Abstract : Throughout the field of transportation and vessel systems control is gaining importance. This paper focuses on the current key problems engineers in this field are facing and highlights some major recent accomplishments. In the fields like marine or offshore systems, the focus of research is on the swarming behaviour of multiple vessels. New sensors and networking will also enable more efficient traffic flow control which will allow for a better use of the resource network capacity. A forecast on future trends in marine and offshore telematics systems including e-Navigation concept is given at the end of the paper.
? It has further been noted that the existence of proprietary updating software in many ECDIS systems has become a key cost issue when implementing ENC data.
? The second relates to the limited endurance capacity of existing power systems. To overcome this problem, there needs to be a major breakthrough in battery technology and/or a shift to other power sources.
? It may be argued the navigation of an USV is less of a problem than that of an AUV because of the access to GPS information.
? To a certain degree this may be true, however, they can be required to operate in areas of non-existent/degraded GPS reception.
? The problem of fixing position coordinates for navigational needs considered only in terms of measurement error seems to have already been solved in a global scale.
? These and others methodological problems should be solving as soon as possible, because all fixing systems characteristics have to be considerate in the same standardized way.
? Another problem with UHF / VHF is the reflection of the signal off islands, structures and buildings, thus creating shadow zones and multipath.
? The dynamic characteristics of an UUV present a control system design problem which classical linear design methodologies cannot accommodate easily.
• The high quality precise time distribution and synchronisation system can be used for timing purposes on the ground.
• The availability of GNSS serving a public service role and/or commercial service purposes for civil use is foreseeable in the near future but is still not there. GPS give only the flavour of it.
• Telemetry is a communication technology used for remote sensing and control often used for hydrographical and offshore industry related purposes.
• Another type of telemetry is used for underwater purposes and called hydroacoustic telemetry.
• This type of underwater telemetry is mostly used in the offshore industry for controlling valves and sensor measurements from subsea installations.
? The advantage of the latest technical development in the field of automation, electronics, telecommunications, informatics, telematics, geomatics and global position fixing techniques, achievement in maritime and offshore data storing, processing, analysing, transferring and visualisation should be taken into account and applied to the maritime and offshore systems.
? An advantage of these type of systems is the signal monitoring by the supplier and the relatively high accuracy achieved.
? The advantage of these networks is that they offer a large number of reference stations over a relatively small area.
? These are used for transporting supplies to the rigs and oil platform and return other cargoes to shore.
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