GPS World

Tag: marine

  • TCarta Marine and Proteus Geo merge to provide marine mapping solutions

    TCarta Marine LLC of Denver, Colorado, has merged with Proteus Geo of Oxford, England, to create a global mapping company that provides bathymetric and marine data sets from the shallow coastal zone out to the continental shelf.

    The new company is called TCarta Marine and will maintain offices in Denver and Oxford.

    “By merging, we believe the merged company provides a wider and more sophisticated range of products than any other supplier worldwide,” said TCarta Marine CEO David Critchley. “TCarta Marine is now a one-stop shop for bathymetric and marine data.”

    TCarta-ProteusGeo-bathymetry-O
    Image: Proteus Geo

    TCarta Marine will continue offering all existing product lines from the two companies, as well as new products and services under development. Primary markets served will be engineering, oil and gas, government and defense with expansion planned into the insurance, 3D modeling and aquaculture industries.

    “Our goal is to make it easier for the marine community to obtain and use quality mapping data,” said TCarta Marine President Kyle Goodrich. “To support every phase of offshore projects, we now offer lower resolution bathymetry for regional planning as well as high-resolution, highly accurate seafloor modeling for precise coastal engineering activities. Additionally, we offer a range of global and regional marine basemaps.”

    In recent years, TCarta Marine and Proteus Geo collaborated on many projects and had numerous clients in common due to the complementary nature of their product lines.

    David Critchley established Proteus Geo in the United Kingdom in 2011 to leverage a new technology that derives high-accuracy seafloor survey and seabed classification information from multispectral satellite imagery. Operating at a fraction of the cost of traditional ship and airborne bathymetric technologies, the Proteus methodology has been deployed extensively in energy exploration, infrastructure engineering and environmental applications in shallow-water coastal zones.

    “The two-meter satellite-derived bathymetric data can be derived to depths of 35 meters depending on water clarity and every depth has an uncertainty value assigned,” said Critchley.

    TCarta Marine was started in 2008 by Kyle Goodrich to fill an enormous gap in quality bathymetric data from the littoral zone out to the base of the continental shelf, distance often spanning hundreds of kilometers. The firm developed proprietary techniques for aggregating seafloor depth data from numerous medium- to coarse-resolution sources, including navigation charts, ship tracklines, and boat surveys. TCarta Marine has built an off-the-shelf line of 90- and 30-meter GIS-ready products covering the Earth’s most important marine areas.

    “Our bathymetric products are available via annual subscription for streaming directly into our clients’ GIS and mapping applications,” said Goodrich. “Oil, gas and renewable energy companies have become major users of TCarta Marine products.”

    As president of the new TCarta Marine, Goodrich will focus on developing additional products and innovative methods for delivering them. The global company seeks to expand its foothold in traditional marine markets and cultivate new applications for seafloor data. Critchley, as CEO of TCarta Marine, will be responsible for business development in new geographic regions of the world.

    In the near term, TCarta Marine and Proteus Geo customers can look forward to purchasing the existing 90-, 30- and 2-meter resolution product lines online through a new web portal, now under development. Information can be found and orders placed now through the new unified TCarta Marine website at www.TCartaMarine.com.

    Proteus FZC, an affiliated company of Proteus Geo based in the United Arab Emirates, will remain a stand-alone company offering terrestrial geospatial and marine consulting services in the Middle East.

  • Sonardyne delivers subsea navigation to McDermott pipelay vessel

    Sonardyne delivers subsea navigation to McDermott pipelay vessel

    Sonardyne Inc. has supplied acoustically aided inertial navigation technology to McDermott International for its Lay Vessel 108 (LV 108). McDermott is an offshore engineering, procurement, construction and installation company.

    The Ranger 2 Pro DP-INS system, the highest specification available from Sonardyne, is being used to support touchdown monitoring surveys of submarine cables, umbilicals and pipelines and as an independent position reference for the LV 108’s Kongsberg dynamic positioning (DP) system.

    McDermott's Lay Vessel 108.
    McDermott’s Lay Vessel 108. Photo: McDermott

    McDermott’s LV 108 entered service in 2015 and is on contract in the Ichthys field, Western Australia. Designed as a fast-transit, dynamically positioned (DP 2) vessel for subsea constructions support across a wide variety of water depths, the LV 108 has 21,528 square feet of deck space and can accommodate a crew of 129.

