MARIS - MARIS in Motion - Sep 2012

MARIS in motion With power comes responsibility. Given the rapid growth in our share of the ECDIS market, we have taken tangible steps to futher develop our reputation as a leading edge technology provider. Today MARIS is a complete industry partner able to meet the demands of shipowners and seafarers as ECDIS use becomes mandatory.

Estimates of market share are often made, or suppressed for purely commercial reasons. But if I tell you that ECDIS from MARIS now commands a 20% market share in terms of ships in service, it is only to emphasise that, as ECDIS becomes mandatory and the revised STCW Convention and Code comes into effect, such a large slice of the industry brings with it extensive responsibilities.

Our success has added urgency to our drive to ensure that, as well as having the tools to meet mandatory requirements shipowners and seafarers are in the position to use them. For this reason, you will see that this issue of MARIS in motion is heavily focused on training and the relationships we have been developing with industry leaders in the field to support optimal use of the products we continue to develop.

You will see that we have continued to strengthen our programme of developing product-specific packages for onboard computerbased ECDIS training with CBT industry leader Seagull. We have worked closely with the International Hydrographic Office to ensure that our systems meet their latest findings on available systems and our new distribution agreements include training support.

But I also want to emphasise that our objectives lie beyond such ‘front-end’ agreements and compliance. This is why MARIS

Up on MCloud As a technology leader, our initiative to offer onboard installation of ‘Cloud’ capability for ECDIS promises to be one of the most exciting developments for users in the years ahead. MCloud – our working title – envisages real time streaming of data from the ship to a Cloud-based server.

Anyone who has used ‘Cloud’ as part of their daily lives will see the inherent benefits to this approach for remote assets such as ships, in terms of the way it can interface ’live’ with other mobile devices. But, as it is possible that the competition is watching, perhaps it would be better if you spoke to us directly. Contact us at SMM through ESL GmbH, B6/510.

SEPTEMBER 2012

Steinar Gundersen, Deputy Chief Executive, (Corporate), MARIS AS ECDIS can be found in almost 100 training institutes around the world and why we have made the delivery of certified, type specific training in cooperation with leading training institutes a major priority.

Most recently, Wärtsilä became the latest major marine company to specify MARIS hardware and software as part of its product specific training. The MARIS ECDIS900 system is being installed at the Wärtsilä Land & Sea Training Academy Subic, the engine company’s instruction centre in the Philippines.

We believe that 2012 will see regional shipowner uptake of ECDIS expand by around 20%-30% and, given the importance of the Philippines as a source of maritime labour, this deal is a landmark in our drive to ensure that good and standardised ECDIS training on MARIS systems is available in as many locations as possible.

MARIS in motion

Close co-operation ECDIS link with Nautisk Forlag

Ticking IHO checklist

MARIS and Nautisk Forlag AS have agreed a Global Distributor Agreement for MARIS ECDIS products encompassing all Nautisk Forlag’s present and future offices.

The International Hydrographic Office has long expressed concern that some ECDIS may not display certain combinations of chart features and attribute. MARIS has been working closely with IHO to corroborate that our systems are confirmed as meeting the standards set.

The agreement increases Nautisk Forlag’s global digital footprint in providing its customers with the complete digital package. MARIS ECDIS has already been used with Naustik Forlag’s Vessel Information Service, Neptune VIS with great success.

The ’Update Report on IHO Action concerning ECDIS Software Issues’ submitted to the IMO Maritime Safety Committee suggests that only one third of the ECDIS IHO it inspected functioned the way it expected. Coming as it did in the run up to the launch of the MARIS900 4.5.4.76 system, we responded directly to a latest IHO circular.

MARIS Technical Director, Philippe Kah, says: “We have been able to advise our distributors that the new ECDIS900 V4.5.4.76 is fully compliant with IHO tests.”

Tuned into Radio Holland MARIS and Imtech Radio Holland have reached an agreement to broaden their cooperation on the service and installation of all MARIS products through the Imtech Radio Holland network of subsidiaries and agents worldwide. The agreement includes worldwide sales of ECDIS.

We are partners in increasing Nautisk Forlag’s global digital footprint in providing the complete digital package.

