aids to navigation - Canadian Coast Guard
AIDS TO NAVIGATION
AIDS TO NAVIGATION OVERVIEW – LOGIC MODEL MISSION: Provide Aids to Navigation in Canadian waters in order to facilitate safe
WHO’S INVOLVED
and expeditious movement of maritime traffic
USERS/CLIENTS
OBJECTIVES:
Safe waterways Safe and effective vessel transits and movements Effective position verification and hazard avoidance To provide marine safety information Protect the marine environment (minimal environmental impact)
INPUTS Financial Resources Human Resources Assets
KEY ACTIVITIES Establish and review standards, Levels of Service, directives and guides Public short range aids systems Private & other Government Aids systems
KEY OUTPUTS Directives, standards, and Levels of Service Floating and fixed Aids in operation Advice on system designs User Guides
Long-range Aids
Notices to Mariners
CO-DELIVERERS
Marine Programs Contractors Fleet Integrated Technical Services Other DFO programs United States Coast Guard Transport Canada Continental Shelf Real Property User – client consultation
BENEFICIARIES
OUTCOMES Safe vessel transits and movements Effective vessel transits and movements Effective position verification and hazard avoidance Increased awareness of Marine Safety Information Positive behavioral changes Acceptance and use of Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) Awareness of technological changes to the Aids system Public confidence in the Aids to Navigation system (Marine Safety)
ULTIMATE IMPACTS Maritime Safety
Shipping industry Fishers Recreational boaters Municipalities Provinces/Territories Other Government Departments Department of National Defence Pilot Authorities Harbour Authorities Marine industry Aquaculture Marinas Mining, Oil Cottage owners and Associations Owners of private buoys
Protection of the Marine and Freshwater Environment
Marine Trade and Commerce
Shipping industry Canadian government vessels Fishers, Boaters Marine industry Canadian industry at large Canadian society at large International users
MISSION & OBJECTIVES To Provide Aids to Navigation in Canadian waters in order to facilitate safe and expeditious movement of maritime traffic. The following are Aids to Navigation’s (ATON) objectives: ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Contribute to safe waterways Contribute to safe and effective vessel transits and movements Contribute to an effective position verification and hazard avoidance Provide marine safety information Protect the marine environment (minimal environmental impact)
WHAT’S INVOLVED The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is mandated through the Canada Shipping Act to provide aids to navigation in Canadian waters in order to facilitate safe and effective movement of maritime traffic. Aids to navigation are provided according to national Levels of Service (LOS) standards and with international conventions, guidelines and recommendations, including those with the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The ATON Program assists mariners to navigate safely and efficiently by: ♦ Establishing national standards for aids to navigation; ♦ Providing and operating ‘public’ aids to navigation systems comprised of floating fixed aids and electronic aids to navigation; ♦ Providing guidelines and assistance for the establishment of ‘private’ aids to navigation; ♦ Monitoring aids services; ♦ Providing safety information (Notices to Mariners and Lists of Lights). There are approximately 11,200 floating aids to navigation and 5,800 fixed aids across Canada. The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) is the most common owner/operator of aids in Canadian waters. Private individuals or groups, and other government departments and agencies, are also able to establish private aids to navigation or mooring buoys for their own use in Canada, providing they conform to the Private Buoy Regulations.
WHO’S INVOLVED In 2003-2004, there was approximately 200 Marine Programs staff dedicated to the ATON Program across Canada. The effective delivery of the ATON Program depends on a wide range of internal and external codeliverers, including: CCG Fleet; CCG Integrated Technical Support (ITS); the Canadian Hydrographic Services (CHS); and other Marine Programs branches and programs.