    Dynamically positioned construction and installation vessels such as the LV 108, conventionally rely on ultra-short baseline (USBL) acoustics and the GNSS as their primary sources of position reference data.

    However, a vessel’s station-keeping capability can be compromised in the event the USBL is affected by thruster aeration and noise and the GNSS signal is simultaneously interrupted. The latter is particularly common around equatorial regions and during periods of high solar radiation.

    Sonardyne’s Ranger 2 Pro DP-INS system addresses this operational vulnerability. It aids vessel positioning by exploiting the long-term accuracy of Sonardyne’s Wideband 2 acoustic signal technology with high-integrity, high-update-rate inertial measurements. The resulting navigation output has the ability to ride-through short-term acoustic disruptions and is completely independent from GNSS.

    In addition to the system’s deep-water positioning performance and safety benefits, DP-INS has been proven to deliver valuable time and cost savings for vessel owners. It does not need a full seabed array of transponders to be installed and calibrated before subsea operations can commence. For most subsea tasks, positioning specifications can be met with only one or two transponders deployed on the seabed.

    Additionally, as the system needs only occasional aiding from the acoustics, transponder battery life is substantially increased and the need to task a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) to deploy and recover transponders for servicing is reduced.

    The equipment supplied to McDermott for the LV 108 included Sonardyne’s INS sensor co-located with the company’s sixth-generation (6G) HPT acoustic transceiver. This hardware was installed on one of the vessel’s two Kongsberg through-hull deployment machines and interfaced directly with the vessel’s DP system, also supplied by Kongsberg.

  • Firmware update for inertial Ekinox and Apogee sensors

    SBG Systems displays their full range of MEMS-based inertial sensors at InterGeo 2016, with a major firmware update for its Ekinox and Apogee product lines. The key improvements in the update include a 15% improvement on orientation and navigation data and better robustness under harsh environments. This firmware is a complete rework of existing functionalities with the addition of new features and improved configuration interface to ease device configuration.

    Performance. Up to 15% inertial navigation system (INS) performance improvement from a reworked data fusion algorithms; and improved performance using NMEA GNSS aiding.

    Ease of use. Alignment and new status flags have been added to ensure the unit reaches optimal accuracy. The unit can now compute and output on each port a full deported navigation and ship motion data. A completely reworked web interface with 3D views eases mechanical installation. Stability and reliability improvements are reported, especially while using two GNSS at the same time

    Various input and output protocols have been added. See SBG Systems website for further information.

  • Harxon antenna aimed at marine positioning

    Harxon antenna aimed at marine positioning

    Harxon has released a utility beacon antenna — HX-CS7615A — to professionally solve marine satellite positioning challenges.

    The HX-CS7615A supports GPS L1/L2, GLONASS L1/L2 BDS B1/B2/B3 and beacon frequencies (282.6 to 326 KHz), which greatly overcomes the defects of long-distance transmission limits, the company said. In addition, combining wide frequencies in one antenna makes the new device more cost effective.

    Inside, a multipath rejection board significantly eliminates measurement error, Harxon said. The phase center of the antenna remains constant as the azimuth and elevation angle of the satellites change.

    The HX-CS7615A Harxon marine antenna.
    The HX-CS7615A Harxon marine antenna.

    The HX-CS7615A is designed with high gain and wide beam width. It is test approved — even in some severe blocking situations, its reception remains stable.

    A specialized antenna made for rugged environments, the HX-CS7615A beacon antenna is sealed against water and dust, is salt and fog resistant, and operates in extreme weather conditions.

  • NovAtel releases 2 triple-frequency marine GNSS antennas

    NovAtel releases 2 triple-frequency marine GNSS antennas

    NovAtel-ATEX-antennaNovAtel Inc. has introduced the GPS-713-GGG-N and GPS-713-GGGL-N ATEX-qualified triple-frequency GNSS antennas with an Inmarsat rejection filter.

    Based on the company’s pinwheel technology, the antennas offer multi-constellation reception of L1, L2 and L5 GPS; L1, L2 and L3 GLONASS; B1 and B2 BeiDou; as well as E1 and E5 a/b Galileo frequencies.

    The GPS-713-GGGL-N also supports L-Band from 1525 to 1560 megahertz. The same antenna can be used for GPS-only, dual or triple constellation applications, resulting in increased flexibility and reduced equipment costs, the company said in a news release.