Seagull and MARIS e-learning

The cooperation calls for MARIS to provide an intensive technical training programme for engineers in the Imtech Radio Holland network, covering competence in all MARIS products, ranging from single installation ECDIS to complete, fully integrated packages containing VDR, triple ECDIS, conning, Radar Overlay, Voyage Decision Support and all Digital Services.

In association with MARIS and Consilium Marine & Safety AB, the computer-based training (CBT) specialist Seagull has released e-learning modules designed to train navigation officers in the practical use of the MARIS ECDIS900 and Consilium ECDIS. They are designed to satisfy the relevant requirements for equipment specific ECDIS training.

Asia initiatives

The type-specific ECDIS CBT module for MARIS ECDIS900 provides all necessary understanding and practical knowledge for using the MARIS ECDIS900 and Consilium ECDIS systems in a safe and efficient manner.

Given that we expect uptake of ECDIS to have increased by 2030% in 2012 in Asia, it is no coincidence that our focus has been on product-specific initiatives by customers within the region.

Key markets include South Korea, Philippines, Singapore, China, India and Hong Kong.

It has been developed in response to concerns about the number of ECDIS systems and types available in the market and the fact that crew switching vessels may not be familiar with the type they are expected to use.

The ECDIS CBT can be delivered as an independent CD or as a solution where the module is integrated with Seagull Training Administrator (STA).

SERVICE NEWS

While maritime ECDIS is a day to day reality in 2012, ‘news’ on product-specific ECDIS training has given way to subjective opinion on the media’s agenda. At MARIS we continue to put in place the practical steps to achieve what lawmakers had in mind.

We align training with four other factors (hardware, software, technical support and chart handling) when supplying ECDIS. Our experience in Asia is that customers are seeking generic and product-specific ECDIS training in equal measure. An abiding objective in 2013 will be to play our part in dialogue with responsible owners, aware of their responsibilities with respect to ECDIS, but unclear what those responsibilities entail in terms of training.

MARIS in motion

PAYS and who pays The marine industry’s appetite for new state-of-the-art functionality in ECDIS is clear and manufacturers have responded with a slew of features that address enhanced safety, better flexibility and reduced waiting times. However, as ECDIS becomes mandatory, few attributes can be prioritised over those that squeeze cost.

‘PAYS’ (Pay As You Sail) has been the response of suppliers, but MARIS recently undertook an analysis of actual cost reductions accruing to the approach and is keen to share its findings. Our research indicated that cost reduction is by no means evident in all vessel operations. Some modes will not benefit from converting to PAYS. We share this only to highlight the fact that PAYS, like any ‘pay as you go’ service, only makes sense if it suits the circumstances

of use, and its attractiveness depends on how the user is being charged.

Many navigation officers, for example, have found that handling ENC licences, cell permits, chart installation and updates is a complex and time-consuming process. With MARIS PAYS the ENCs are already installed, so there is no need to order permits and all charts are automatically updated by the server.

The improved flexibility in the PAYS subscription is due to the fact that there is access to all ENCs worldwide. It is essential to keep all ENCs updated at all times to ensure safe and accurate planning. With PAYS it is possible to plan a route at any given time within the limitations of the PAYS subscription.

In an ideal world all ENC cells would be updated every day, but in the real world, the navigation officer only updates those cells required for the current route in order to save time and Broadband download capacity.

It is clear that compromises must be made to avoid excessive Broadband traffic on the satellite link. Navigation officers used to spend too much time handling ENC update CDs and licencing.

But every minute counts, and with PAYS this is now a thing of the past. Updates for worldwide ENC collection in SENC format are available on the internet and can be downloaded by the ship agent at any time on a memory stick. Onboard installation is thus achieved quickly.

The service can be introduced with the least possible cost by combining MARIS ECDIS900 and the PAYS service. MARIS controls the hardware, software, ENC permits and server.

MARIS’ approach to implementing PAYS onboard ship is to utilise existing equipment and only install software. There is no need for additional computers or other hardware onboard.

Automatic for the people MARIS’ strategy in implementing PAYS mode in ECDIS900 has been to integrate MARIS Digital Services (MDS), the one stop shop for maritime charts and publications since 2006, within ECDIS900. ECDIS900 benefits from all MDS functionalities, particularly the ability to order ENC permits and charts from non-PAYS countries including Japan while ordering AVCS cells directly from ECDIS900.

