Advances in Visual Aids to Navigation Technology: Leveraging Technology to Improve Navigational Aid Performance and Reduce Risk

The U.S. Coast Guard, per United States Code 14USC81, administers the U.S. Aids to Navigation (AtoN) system and is responsible for its development, establishment, operation, and maintenance. The Coast Guard has consistently sought new equipment, techniques, and methods to provide all waterways users with a reliable, cost-effective system of AtoN that will enable them to fix their vessels' positions, determine safe courses to steer, and avoid unseen dangers to the degree of accuracy appropriate to the level of risk. To a casual observer, the buoys and beacons along our nation's coasts look much the same as they did 30 years ago, except perhaps that black buoys are now green and the black and white (skunk) mid-channel buoys are now red and white. A little closer look, however, will reveal that an extensive and ongoing technological transformation is taking place, not just on the buoys and beacons themselves, but also with servicing and maintenance practices. This piece looks at the modern technological transformation taking place in AtoN today, focusing on visual aids to navigation.

Record URL:
Availability:
- Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/15479676
Authors:
- Trainor, Robert
Publication Date: 2007

Language

English

Media Info

Media Type: Print
Features: Figures; Photos; References;
Pagination: pp 43-46
Serial:
- Proceedings of the Marine Safety & Security Council
- Volume: 64
- Issue Number: 2
- Publisher: U.S Coast Guard Headquarters
- ISSN: 1547-9676

Subject/Index Terms

TRT Terms: Aids to navigation; Buoys; Maritime safety; Navigation systems; Navigational aids; Visual aids; Water traffic
Identifier Terms: United States Coast Guard
Subject Areas: Marine Transportation; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

Accession Number: 01054768
Record Type: Publication
Files: TRIS
Created Date: Jul 31 2007 12:23PM