    The phase center of the antennas remain constant as the azimuth and elevation angle of the satellites change. Signal reception is unaffected by the rotation of the antenna or satellite elevation, according to NovAtel. With the phase center in the same location for the GNSS signals, and with minimal phase center variation between antennas, the antenna is suitable for baselines of any length.

    The rugged antenna is enclosed in a durable, waterproof housing and meets MIL-STD-810G for vibration, corrosive environment and salt fog, NovAtel says. The GPS-713-GGG-N and GPS-713-GGGL-N are similar in form factor to our other high performance GPS-700 series antennas, and bth antennas meet IEC60945 specifications.

    The two antennas deliver choke-ring level antenna performance, but without the size and weight, NovAtel said. Both antennas provide enhanced Inmarsat interference rejection, which allows tracking of GNSS signals in the presence of high-powered Inmarsat transmitters that are typically found on marine vessels.

  • OGC requests participation in its marine working group

    The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) is calling for public participation in its newly established Marine Domain Working Group (Marine DWG).

    The Marine DWG was established to address applicability of the OGC standards baseline with regards to marine geospatial data, and to ensure knowledge is exchanged effectively between the relevant standards organizations, the OGC membership, and the broader geospatial community.

    Geospatial data in the marine domain has been successfully standardized for navigational purposes by hydrographic agencies for many years. This has allowed mariners to safely navigate oceans, ports and waterways anywhere on earth.

    However, the core data that support this activity is now in demand for a much wider range of applications, including environmental protection, emergency response, offshore energy, fisheries and more. As such, interoperability of this data is more important than ever before.

    While this group will not create new standards, it will be an open forum to discuss and understand any issues, concerns, or barriers to interoperability with the aim to ensure that marine data can be used effectively by the wider community.

    The OGC is looking for interested parties to assist the Marine DWG in achieving its goals. Details on the Marine Domain Working Group are available, along with the charter. Interested parties can join the email list.

  • Fugro awarded contract to provide hydrographic surveys in Canada

    Fugro has been awarded a supply arrangement by the Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) to provide vessel-based hydrographic survey services. Under the contract, CHS will procure hydrographic surveys as needed, anywhere in Canada, to enhance its capacity for data acquisition and processing in support of its nautical charting program.

    Hydrographic survey data from ports, harbors, nearshore and offshore regions will be acquired and processed using Fugro’s vessels, equipment and personnel. The resulting data will be used by CHS to update its nautical charts.

    The supply arrangement, together with a supply arrangement for airborne lidar bathymetry (ALB) awarded in 2013, will enable Fugro to support Canada in its plans to implement an integrated multi-platform methodology to hydrographic surveying anywhere in Canada, including the Arctic region.

    Fugro provides International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) compliant survey services to numerous governments throughout the world.

  • BKG NTRIP Client update coming April 18

    BKG NTRIP Client update coming April 18

    A new version 2.12 of the BKG NTRIP Client (BNC) will be available on April 18.

    Originally developed in cooperation of the Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy (BKG) and the Czech Technical University (CTU) with a focus on multi-stream real-time access to GNSS observations, the software has been substantially extended.

    The BKG Ntrip Client is an open source multi-stream client program designed for a variety of real-time GNSS applications. It was primarily designed for receiving data streams from any NTRIP supporting broadcaster. The program handles the HTTP communication and transfers received GNSS data to a serial or IP port feeding networking software or a DGPS/RTK application. In previous years, BNC has been enriched with RINEX quality and editing functions.

    BNC on a Mac system for static real-time precise point positioning with Google Maps, such as for early warning of natural hazards.
    BNC on a Mac system for static real-time precise point positioning with Google Maps, such as for early warning of natural hazards.

    Its primary objective is the promotion of open standards as recommended by the Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services (RTCM). Implemented RTCM messages comprise satellite orbit and clock corrections, code and phase observation biases, and the Vertical Total Electron Content (VTEC) of the ionosphere.

    Beside its graphical user interface, the real-time software for Windows, Linux and Mac platforms now comes with complete command line interface and considerable post-processing functionality. RINEX Version 3 file editing and quality check with full support of Galileo, BeiDou and SBAS — besides GPS and GLONASS — are among the new features.

    Comparison of satellite orbit/clock files in SP3 format is another new feature of BNC.