The Program is supported regionally by a variety of delivery resources and personnel, including: vessels based at various locations; helicopters; local contractors; and, under special agreement, the United States Coast Guard (USCG). Other government departments also support the ATON Program, such as: Transport Canada (TC); Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC); Parks Canada; Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC); and Environment Canada (EC). For example, special agreements exist with other government departments (OGD’s) for aids to navigation under their jurisdiction (Parks Canada & the St-Lawrence Seaway). The Program is involved with, and consults with, clients and users so that changes to the aids to navigation system are responsive, and reflect their needs and expectations. Clients and users of the Program include the owners and operators of certified commercial vessels, uncertified commercial vessels, and pleasure craft. They are the primary monitoring mechanism for aids to navigation and, as an element of shared responsibility for safety, are relied on to report outages and discrepancies to the CCG.
WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING The broad dimensions of the Canadian landmass, coastlines, and seascapes pose challenges for safe and efficient maritime navigation. Further complexity is present due to the increasing level of activity and growth of Canadian industries, coupled with managing increasing commercial and recreational traffic. The most powerful external factor influencing the service delivery of ATON is the extremely fast technical progress in communications, electronics, new materials and solar energy technology. Clients are adopting new technologies while the CCG is using them to effectively deliver services, offering opportunities for the CCG to review its methods of service delivery to achieve its goals within available resources. Modernizing aids to navigation is an evolutionary process. The CCG strives to take best advantage of the capabilities of new technologies, such as the widespread use of the Global Positioning System (GPS), which has reduced the need for certain traditional visual aids such as lighthouses required by mariners for making landfall. New technologies have even enhanced the familiar buoy. Steel buoys used to have to come out of the water each year for painting, new batteries, and mooring refurbishing. Today, solarized lighted buoys, higher quality synthetic mooring systems, and high performance epoxy-based coatings mean that buoys can be painted every six years, and moorings changed at sea every three years. At these times, some components of the lighting system are also serviced. The CCG is revising national policies on the provision and checking of aids to navigation, the goal being to have all buoy components on a minimum six-year service/maintenance cycle. Changes in buoy design and the use of plastics are producing even more efficiencies. Increased use of self-contained solar powered Light Emitting Diodes (LED), costing approximately $400 per unit, is financially effective. The older solar installations cost approximately $4,000 per unit; their large solar panels were subject to breakage during handling, and included many component parts such as regulators, cables, and batteries, each with its own maintenance and spare parts requirements. They were also highly susceptible to corrosion in the marine environment due to
being designed for removal and maintenance. Synthetic materials such as nylon rope are now being used for lighter, smaller buoys, and last for a longer period of time. Improved materials for chains used to anchor larger, heavier buoys also have longer endurance. Buoys of all types will still require some level of maintenance. As well, some will continue to be removed from the water during the winter. Shipping time, and the maintenance infrastructure to carry out these jobs, is very expensive. For this reason, the CCG is turning to local businesses and individuals such as fishers, and groups such as local Harbour Authorities, to carry out this work on contract on behalf of the CCG. The Program has also commenced the draft evaluation of options to move towards making recommendations on the Lightkeepers Options Project (LOP). The aids to navigation equipment on all lightstations have been automated for decades and do not require lightkeepers to operate. In addition, significant capital is required to maintain these sites to accommodate a full time human presence, especially health and safety requirements ($24.5 million in the last five years). Therefore, hundreds of lightstations were safely destaffed in Canada up to the spring of 1997; consistent with the trend around the world. Although there is no plan to further de-staff lightstations at this point in time, the LOP is to provide direction on how to proceed with this issue. The Program faced several regional challenges in 2003-2004. The Maritimes Region saw much of the fishing season waters opening without buoys being placed in the water; the intent is to resolve this challenge through Marine Aids Modernization (MAM) emerging priority. The Region moved ahead on contracting out buoys, which resulted in the reduction of fleet utilization, and lay up of two buoy tenders.
