Communication in Polar Regions

– challenges in e-navigation

Jarle Hauge

Norwegian Coastal Administration

jarle.hauge@kystverket.no

e-navigation workshop 2013. Valparaíso, Chile

101 years ago ….

Thanks to the Antarctic Broadband Project

Topics of the presentation

Well known facts

Communication test bed, polar areas

The Norwegian Coastal Express and MS FRAM

Test bed setup & SAT solution

Voyage & focus areas

Findings & results

Non scientific conclusions

Antartica

Well know facts

Extreme weather

Extreme climate

Important and vulnerable environment

Ice

Icing

Darkness

Remote area

Reduced communication

Reduced service

Restricted navigation

Restricted rescue

Reduced oil spill response effectiveness

5 10/18/2013

Iridium

Inmarsat-4 F2 AIS

VHF Data

GNSS

GSM Maritime VSAT

Objectives of the test bed

• Perform a trial from a practical point of view.

• Tracking (a) vessel/vessels during voyage, and perform

testing on seamless and continuous communication

ship to shore and shore to ship in the Arctic region

• Detect gaps in the satellite availability

• Detect gaps in the general communication availability

(NA)

• Test communication capacity (NA)

Norwegian Coastal Express

• The Norwegian Coastal

Express (Hurtigruten) represent

a fleet of Norwegian passenger and freight liners with daily

sailings along Norway's western

and northern coast.

• The coastal steamer MS FRAM

sails the Artic and Antarctic as a

regular cruise ship.

MS FRAM

• Built in 2007. Mission - to bring her guests closer to

nature, wildlife and unforgettable experiences.

• Designed for sailing in polar waters, hold the highest

safety standards and is the perfect size for optimum

nautical maneuverability and guests' comfort.

• GT: 11647

• Length: 114

• Beam: 20.2

• Speed: 13

Test bed setup

COM

LOG

COM

QUEUE

SAT Solution

• Very small aperture terminal (VSAT)

• Typically from 56 kbit/s up to 4 Mbit/s.

• VSAT access satellite(s) in geosynchronous orbit to relay

data.

• FRAM uses:

– Ku band

– C band

– ++

• Smartbox

Voyage a

nd

focu

s a

rea

s 6th sep

25th sep

7-8th sept

9-17th sept

Fin

din

gs

Fin

din

gs

7-

8th

sept

Fin

din

gs

9-1

7th

sept

Findings, availability

Availability trend

Weather & Sea state

Date 0000-0400 0400-0800 0800-1200 1200-1600 1600-2000 2000-2400

8. sept NNE ,8m/s,h,4,999,0 N,12m/s,Ce,5,999,1 NE,17m/s,Ce,5,1003 NNW,4m/s,b,5,1000 NW,4m/s,b,4,1007,-1 NW,8m/s,b,3,1008,-2

Weather Snow/sleet Clouded/overcast Clouded/overcast Partly Clouded Partly Clouded Partly Clouded

Sea state Moderate (1.2-2.5) Rough (2.5-4.0) Rough (2.5-4.0) Rough (2.5-4.0) Moderate (1.2-2.5) Slight (0.5-1.25)

14. sept N,1m/s,b,1,994,1 N,3m/s,c,1,994,1 SW,2m/s,b,1,994,2 W,2m/s,b,1,993,3 SW,2m/s,b,1,992,3 SW,2m/s,a,1,990,2

Weather Partly Clouded Clouded/overcast Partly Clouded Partly Clouded Partly Clouded Clear

Sea state Calm/rippled (0-0.1) Calm/rippled (0-0.1) Calm/rippled (0-0.1) Calm/rippled (0-0.1) Calm/rippled (0-0.1) Calm/rippled (0-0.1)

17. sept W,3m/s,c,4,998,5 W,4m/s,c,3,1000,4 W,2m/s,c,1,1006,8 N,4m/s,b,2,1006,8 N,7m/s,c,3,1009,7 N,12m/s,c,3,1010,7

Weather Clouded/overcast Clouded/overcast Clouded/overcast Partly Clouded Clouded/overcast Clouded/overcast

Sea state Moderate (1.2-2.5) Slight (0.5-1.25) Calm/rippled (0-0.1) Smooth (0.1-0.5) Slight (0.5-1.25) Slight (0.5-1.25)

Findings, availability

Cloudy, Rough (2.5-4.0)

Part Cloudy, Rippled (0-0.1)

Cloudy, Smooth (0.1-0.5)

Preliminary Conclusions with reservations

• Lack of continuous communication in the arctic area.

• Some areas less than 50% availability* (24h)

• Less availability in the north than further south*

• Weather/Sea state, partly taken into consideration

• Terrain conditions, not taken into consideration

• System stability/antennas onboard could an issue

• More studies needs to be done (SAT constellation, antenna

installation, areas, availability, capacity etc)

*in test bed area

Antartica

• FRAM

• Canal Beagle

Thank you

Muchas gracias por su atención!

extras