    BNC version 2.12 now allows a simultaneous multi-station Precise Point Positioning (PPP) for real-time displacement-monitoring of entire reference station networks.

    BNC version 2.12 generates RINEX version 3.03 observation and navigation files to support near real-time GNSS post processing applications. Whenever BNC starts to generate RINEX observation files, it first tries to retrieve information needed for RINEX headers from so-called public RINEX skeleton files (skl files), which are derived from site logs. Therefore, BKG provides the current system observation types (sot files) per station. From April 18 onward, the sot files with BDS frequency bands consistent to the definition in RINEX version 3.03 will be provided.

    Old configuration files cannot be used without problems. Nevertheless, BNC 2.12 download is coming out with a large set of examples for all the different applications, which can be easily adapted introducing a valid user account.

  • iXBlue offers new inertial positioning systems for offshore, ROVs

    iXBlue offers new inertial positioning systems for offshore, ROVs

    iXBlue — a subsea navigation, positioning and imaging systems company — is offering two new positioning sensors.

    Fifth-generation Octans

    Photo: iXBlueiXBlue is offering its customers the opportunity to upgrade their fourth-generation Octans positioning reference system to the fifth-generation system. The fourth-generation Octans was manufactured beginning in January 2014.

    Built on iXBlue’s high-performance fiber-optic gyroscope technology, the Octans is an all-in-one gyro compass and motion sensor (attitude and heading reference system) with features such as IMO/IMO-HSC certification. The upgraded system provides extremely accurate real-time output for roll, pitch, heading and heave, as well as acceleration and rate of turns under challenging GNSS-denied environment.

    Heading measurement accuracy has been doubled over the fourth-generation Octans: with still 0.1° Seclat in stand-alone, the system can now provide 0.05° Seclat with GNSS.

    Moreover, the fifth-generation Octans now offers the ability to align on transit and the extended capability to deliver, in real time, accurate heave for swells up to 30 seconds.

    The offer from iXBlue includes both the upgrade and calibration, backed by a five-year warranty.

    Rovins Nano for remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs)

    Photo: iXBlueiXBlue has also launched a new inertial navigation system for the offshore industry, the Rovins Nano.

    Based on iXBlue’s fiber-optic gyroscope technology, the Rovins Nano has been designed for ROV pilots performing maintenance and construction operations. It offers the stability and accuracy of the inertial position, outputting true north, roll, pitch and rotation rates.

    “Rovins Nano is able to directly transmit the ROV’s position with extreme accuracy thanks to its integrated INS algorithm capable of collecting acoustic data,” said Paul Wysocki, iXBlue Rovins Nano product manager. “This is now possible regardless of the depth at which it is located: it is therefore not just an evolution, but rather a revolution for the middle water station keeping.”

    Where the Doppler Velocity Log (DVL) has limitations, especially when operating in middle water, Rovins Nano is now there to guarantee optimal navigation safety.

    “In the future, it will no longer be necessary to use a DVL,” Wysocki said. “Even in ‘sparse array’ LBL fields, with the presence of only one or two beacons, the combination between Rovins Nano and our Ramses acoustic system enables us to reach extremely accurate positioning data.”

    A science ROV being retrieved by an oceanographic research vessel.
    A science ROV being retrieved by an oceanographic research vessel.

    iXBlue provides more flexibility to its customers: by avoiding the use of DVL, operators reduce their operational and associated calibration costs.

    Besides its high level of performance, Rovins Nano adapts itself to the user: the configuration, installation and product’s use have been considerably facilitated, while incorporating a system as complex as the inertial navigation system (INS). The ultimate goal is for the pilot to forget the existence of the product when maneuvering. Moreover, thanks to its compactness, lightness and open architecture with all third-party sensors, Rovins Nano is easy to integrate.

    The French high technology company iXBlue is now offering an expanded range of subsea navigation systems, from ROV navigation to survey applications.

  • Hemisphere GNSS debuts smart antenna for survey

    Hemisphere GNSS debuts smart antenna for survey

    Hemisphere GNSS has released the S321, its next-generation multi-frequency, multi-GNSS survey smart antenna. The S321 — designed for land or marine survey — combines Hemisphere’s Athena and Atlas technologies with a new web user interface offering customer-friendly performance.

    For professional marine applications — such as  marine construction, hydrographic surveying or dredging — using the S321 with Athena RTK (real-time kinematic) enables users to achieve impeccable results and maintain peak up-time, the company said. The ruggedized antenna was designed for demanding and challenging environments and meets IP67 requirements.