WHAT DID WE ACCOMPLISH OUTPUTS Short Range Aids Reliability
Reliability is an important and widely used parameter of the multi-component aids to navigation system. The reliability for lighted short-range aids, which integrates landfall lights, other fixed lights, large buoys, and all other lighted buoys, integrates many technical aspects of the system, and has a direct influence on aids performance and maritime safety. Reliability is affected by several external factors such as weather and planned maintenance. The reliability of Canada’s floating and fixed aids to navigation decreased slightly in the past year. In 2003, the national level of short-range aids was 99.0%, slightly lower than 99.3% in 2002. The national level of reliability meets the national CCG standard of 99%, and exceeds IALA’s minimum standard of 95%. The level of service targets for short range aids include: visual aid available for at least 75% of the time during the worst month of the year, with aural aid being provided when visual aid is unavailable; short range reliability of between 95% and 99%; and aids coverage being available where the volume of traffic justifies, and the degree of risk requires, short range aids. LONG RANGE AIDS RELIABILITY – DGPS
Despite the use of distinct types of equipment and principles of operation, the long-range aids to navigation system also uses reliability as the main parameter of system performance. The Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) provides double coverage over the most important waterways. The reliability of this system remained very high in 2003, at 99.998%. It exceeded the current national standard for this type of system - 99.80%, and the reliability level of 99.995%, recorded in 2002. The level of service targets for long range aids include: Loran C (an electronic positioning system with an accuracy within 400 metres, which was implemented by the CCG in the 1970s) being available 99.9% for stations and 99.7% for chains; DGPS being available based on IMO standards
for accuracy, reliability, availability, integrity and continuity; coverage in Canadian coastal areas south of 60 degrees North, major Canadian waterways, Marine Communications and Traffic Services (MCTS) zones, Canadian ports and high traffic harbour approaches. The decreased cost and increased popularity of GPS/DGPS has reduced the demand on shortrange aids while increasing the reliance on advanced position-finding systems. GPS/DGPS has also significantly reduced demand among mariners for Loran-C. At the same time, the increased threat of potential terrorist acts On GPS/DGPS facilities has resulted in a reluctance to abandon Loran-C, in Canada and the United States, where an interconnection of the system exists. Floating Aids MODERNIZATION - Plastic Buoys, LED Lanterns
The CCG has made progress in modernizing and introducing new electronic aids systems over the past few years, through the Marine Aids Modernization (MAM) initiative. MAM has been implemented to provide the right combination of conventional and electronic aids to navigation to meet the changing needs of the marine community; to take advantage of both new materials and equipment to improve program reliability and reduce operating and maintenance costs; and to integrate the use of lighter equipment and small contractors to improve response to outages, seasonal needs and reduce costs. The MAM initiative continued in 2003-2004. CCG updated the national and international action plans, and developed the Draft National Action Plan for MAM III, to build long-term goals. Desirable results in aids modernization have been achieved. MAM’s application of national levels of service standards, the availability of DGPS, and the use of new technologies have resulted in
20% of all foghorns being discontinued since September 2002, 65% of buoys are now plastic, 59% of all lighted buoys are now equipped with LED lanterns, and 26% of all aids are now contracted out to local users wherever applicable. MAM has had no negative impact on marine safety and navigation, and the full-allocated program costs to provide short-range aids to navigation has decreased by 37% since 1996. As well, the technical innovation of plastic buoys has opened the door for service delivery improvement through the wider utilization of local contractors. Plastic buoys have the advantage of being lighter than steel buoys whereby contractors and smaller vessels can handle them more easily. They require less maintenance than steel buoys as they do not require sandblasting and repainting every five or six years.
LEDs are a product of the latest advancement in semiconductor technology. LEDs for lighting applications are readily solarized. They consume the equivalent amount of energy as conventional incandescent lamps but last up to 100 times longer (100,000 hours), are virtually indestructible, and are maintenance free. In 2003, progress was made in introducing this type of aid to navigation. There were approximately 2,245 LED lanterns in Canada at the end of 2003, more than half of all lighted buoys. In comparison, there were 1,100 lanterns of this type in place in 2001. NOTICES TO MARINERS WEBSITE (NOTMAR)
A new indicator of information demanded by the marine community is the number of persons accessing the Notices to Mariners Internet site. The site is a tool for the continuous promulgation of marine safety information. The number of persons accessing the site (through visits or receiving automated emails) in 2003 was 30% more than in 2002. Taking into consideration a strong seasonal pattern of pleasure boating activity, the data shows a steady increase in the demand for navigation information during the reporting year.