MARIS undertook analysis of the true cost-saving benefits of the PAYS approach to ECDIS service provision

SERVICE NEWS

The MARIS PAYS service is fully integrated within ECDIS900 and no interaction is required by the navigation officer. It is fully automatic, meaning the navigation officer concentrates fully on operating the vessel safely.

MARIS in motion

Company news Website milestone

us after extensive experience with ExNC Entwicklungs-und Vertriebs GmbH, which he founded to develop and market AIS Class B transponders.

Ralph has also worked as Sales Director with Nauticast GmbH/ ACR Europe, where he developed an international sales and service network for AIS Class A transponders. During this time the company gained a market share of 20% in more than 30 countries.

He takes over as Sales Director Europe from Willy Hansen who, following the global agreement signed between MARIS and Imtech Radio Holland, moves to the role of Director Special Projects for this venture.

The new MARIS website has now been unveiled with comprehensive, user-friendly pages on Products & Solutions, Support, the Company, Distributors, all MARIS Press Releases and the Newsletter, and a customer log in option.

This has been our opportunity to take stock of our breadth of service as a leading provider of maritime information technology, as well as giving us a new ’shop window’ to the maritime world.

The Products & Solutions page provides full descriptions of the two different types of the ECDIS900 Electronic Chart Display and Information System, ECDIS900 Flat Panel Computer SmartLine Mk10 and ECDIS900 Multi Display and Rack Computer Mk4.

It includes a full description of VDS – Voyage Decision Support, the new shipboard voyage optimisation tool for significant fuel saving and documentation of the voyage developed in partnership with Teekay Corp and Innovation, Norway.

However, our business is as much about supporting our technology as the technology itself. The support site for each product lists country, city, address, phone and web and individual contact details. The ECDIS900 entry, for instance, is accompanied by details of supporting companies in Europe, Asia, the Americas, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. The Company link to each product also lists and provides details of MARIS offices in Norway, Singapore and Russia.

People count At MARIS, we know that our success relies on the people bringing our technical solutions to market as much as it does on the technology developers themselves. For this reason, we would like to draw attention to a few personnel changes that have taken place in recent months.

Ralf Pluch is our new Sales Director for Europe and joined

Also joining the fold has been Ove Bråthen Director, Sales Scandinavia. Ove holds an electronics degree with focus on radar and underwater acoustics and brings more than 25 years’ international sales experience to the company, having spent the first six years of his career with the Royal Norwegian Navy.

Ove has worked at sea on a number of seismic research vessels, spent a decade as Sales Manager for Schlumberger Oilfield Services, been a Project Manager for Vessel Traffic Systems (VTS) in the Kongsberg Group, and spent seven years with Evry AS, Norway’s largest IT service provider as Key Account Manager and Bid Manager.

Our ambitious plans to continue growing are in safe hands.

About MARIS MARIS is a limited company with its head office in Tønsberg, Norway, a recognised centre for maritime information technology. The company has delivered thousands of navigation systems to customers worldwide.

The majority owner is the Grieg Group (www.grieg.no).

The Grieg Group has a long and proud maritime tradition. Today, the Group operates globally within a variety of business areas; shipping, global logistic services, shipbroking, maritime information systems, investment consulting and fish farming. The Grieg Group has about 1,700 employees.

The roots of MARIS go back to the start of the maritime information technology explosion in the mid 1960s.

MARIS is a system house with world-class experience in onboard systems. Innovative engineering has added several ´world firsts´ to its list of milestones. Among them are our ´Wheelmark´ certified ECDIS and PC Radar/ARPA, IEC 60945 certified Flat Panel Computer and S-VDR/ECDIS COMBO. MARIS is working with the UKHO to develop The Admiralty Navigator.

For further information, please contact: Steinar Gundersen, Deputy Chief Executive (Corporate) MARIS AS, Tel: +47 97472000, email: steinar.gundersen@maris.no; or Bhupesh Gandhi, Director, MARIS Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, Singapore, Tel: +65 62762472, email: bhupesh@maris.no

MARIS in motion