    The S321 smart antenna by Hemisphere GNSS.
    The S321 smart antenna by Hemisphere GNSS.

    “The S321 is another example of how much Hemisphere has changed,” said Chuck Joseph, president and CEO. “A fantastic survey smart antenna with industry-leading RTK, connectivity, and management capabilities, the S321 offers unbeatable performance and value to the industry.”

    Athena RTK

    Athena excels in environments where high-accuracy GNSS receivers can be used. Hemisphere’s customers have tested and proven Athena’s performance in long baseline, in open-sky environments, under heavy canopy, and in locations experiencing significant scintillation.

    • Initialization time – Reliably consistent initialization performance, while at the same time performing initializations in less than 15 seconds at better than 99.9 percent reliability.
    • Robustness in difficult operating environments – Extremely high productivity under aggressive geographic and landscape-oriented environments for GNSS.
    • Performance on long baselines – Position stability for long baseline applications.
    • Performance under scintillation – Sustained accuracy under ionospheric scintillation activities.

    Atlas GNSS Global Corrections

    The S321 ships preconfigured to test drive corrections from Hemisphere’s Atlas global corrections service. The bundled solution provides users worldwide with an easy way to use Atlas, including the worldwide H10 service offering 8-centimeter, 95-percent accuracy (4 cm RMS).

    Network RTK Augmentation

    BaseLink technology allows Atlas-capable receivers like the S321 to self-calibrate, self-survey, and automatically manage the transmission of RTK correction data to augment or extend established or new GNSS reference networks in areas of poor Internet connectivity.

    The S321 introduces Hemisphere’s aRTK technology. Powered by Atlas, aRTK enables the S321 to operate with RTK accuracies when RTK corrections fail. If the S321 is Atlas-subscribed, it will continue to operate at the subscribed service level until RTK is restored.

    The S321 also introduces SureFix, Hemisphere’s new processor running in combination with Athena to provide high-fidelity RTK quality information that results in guaranteed precision with virtually 100 percent reliability.

    Features:

    • Athena RTK engine
    • GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS
    • 372 channels
    • Atlas corrections delivered via L-band and over the Internet
    • Wireless connectivity via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
    • Powerful web user interface
    • Two versions (Each can be configured as Base or Rover):
      • UHF + GSM / WCDMA
      • GSM / WCDMA (Network Rover)
    • 4 GB internal memory card and 64 GB-capable MicroSD card for data logging, download and upload.

    The S321 can be ordered now and is available to ship before the end of the month.

    The S321 is making its tradeshow debut at Oceanology International 2016 at ExCeL, London, UK, March 15-17, at booth G500.

    For more information about the S321, Athena, Atlas, or its other advanced features, please call +1 (844) 217-2845 (within Canada / USA only) or +1 (480) 291-6766, or email [email protected].

  • Kongsberg reference system integrates GNSS services

    Kongsberg reference system integrates GNSS services

    kongsberg-DPS-432
    The new DPS 432 combines decimeter accuracy with high integrity and availability of GNSS data.

    Kongsberg Maritime has introduced a new position reference system that integrates all available GNSS and all possible correction services. The new DPS 432 combines full decimeter accuracy with high integrity and availability of GNSS data, supporting the safety and efficiency of offshore operations that rely on advanced dynamic positioning (DP) systems.

    The DPS 432 integrates signals from GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou and Galileo, and regional correction signals including SBAS (WAAS, EGNOS, MSAS, GAGAN), in addition to the new G4 services from Fugro, to ensure high flexibility for DP operations globally.

    Because DPS 432 exploits available combinations of GNSS signals, it is suited to complex operations in challenging environments. The system increases satellite availability, improves integrity monitoring and enables more precision under challenging signal tracking conditions, Kongsberg said.

    The new DPS 432 will be part of the Kongsberg DPS portfolio of products that meet requirements for operations in any geographical region.

    “DPS 432 expands our established and field-proven portfolio of position reference systems for DP operations, ensuring that we can offer a highly reliable solution for any DP vessel or operating region,” said Vidar Bjørkedal, VP sales and customer support, Kongsberg Seatex. “The system is based on the same architecture as other DPS products, which means it features a highly intuitive HMI [operator interface], while the ability to integrate all available GNSS and corrections provides integrity and availability of the position data needed for safe operations.”

