The development of e-navigation

E-navigation is, at the moment, a catchall phrase for a concept of bringing existing and new technology together to improve safety of navigation, commercial efficiency and security. The challenge for the industry working through the IMO will be to produce a unified strategy for this integration and then (and only then) to develop specific systems to meet the needs. This is no small feat! Chart data and systems need to be brought to an agreeable standard; position fixing systems need to be of high integrity; and communication systems need to be establishing that meet the needs of e-navigation with agreed technology, protocols and payment plans. This all needs to be achieved with an acceptable cost/benefit balance.