News

E-Bulletin March 2024

e-navigation underway international 2018

The eight e-Navigation Underway International conference was held from 24th to 26th January 2018 on board the DFDS ferry M/S PEARL SEAWAYS, during which time she sailed from Copenhagen to Oslo and then returned to Copenhagen.  The theme for the conference was the realisation of the Maritime Service Portfolios. The conference was attended by 144 delegates, representing 29 countries and 7 international organisations. The associated exhibition attracted 3 exhibitors, displaying the latest developments in e-navigation.

Following welcoming remarks from the conference chairman, Bjørn Borbye Pedersen, and opening addresses from Francis Zachariae, Secretary-General of IALA, Andreas Nordseth, Director General of the Danish Maritime Authority, the key note speech was given by Mr Niels Smedegaard, President and CEO of DFDS.

A series of 28 presentations were given under the broad headings of general perspectives, e-navigation projects and testbeds, autonomous solutions in the maritime domain, specific e-navigation solutions, and building blocks for e-navigation.

The ENUW International 2018 conference generated six highlights:

  • Ship-owners have clearly realised the potential and business cases in e-navigation both in the areas of safety, efficiency and cost reduction.
  • Increasing attention is being paid to harmonised standards for services and products which are necessary for e-navigation.
  • Disruption of the maritime industry driven by exponential technological change demands faster stakeholder and regulatory response to achieve the benefits of new technology for human needs.
  • There is increasing collaboration between test bed operators, leading to an acceleration in the realisation of new digital maritime services and connectivity infrastructure.
  • Several major projects and global test beds have tested VDES with good results using both terrestrial and satellite platforms. VDES prototypes are now on the way for use on ships and ashore.
  • Autonomous systems, driven by the business case, are becoming operational and authorities and organisations must prepare.

An invitation was issued to the 2018 e-Navigation Underway (North America) Conference to be held in California in the Fall 2018. An invitation was issued to the second e-Navigation Underway – Asia-Pacific 2018 conference to be held in Seoul, Republic of Korea, from 3rd to 5th June 2018 following the 19th IALA Conference. An invitation was issued to the ninth e-Navigation Underway International conference to be held on board ship in early 2019.

E-Navigation Underway International 2018 webpage


Back to e-Bulletins