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systems required extensive training to operate and ultimately ownership of these systems was extremely costly. Going beyond traditional control sys- tems, the Beier IVCS2000 is Windows NT based, using a marine grade and shock-mounted computer, and a system completely constructed of non-proprietary parts for easy maintenance. The system boasts PLC I/O modules and serial port modules for digital I/O, the latest ship dynamics algorithms, Kalman filtering, and frequency domain techniques to ensure accuracy with minimum actuation. The high definition bright LCD touch screen displays all functions for ease of use, with optional daylight viewable dis- plays. The main screen effortlessly dis- plays: status line, alarm/message line, real-time heading display, position dis- play, mode/function buttons, raw data, current parameters, window select and graphical presentations. Circle 53 on Reader Service Card Washington: We Need More Spill Response Vessels Shipping companies and oil-handling facilities should take immediate steps to increase the number of boats available to respond to oil spills in Puget Sound and along Washington's coast, according to Ecology Director Jay Manning. A newly released study commissioned by the Department of Ecology (Ecology) found that there are not enough vessels available to simultaneously deploy oil booms, transport oil-spill equipment and supplies, and provide other spill-response assistance needed during a major oil spill. "With as much shipping and tanker traf- fic as we have in Washington's waters, a significant oil spill is a very real threat, and we have to be able to stage a rapid and aggressive response effort," said Man- ning. The study, prepared by Glosten Associ- ates of Seattle, evaluated a hypothetical spill of a half-million gallons of oil in the San Juan Islands and found a shortage of 15 response vessels of various types. Although the study did not examine response-vessel capacity on the Washing- ton coast, Ecology officials say a similar shortage exists there, too. To help increase the number of boats with trained crews available in the event of an oil spill, the report recommends organizing fishing-vessel operators to help with spill response. Similar arrange- ments already exist in Alaska and British Columbia. Manning said the report's findings are timely, since Ecology is revising the spill- response requirements that all ships and oil-handling facilities in Washington must follow. He has directed his staff to require increased vessel-response capacity in the new regulations, which will be formally proposed near the end of the year and take effect by mid-2006, he said. "There is a clear need to improve response capacity in Washington. I urge the shipping and oil industry to start putting the resources in place now, and not wait for the regulations to take effect next year," Manning said. Ecology plans to convene an advisory group to further evaluate the response- vessel needs and what it would take to launch a program to prepare commercial fishing boats to help with spill response. The information will be used in crafting the new regulatory language. 24 • MarineNews • August, 2005 Ultrasonic Thickness Gage... Ultrasonic Thickness Gage PosiTector ® UTG WALL THICKNESS & CORROSION GAGE MADE IN USA Ideal for measuring wall thickness and the effects of corrosion or erosion on tanks, pipes or any structure where access is limited to one side. ¦ Scan mode ¦ Alarm mode ¦ Internal data logger ¦ Sturdy/compact design ¦ Certificate of Calibration 1-800-448-3835 www.defelsko.com 802 Proctor Ave., P.O. Box 676 • Ogdensburg, New York 13669 315-393-4450 • FAX: 315-393-8471 • E-mail: techsale@defelsko.com Circle 233 on Reader Service Card Circle 209 on Reader Service Card Marlink, Iridium to Provide Service for Good Will Voyage Iridium is providing global satellite communication services for the tall ship Picton Castle , which set sail last month on a year-long educational and good will voyage around the world. Through Marlink, a global Iridium Service Provider, the ship acquired a maritime BEAM-manufactured Iridium terminal that transmits data using Mar- link’s @Sea(mail) e-mail service for effi- cient and cost-effective communications between ship and shore. The Picton Castle is using @Sea(mail), Marlink’s propri- etary software for data compression, batching, and accounting e-mail messages. This communications package allows the Picton Castle to quickly and efficiently send and receive attachments via Iridium, a feature the Picton Castle did not have on previous voyages. The vessel expects to send information including ship logs, photographs, and voyage updates, along with routine ship business. The @Sea(mail) system allows these satellite-transmitted messages to be sent to Inter- net, fax or telex. Through the @Sea(mail) accounting and management system the message costs can be allocated to a variety of expense categories. Circle 54 on Reader Service Card AUGUSTMN2005 3(17-24).qxd 8/1/2005 4:29 PM Page 24