OUTCOMES SAFE VESSEL TRANSITS AND MOVEMENTS - INCIDENTS RELATED TO AIDS TO NAVIGATION
The Transportation Safety Board collects and investigates accidents that occur on Canadian waters. It works to define the reasons (assigned factor) for these accidents. Since 1996, the number of vessels involved in investigated shipping accidents by assigned factor – aids to navigation has decreased, and recent available statistics for years 1999 to 2003 show that aids to navigation were not assigned to any marine accidents. These positive results may be, in part, attributed to improvements in the aids to navigation system since the implementation of DGPS and the modernization program for conventional short-range aids. PUBLIC CONFIDENCE Public confidence in the ATON Program has been strong over the past few years, with an average score of 7.3 out of ten (2000 -Pollara Survey & 2001-2002 - Environics surveys). Past results demonstrate public confidence in the ATON Program’s ability to deliver services for commercial shipping, fishing, and recreational boating activities. However, the department did not conduct the survey in 2003.
WHAT’S NEXT Currently, 26 per cent of all CCG aids to navigation are contracted out; MAM’s objective is to reach 50 per cent by the year 2007. This would amount to the contracting out of an additional 4,000 existing marine aids. However, CCG faces challenges relating to legal, and national directives on contracting out are to be finalized by next fall. The Program will also look to improve service delivery by finalizing Service Level Agreements with service providers such as the CCG Fleet and Integrated Technical Support; by using DGPS/GPS as the primary source for positioning and checking aids; by increasing contracting out; by increasing the use of new technology and low maintenance equipment; by implementing life cycle management for aids equipment; and by enhancing standards monitoring procedures. The Program will continue with the coordination, development and implementation of the modernized Aids to Navigation Program through the Marine Aids Modernization initiative. MAM is focused on continuing to implement new aids to navigation technologies to meet evolving needs,
using the concept that safety is a shared responsibility; mariners must be well trained and equipped, and use proper charts and up to date navigation equipment. The MAM initiative will also be focusing on communication and marketing to promote the benefits and knowledgeable use of new aids technology; to assure stakeholders that the ATON Program will continue to provide efficient service without compromising marine safety; to communicate that the initiative is part of the CCG’s ongoing attempts to modernize its programs and services to improve their efficiency and cost effectiveness; and to minimize misinformation and to be transparent with employees and stakeholders about the potential impacts of the initiative. However, MAM is facing challenges in regards to communication, such as the pending approval of the three-year MAM action plan and the need for additional expertise. MAM will also continue with evolving the Notice to Mariners (NOTMAR) Internet site to further entice clients. Membership renewals are being performed, with the level of response being low (less than 500 respondents as of the beginning of 2004). Therefore, MAM will promote the benefits of the electronic version of NOTMAR, such as its service being tailored to users’ needs and the faster transmission of information. MAM’s objective is to discontinue the paper version of NOTMAR by the year 2007, but is facing the challenges of on-going resistance from some clients (mostly shipowners) and the availability of Internet access for remote areas. Climactic change appears to be reducing the water level within the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway and causing ice sheet shrinkage in the Arctic seas. As well, a decrease in the Northwest Passage winter ice thickness and an increase in the ice-free season of one to three months are also expected. These changes will likely increase the requirement of serviceable aids to navigation. Population growth, which suggests a probable increase in the use of already busy Canadian waterways, is another factor that may increase the need for aids to navigation. The ATON Program will consider reporting on measures and indicators such as: the number of trained personnel; the percentage of trained personnel versus requirement; the number of peer reviews; and the percentage of recommendations implemented.
