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MMS, ABS Info Integration Project Wins ARPA Funding I The Integrated Shipboard Infor- mation Technology (ISIT) Platform project has been selected for fund- ng by the Department of Defense's Advance Research Projects Agency (ARPA), and the project is now in | ievelopment. ISIT is a $3.8 million, 18-month project undertaken by a ;eam of seven firms and headed by Vlarine Management Systems of Stamford, Conn. The ISIT Platform will provide a ihipboard information and commu- nication base that, for the first time, will integrate the various "islands of information" that exist onboard mod- rn commercial ships, into one cen- ral and accessible database. Al- hough significant amounts of im- ortant management and technical ata exist in the navigation, cargo nd machinery control systems, this ata has been unavailable from a (single shipboard source and there- fore is largely unavailable to shore- based management while the ship is at sea. ISIT will also provide a standard open architecture platform to run shipboard software and will include a standard data satellite com- munications path to shore systems. |The trends in the maritime industry brmore complex ships, smaller crews nd dramatically increased regula- tory requirements are all converg- ing to create a critical and urgent need for the ISIT platform. "Industry consensus standards for data transfer are a critical ingredi- ent in the ISIT project, and there is remendous interest from shipown- ers and operators," according toEu- :ene D. Story, president of MMS nd chairman of the American Soci- :ty for Testing and Materials (ASTM) orking group that will be respon- sible for developing the standards. In addition, the American Bureau of Shipping will develop guidelines for shipboard data management systems as part of the project. The ISIT development team con- sists of seven companies, each a leader in its field, and each contrib- uting in its area of specialization. MMS, a provider of ship-to-shore communications and shipboard op- erations management software, will act as the project leader. Ultimateast Data Communications will provide satellite communications technolo- gy gies, including development of a Vir- tual Earth Station. Radix Systems will contribute maritime systems testing, integration and project man- agement. ABS Marine Services, an affiliate of the American Bureau of Shipping, will develop standards and implementation guidelines. Gen- eral Electric Marine Systems will contribute to the development of standard data interfaces to machin- ery and cargo control systems. M. Rosenblatt & Son, naval architects and marine engineers, will provide shipboard design and installation services, coordinate the shipboard installation, and work to develop dual use (commercial and military) October, 1995 applications of the technology. In addition, an advisory board, consisting of principal ship operat- ing companies, shipyards and satel- lite communications companies, will support the project and provide criti- cal comment and review. ARPA announced in May the se- lection of 24 new projects for nego- tiations as a result of the FY 1995 Maritech competition. Now in its second year, the five-year Maritech program is a federal effort to develop and apply advanced technology to improve the competitiveness of the U.S. shipbuilding industry and thereby preserve the capability for Navy ship construction. Maritech is matching industry investments with federal funds on a competitive basis to develop and implement technolo- gies and advanced processes to in- crease the competitiveness of ship design, marketing, construction and support. For more information from MMS Circle 51 on Reader Service Card MARICHEM 95 THE INDUSTRY MEETING FOR BULK CHEMICALS Congress Centrum Ost Cologne Germany 28 - 30 November 1995 Address all enquiries concerning the Marichem 95 Conference & Exhibition to: The Marichem Secretariat London "reiix Glen House 200/208 Tottenham Court Road London W1 P 9LA, United Kingdom +44 (0)171 436 9774 +44 (0)171 436 5694 Circle 260 on Reader Service Card 19