    The DPS 432 features the sophisticated DPS NAV Engine used in all DPS solutions, which runs critical computations independent from the DPS HMI to ensure continuous and reliable operation. The DPS NAV Engine runs in a safe mode, protected from unintended user operations, while several DPS HMIs can be connected to the same DPS NAV Engine in a networked architecture.

    Straightforward operation to enhance DP operations safety further was a key design goal during development of DPS 432. The system can integrate multiple layers of information, giving the DP operator opportunities for a customized visual presentation, including electronic charts, seabed maps, well-head positions, static targets and Automatic Identification System (AIS) target information.

  • US Coast Guard issues GPS jamming alert

    The U.S. Coast Guard issued a safety alert on Jan. 16, warning mariners of the potential detrimental impact to navigation caused by GPS interference or jamming. The warning emphasizes the importance of understanding how vessel equipment could be impacted by the loss of a GPS signal.

    The Coast Guard states that this past summer, multiple outbound vessels from a non-U.S. port suddenly lost GPS signal reception. The net effect was various alarms and a loss of GPS input to the ship’s surface search radar, gyro units and ECDIS, resulting in no GPS data for position fixing, radar over ground speed inputs, gyro speed input and loss of collision avoidance capabilities on the radar display. 

    Fortunately, the vessels were able to safely continue theirvoyage using radar in heads up display, magnetic compass and terrestrial navigation. Approximately six nautical miles later, the vessels’ GPS units resumed operation. Although the vessels had back-up systems to allow a safe transit, the consequences could have been severe, warns the Coast Guard.

    Full content of the alert appears below.

    Global Navigation Satellite Systems – Trust, But Verify
    Report Disruptions Immediately

    Do you know what equipment relies upon the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS) signal? How would you respond if you lost the signal? This past summer, multiple outbound vessels from a non-U.S. port suddenly lost GPS signal reception. The net effect was various alarms and a loss of GPS input to the ship’s surface search radar, gyro units and Electronic Chart Display & Information System (ECDIS), resulting in no GPS data for position fixing, radar over ground speed inputs, gyro speed input and loss of collision avoidance capabilities on the radar display. Fortunately, the vessels were able to safely continue their voyage using radar in heads up display, magnetic compass and terrestrial navigation. Approximately 6nm later, the vessels’ GPS units resumed operation. Although the vessels had back-up systems to allow a safe transit, the consequences could have been severe. These types of events highlight the potential detrimental impact to navigation caused by GPS interference or jamming and the importance in understanding how your vessel’s or facility’s equipment could be impacted by a loss of GPS signal.

    Whether walking through the city, driving across town or navigating the world, Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) have become an integral part of everyday life. However, at times, the positioning signals may be impacted by interference from both natural and human-made sources. The most common types of interference are reception issues, usually due to bad installations, poor antenna positioning or faulty equipment. Jamming devices, while illegal in the U.S. and a threat to safety, have been used for nefarious or deceptive purposes. Interference can also be unintentionally caused when operating GNSS in close proximity to other radiating devices, such as amplified TV antennas (see our Safety Alert 11-02). Therefore, it is important to remember to use all available means for navigation and maintain proficiency so you can still navigate should your primary GPS fail.

    Indicators of positioning systems interference include an intermittent signal, no signal, or an incorrect signal. Suspected or suspicious disruptions should be reported immediately. Critical information to take note of during a disruption event includes location, time, and period of outage.

    Commercial operators are reminded, should your navigation or other equipment onboard (e.g. AIS) be impaired as a result of a disruption or interference, this should be reported to the nearest U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port, District Commander or Vessel Traffic Center as soon as possible; and, await further directions (per 33 CFR 164.53).

    All operators should be aware, vigilant, and immediately report GPS disruptions to the U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center (NAVCEN). The report will be disseminated to the U.S. Air Force GPS Operations Center and the Federal Aviation Administration in an attempt to identify the problem and correlate with any other GPS incidents in the same general geographic location. Depending on the severity of the report, NAVCEN may refer it to law enforcement and/or other federal agencies for further investigation.

    Reporting a disruption — or other navigation hazards or aids to navigation outages — is simple, and can be done electronically (http://www.navcen.uscg.gov, the preferred method) or via phone call to the NAVCEN (703- 313-5900), 24 hours a day.