AIDS TO NAVIGATION OVERVIEW – LOGIC MODEL MISSION: Provide Aids to Navigation in Canadian waters in order to facilitate safe
WHO’S INVOLVED
and expeditious movement of maritime traffic
USERS/CLIENTS
OBJECTIVES:
Safe waterways Safe and effective vessel transits and movements Effective position verification and hazard avoidance To provide marine safety information Protect the marine environment (minimal environmental impact)
INPUTS Financial Resources Human Resources Assets
KEY ACTIVITIES Establish and review standards, Levels of Service, directives and guides Public short range aids systems Private & other Government Aids systems
KEY OUTPUTS Directives, standards, and Levels of Service Floating and fixed Aids in operation Advice on system designs User Guides
Long-range Aids
Notices to Mariners
CO-DELIVERERS
Marine Programs Contractors Fleet Integrated Technical Services Other DFO programs United States Coast Guard Transport Canada Continental Shelf Real Property User – client consultation
BENEFICIARIES
OUTCOMES Safe vessel transits and movements Effective vessel transits and movements Effective position verification and hazard avoidance Increased awareness of Marine Safety Information Positive behavioral changes Acceptance and use of Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) Awareness of technological changes to the Aids system Public confidence in the Aids to Navigation system (Marine Safety)
ULTIMATE IMPACTS Maritime Safety
Shipping industry Fishers Recreational boaters Municipalities Provinces/Territories Other Government Departments Department of National Defence Pilot Authorities Harbour Authorities Marine industry Aquaculture Marinas Mining, Oil Cottage owners and Associations Owners of private buoys
Protection of the Marine and Freshwater Environment
Marine Trade and Commerce
Shipping industry Canadian government vessels Fishers, Boaters Marine industry Canadian industry at large Canadian society at large International users
MISSION & OBJECTIVES To Provide Aids to Navigation in Canadian waters in order to facilitate safe and expeditious movement of maritime traffic. The following are Aids to Navigation’s (ATON) objectives: ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Contribute to safe waterways Contribute to safe and effective vessel transits and movements Contribute to an effective position verification and hazard avoidance Provide marine safety information Protect the marine environment (minimal environmental impact)
WHAT’S INVOLVED The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is mandated through the Canada Shipping Act to provide aids to navigation in Canadian waters in order to facilitate safe and effective movement of maritime traffic. Aids to navigation are provided according to national Levels of Service (LOS) standards and with international conventions, guidelines and recommendations, including those with the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The ATON Program assists mariners to navigate safely and efficiently by: ♦ Establishing national standards for aids to navigation; ♦ Providing and operating ‘public’ aids to navigation systems comprised of floating fixed aids and electronic aids to navigation; ♦ Providing guidelines and assistance for the establishment of ‘private’ aids to navigation; ♦ Monitoring aids services; ♦ Providing safety information (Notices to Mariners and Lists of Lights). There are approximately 11,200 floating aids to navigation and 5,800 fixed aids across Canada. The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) is the most common owner/operator of aids in Canadian waters. Private individuals or groups, and other government departments and agencies, are also able to establish private aids to navigation or mooring buoys for their own use in Canada, providing they conform to the Private Buoy Regulations.
WHO’S INVOLVED In 2003-2004, there was approximately 200 Marine Programs staff dedicated to the ATON Program across Canada. The effective delivery of the ATON Program depends on a wide range of internal and external codeliverers, including: CCG Fleet; CCG Integrated Technical Support (ITS); the Canadian Hydrographic Services (CHS); and other Marine Programs branches and programs.
