One-Man Bridge Operation

Ulstein Bridge Alarm System (Ulstein BAS) has just achieved the type approval certificate from Det Norske Veritas’ (DNV) rules for classification of maritime vessels. The product is developed by Ulstein Elektro who is on front edge in the market, and stand alone with the type approval certificate on this type of product. Ulstein BAS is designed to monitor the bridge activity and alert the master and other qualified navigators if the bridge becomes unattended or a situation occurs that needs attention from other officers. - The system first alerts the officer of the watch through a prewarning alarm indication at the bridge. If the officer on watch does not respond, the system then alerts the master or other qualified officer, says development manager for Ulstein BAS Roar Kjærstad Husby. Ulstein BAS is very flexible and customer adaptable. All configurations are executable in operator panels. Cabinets are very compact, and cabinet front is well arranged for finding connection points. Pluggable connections result in easy fault finding and installation. The purpose of the Ulstein BAS The central bridge alarm panel provides visual and audible alarms. The alarms are initiated by systems and individual navigation equipment on the bridge. All equipment on the bridge making an audible alarm shall be connected to Ulstein BAS, says Kjærstad Husby and continues. - Another purpose of the bridge watch monitoring is a “dead man” system for detection of unattended bridge or operator disability based on interval checking. The alarm transfer to specific locations outside the bridge to alert and call the master and back-up navigator(s), automatically initiated in case the bridge alarms are not attended to or an operator disability is detected. It will also call back-up navigator for the purpose of manually and instant initiation of alarm from bridge for alert and call of master and back-up navigator(s). First with this type of approval certificate The system conforms to the requirements of IMO resolution and performance standards for a bridge navigational watch alarm system (BNWAS), and the bridge class notations for ”one-man bridge operation”. - A new standard according to IEC will appear later in 2009, and the type approval certificate for Ulstein BAS already satisfies this, Kjærstad Husby concludes. ELECTRICAL & CONTROL SYSTEMS BY ULSTEIN ELEKTRO AS The electrical and control systems onboard or in onshore industry are critical for achieving profitable operations. The Ulstein Group designs and integrates systems for electronics, automation and power control that strike an effective balance between cost and performance.