Proceedings magazine is a communication tool for the Coast Guard's Marine Safety & Security Council. Each quarterly magazine focuses on a specific theme of interest to the marine industry.
Issue link: https://uscgproceedings.epubxp.com/i/528099
17 Summer 2015 Proceedings www.uscg.mil/proceedings Information is also needed and collected on infrastructure, vessel and cargo movements, commodity values, and ves- sel type, to help USACE make decisions on infrastructure investment. To do this, we will focus on data architec- ture — frameworks, formats, standards, data models, and such. This behind-the-scenes work will make data much more useful across a wide variety of systems and users, while preserving its integrity and security. For example, AIS data that the USACE and the Coast Guard collects for other purposes will provide high-resolution indicators of waterway performance, such as average vessel transit time and more precise vessel lock and channel use. The Future of Our Waterways The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for the safe, effcient, and reliable operation of our complex waterways infrastructure. With increasing challenges facing waterways infrastructure, changes in the use of our waterways, and increased information technology capabilities, we need to leverage "soft" information technology to address "hard" infrastructure challenges. Increased capabilities and "big data" must be used for multiple purposes, and data and information must be shared broadly across government agencies and with the navigation industry and the public. Ongoing efforts will aggressively address these challenges. About the authors: Mr. Jeff Lillycrop is the technical director for civil works programs for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Research and Development Center. Mr. Brian Tetreault is a navigation systems specialist for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Research and Development Center. He is a U.S. repre- sentative to national and international e-Navigation-related bodies, and is a graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy. He holds an unlimited second mate and a 1600-ton master license. information and allows the operator to establish zones for automatic monitoring. Users can collect waterway usage sta- tistics and receive alerts when vessels enter a zone and also play back vessel transits after the fact, such as following an actual or near-miss incident. Testing is currently underway with the U.S. Coast Guard to transmit data such as weather, water levels, and lock operational information. Enhanced Marine Safety Information Several different government agencies provide navigation information to the public. The U.S. Committee on the Marine Transportation System is working to coordinate the various government-provided navigation information services into an integrated navigation information bulletin that can be accessed and delivered electronically in a variety of for- mats to meet end user needs. This is referred to as enhanced marine safety information or eMSI. Eventually, eMSI will be available via various devices (computer, smartphone, and tablet), integrated into existing navigation and logistics sys- tems, and appropriate information transmitted via AIS. The Army Corps of Engineers is also expanding and improving the way it collects, analyzes, shares, and dis- seminates navigation information. Information about the infrastructure itself — such as structural designs and draw- ings, hydrographic surveys, equipment monitoring, and other data — is needed to properly monitor and maintain them. In the past, personnel collected information manu- ally and used it for a specifc purpose. Frequently, differ- ent users collected the same data. We are implementing a change in information philosophy — no more data will be collected and used for just one purpose. We will collect once; use many times. The LOMA user interface includes a geographic display and capabilities that enhance lock operations. The eMSI effort will harmonize marine safety information.