The Program is supported regionally by a variety of delivery resources and personnel, including: vessels based at various locations; helicopters; local contractors; and, under special agreement, the United States Coast Guard (USCG). Other government departments also support the ATON Program, such as: Transport Canada (TC); Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC); Parks Canada; Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC); and Environment Canada (EC). For example, special agreements exist with other government departments (OGD’s) for aids to navigation under their jurisdiction (Parks Canada & the St-Lawrence Seaway). The Program is involved with, and consults with, clients and users so that changes to the aids to navigation system are responsive, and reflect their needs and expectations. Clients and users of the Program include the owners and operators of certified commercial vessels, uncertified commercial vessels, and pleasure craft. They are the primary monitoring mechanism for aids to navigation and, as an element of shared responsibility for safety, are relied on to report outages and discrepancies to the CCG.
WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING The broad dimensions of the Canadian landmass, coastlines, and seascapes pose challenges for safe and efficient maritime navigation. Further complexity is present due to the increasing level of activity and growth of Canadian industries, coupled with managing increasing commercial and recreational traffic. The most powerful external factor influencing the service delivery of ATON is the extremely fast technical progress in communications, electronics, new materials and solar energy technology. Clients are adopting new technologies while the CCG is using them to effectively deliver services, offering opportunities for the CCG to review its methods of service delivery to achieve its goals within available resources. Modernizing aids to navigation is an evolutionary process. The CCG strives to take best advantage of the capabilities of new technologies, such as the widespread use of the Global Positioning System (GPS), which has reduced the need for certain traditional visual aids such as lighthouses required by mariners for making landfall. New technologies have even enhanced the familiar buoy. Steel buoys used to have to come out of the water each year for painting, new batteries, and mooring refurbishing. Today, solarized lighted buoys, higher quality synthetic mooring systems, and high performance epoxy-based coatings mean that buoys can be painted every six years, and moorings changed at sea every three years. At these times, some components of the lighting system are also serviced. The CCG is revising national policies on the provision and checking of aids to navigation, the goal being to have all buoy components on a minimum six-year service/maintenance cycle. Changes in buoy design and the use of plastics are producing even more efficiencies. Increased use of self-contained solar powered Light Emitting Diodes (LED), costing approximately $400 per unit, is financially effective. The older solar installations cost approximately $4,000 per unit; their large solar panels were subject to breakage during handling, and included many component parts such as regulators, cables, and batteries, each with its own maintenance and spare parts requirements. They were also highly susceptible to corrosion in the marine environment due to
being designed for removal and maintenance. Synthetic materials such as nylon rope are now being used for lighter, smaller buoys, and last for a longer period of time. Improved materials for chains used to anchor larger, heavier buoys also have longer endurance. Buoys of all types will still require some level of maintenance. As well, some will continue to be removed from the water during the winter. Shipping time, and the maintenance infrastructure to carry out these jobs, is very expensive. For this reason, the CCG is turning to local businesses and individuals such as fishers, and groups such as local Harbour Authorities, to carry out this work on contract on behalf of the CCG. The Program has also commenced the draft evaluation of options to move towards making recommendations on the Lightkeepers Options Project (LOP). The aids to navigation equipment on all lightstations have been automated for decades and do not require lightkeepers to operate. In addition, significant capital is required to maintain these sites to accommodate a full time human presence, especially health and safety requirements ($24.5 million in the last five years). Therefore, hundreds of lightstations were safely destaffed in Canada up to the spring of 1997; consistent with the trend around the world. Although there is no plan to further de-staff lightstations at this point in time, the LOP is to provide direction on how to proceed with this issue. The Program faced several regional challenges in 2003-2004. The Maritimes Region saw much of the fishing season waters opening without buoys being placed in the water; the intent is to resolve this challenge through Marine Aids Modernization (MAM) emerging priority. The Region moved ahead on contracting out buoys, which resulted in the reduction of fleet utilization, and lay up of two buoy tenders.
