximately 80% of global trade by volume is transported by sea. Safety and security capabilities are enabled by satellites such as the Satellite Automatic Identification Systems (SAT-AIS), Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites, and Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) satellites, and, thus, enables emergency response, hazards detection, and security and surveillance capabilities.
All four categories mentioned; ‘Navigation and tracking’, ‘Communication and connectivity’, ‘Performance and environmental monitoring’, and ‘Safety and security’, depend on the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) to some extent.
The Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and The Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) systems
Maritime ports depend on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) for precise positioning, which is critical for safe and efficient operations such as vessel navigation, traffic management, and cargo handling. The Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are used for everything from open-sea routing to precise docking, and it provides the positional accuracy needed for modern systems like Electronic Chart Displays and Automatic Identification Systems (AIS). The systems are additionally vital for managing vessel traffic within ports and in surrounding waters, contributing to the safety and coordination of all maritime activities. The Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are, thus, used for navigation and routing, port operations, traffic management, cargo handling, safety and security, integration with other systems, commercial services, and precise timing.
The Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) systems are critical for maritime ports, and is a collection of technologies that provide three key functions: positioning (determining your location), navigation (guiding you to a new location), and timing (providing precise, synchronized time). Collectively, these systems provide accurate location, routing, and time data necessary for safe and efficient maritime operations, from high-precision navigation in congested waters to the synchronized timing required for port infrastructure. They can use satellite-based Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), but their reliability is enhanced with complementary technologies like Integrated Navigation Systems (INS), Differential GPS (DGPS), and alternative Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) systems sources to ensure integrity and counter threats like jamming and spoofing. In ports, the Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) systems supports everything from vessel traffic management to the precision timing needed for financial and telecommunication services.
“ Integrated Navigation Systems (INS) in maritime ports are computer-based systems that combine data from multiple navigation sensors to provide a more accurate and consistent view of a vessel's position and status. They are a core part of Integrated Bridge Systems (IBS), improving safety by integrating information from sources like GPS, ECDIS, radar, and inertial sensors to assist in tasks such as route planning, monitoring, and complex maneuvers like docking. “
“ Differential GPS (DGPS) is a system that enhances standard GPS accuracy by using a fixed reference station at a known location to calculate and broadcast corrections for GPS signal errors. This system uses two receivers: a base station that compares its known coordinates to the GPS-calculated position and a mobile "rover" unit that receives corrections to improve its own positioning. “
Image Credit: IALA: Showcasing the Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT).
The impact from a Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) systems or the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) outage or blackout from such systems and services is far from only being the ability to navigate.
The Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) systems are playing a significant role within the maritime sector. They are not only used for navigation of maritime vessels but also within the operations of other critical infrastructures (CI), like the energy sector and telecommunications which are both important parts of the operation of ports. The Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) systems are used for operating site machinery and conducting administrative functions on IT-systems. However, the full realization and understanding of the specific dependencies within maritime ports of the Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) systems remain.
Like any other infrastructure, the maritime ports are seeking to employ innovative technologies to develop technologically smarter and automated operations, using things such as ‘internet of Things (IoT)’. Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of items including sensors and embedded systems that are connected to the internet, and enable physical objects to gather and exchange data. The integration of such a network within the maritime sector would increase the dependency on not only the Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) systems but advanced technologies in general.
Many Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) systems use the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), either as the only thing used to determine positions or as the technique to initialize position, synchronize time, or calibrate measuring devices. The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) comprises of four main systems; the US Global Positioning Service (GPS), the Russian GLONASS, the European system Galileo, and the Chinese BeiDou. The Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) systems, enabled by the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), require a receivable and accurate ranging signal operating with full integrity, meaning within the accepted ‘nominal accuracy bounds’. The integrity of signals is monitored by land-based stations and can usually be corrected in cases where anomalies were to be detected. However, it can take hours for a fault to be recognized, increasing the risk of catastrophes.
Communication
Communication is a vital part of the maritime sector, especially between maritime ports and vessels. Maritime ports use advanced communication systems, including High and Very High-Frequency (HF and VHF) and Medium Frequency (MF) marine radio for vessel-to-vessel and vessel-to-shore communication, to manage traffic, safety, and cargo operations, Digital Selective Calling (DSC) system which integrates with radio communication to allow for automated distress alerts and calls to specific vessels, satellite links to provide long-range communication for when radio coverage is limited, and 5G networks offering high-speed secure data connectivity within maritime ports, helping streamline operations, track goods, and improve efficiency while also facing new cybersecurity challenges.
Communication is used for safety, operational efficiency, and security:
Safety and emergency response: Communication ensures safe passage by coordinating with other vessels and port authorities. With a clear and accurate communication between vessels and control towers collisions can be prevented. In case of mechanical failure, weather emergencies, or other threats, standardized distress signals and communication protocols help ensure a rapid and effective rescue response and, thus, stronger emergency management and disaster prevention capabilities. Furthermore, real-time information like weather updates and sea-state information can help captains and navigators make informed decisions about routes and speeds. Communication capabilities, thus, enables informed decision-making.
Operational efficiency: Communication is key for streamlined operations like docking, cargo, unloading, refueling, and is critical for security protocols and compliance with regulations. Furthermore, it allows for real-time data sharing that improves the overall efficiency and adaptability of the supply chain, and can lead to significant cost savings and prevent costly errors.
Security and compliance: Precise communication is necessary to meet customs and immigration requirements, avoiding legal issues and delays. Additionally, real-time data sharing through systems like the Automated Identification System (AIS) and radar allows operators to track vessel movements and identify potential threats. Lastly, communication capabilities also provide a lifeline during emergencies, allowing for a quick and coordinated response.
To be continued…
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