WHAT DID WE ACCOMPLISH OUTPUTS Short Range Aids Reliability
Reliability is an important and widely used parameter of the multi-component aids to navigation system. The reliability for lighted short-range aids, which integrates landfall lights, other fixed lights, large buoys, and all other lighted buoys, integrates many technical aspects of the system, and has a direct influence on aids performance and maritime safety. Reliability is affected by several external factors such as weather and planned maintenance. The reliability of Canada’s floating and fixed aids to navigation decreased slightly in the past year. In 2003, the national level of short-range aids was 99.0%, slightly lower than 99.3% in 2002. The national level of reliability meets the national CCG standard of 99%, and exceeds IALA’s minimum standard of 95%. The level of service targets for short range aids include: visual aid available for at least 75% of the time during the worst month of the year, with aural aid being provided when visual aid is unavailable; short range reliability of between 95% and 99%; and aids coverage being available where the volume of traffic justifies, and the degree of risk requires, short range aids. LONG RANGE AIDS RELIABILITY – DGPS
Despite the use of distinct types of equipment and principles of operation, the long-range aids to navigation system also uses reliability as the main parameter of system performance. The Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) provides double coverage over the most important waterways. The reliability of this system remained very high in 2003, at 99.998%. It exceeded the current national standard for this type of system - 99.80%, and the reliability level of 99.995%, recorded in 2002. The level of service targets for long range aids include: Loran C (an electronic positioning system with an accuracy within 400 metres, which was implemented by the CCG in the 1970s) being available 99.9% for stations and 99.7% for chains; DGPS being available based on IMO standards
for accuracy, reliability, availability, integrity and continuity; coverage in Canadian coastal areas south of 60 degrees North, major Canadian waterways, Marine Communications and Traffic Services (MCTS) zones, Canadian ports and high traffic harbour approaches. The decreased cost and increased popularity of GPS/DGPS has reduced the demand on shortrange aids while increasing the reliance on advanced position-finding systems. GPS/DGPS has also significantly reduced demand among mariners for Loran-C. At the same time, the increased threat of potential terrorist acts On GPS/DGPS facilities has resulted in a reluctance to abandon Loran-C, in Canada and the United States, where an interconnection of the system exists. Floating Aids MODERNIZATION - Plastic Buoys, LED Lanterns
The CCG has made progress in modernizing and introducing new electronic aids systems over the past few years, through the Marine Aids Modernization (MAM) initiative. MAM has been implemented to provide the right combination of conventional and electronic aids to navigation to meet the changing needs of the marine community; to take advantage of both new materials and equipment to improve program reliability and reduce operating and maintenance costs; and to integrate the use of lighter equipment and small contractors to improve response to outages, seasonal needs and reduce costs. The MAM initiative continued in 2003-2004. CCG updated the national and international action plans, and developed the Draft National Action Plan for MAM III, to build long-term goals. Desirable results in aids modernization have been achieved. MAM’s application of national levels of service standards, the availability of DGPS, and the use of new technologies have resulted in
20% of all foghorns being discontinued since September 2002, 65% of buoys are now plastic, 59% of all lighted buoys are now equipped with LED lanterns, and 26% of all aids are now contracted out to local users wherever applicable. MAM has had no negative impact on marine safety and navigation, and the full-allocated program costs to provide short-range aids to navigation has decreased by 37% since 1996. As well, the technical innovation of plastic buoys has opened the door for service delivery improvement through the wider utilization of local contractors. Plastic buoys have the advantage of being lighter than steel buoys whereby contractors and smaller vessels can handle them more easily. They require less maintenance than steel buoys as they do not require sandblasting and repainting every five or six years.
LEDs are a product of the latest advancement in semiconductor technology. LEDs for lighting applications are readily solarized. They consume the equivalent amount of energy as conventional incandescent lamps but last up to 100 times longer (100,000 hours), are virtually indestructible, and are maintenance free. In 2003, progress was made in introducing this type of aid to navigation. There were approximately 2,245 LED lanterns in Canada at the end of 2003, more than half of all lighted buoys. In comparison, there were 1,100 lanterns of this type in place in 2001. NOTICES TO MARINERS WEBSITE (NOTMAR)
A new indicator of information demanded by the marine community is the number of persons accessing the Notices to Mariners Internet site. The site is a tool for the continuous promulgation of marine safety information. The number of persons accessing the site (through visits or receiving automated emails) in 2003 was 30% more than in 2002. Taking into consideration a strong seasonal pattern of pleasure boating activity, the data shows a steady increase in the demand for navigation information during the reporting year.
OUTCOMES SAFE VESSEL TRANSITS AND MOVEMENTS - INCIDENTS RELATED TO AIDS TO NAVIGATION
The Transportation Safety Board collects and investigates accidents that occur on Canadian waters. It works to define the reasons (assigned factor) for these accidents. Since 1996, the number of vessels involved in investigated shipping accidents by assigned factor – aids to navigation has decreased, and recent available statistics for years 1999 to 2003 show that aids to navigation were not assigned to any marine accidents. These positive results may be, in part, attributed to improvements in the aids to navigation system since the implementation of DGPS and the modernization program for conventional short-range aids. PUBLIC CONFIDENCE Public confidence in the ATON Program has been strong over the past few years, with an average score of 7.3 out of ten (2000 -Pollara Survey & 2001-2002 - Environics surveys). Past results demonstrate public confidence in the ATON Program’s ability to deliver services for commercial shipping, fishing, and recreational boating activities. However, the department did not conduct the survey in 2003.
WHAT’S NEXT Currently, 26 per cent of all CCG aids to navigation are contracted out; MAM’s objective is to reach 50 per cent by the year 2007. This would amount to the contracting out of an additional 4,000 existing marine aids. However, CCG faces challenges relating to legal, and national directives on contracting out are to be finalized by next fall. The Program will also look to improve service delivery by finalizing Service Level Agreements with service providers such as the CCG Fleet and Integrated Technical Support; by using DGPS/GPS as the primary source for positioning and checking aids; by increasing contracting out; by increasing the use of new technology and low maintenance equipment; by implementing life cycle management for aids equipment; and by enhancing standards monitoring procedures. The Program will continue with the coordination, development and implementation of the modernized Aids to Navigation Program through the Marine Aids Modernization initiative. MAM is focused on continuing to implement new aids to navigation technologies to meet evolving needs,
using the concept that safety is a shared responsibility; mariners must be well trained and equipped, and use proper charts and up to date navigation equipment. The MAM initiative will also be focusing on communication and marketing to promote the benefits and knowledgeable use of new aids technology; to assure stakeholders that the ATON Program will continue to provide efficient service without compromising marine safety; to communicate that the initiative is part of the CCG’s ongoing attempts to modernize its programs and services to improve their efficiency and cost effectiveness; and to minimize misinformation and to be transparent with employees and stakeholders about the potential impacts of the initiative. However, MAM is facing challenges in regards to communication, such as the pending approval of the three-year MAM action plan and the need for additional expertise. MAM will also continue with evolving the Notice to Mariners (NOTMAR) Internet site to further entice clients. Membership renewals are being performed, with the level of response being low (less than 500 respondents as of the beginning of 2004). Therefore, MAM will promote the benefits of the electronic version of NOTMAR, such as its service being tailored to users’ needs and the faster transmission of information. MAM’s objective is to discontinue the paper version of NOTMAR by the year 2007, but is facing the challenges of on-going resistance from some clients (mostly shipowners) and the availability of Internet access for remote areas. Climactic change appears to be reducing the water level within the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway and causing ice sheet shrinkage in the Arctic seas. As well, a decrease in the Northwest Passage winter ice thickness and an increase in the ice-free season of one to three months are also expected. These changes will likely increase the requirement of serviceable aids to navigation. Population growth, which suggests a probable increase in the use of already busy Canadian waterways, is another factor that may increase the need for aids to navigation. The ATON Program will consider reporting on measures and indicators such as: the number of trained personnel; the percentage of trained personnel versus requirement; the number of peer reviews; and the percentage of recommendations implemented.
