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
57 Summer 2015 Proceedings www.uscg.mil/proceedings Use of the draft information system technology in the sea- way system is steadily growing. In 2013, there were 123 tran- sits and 28 vessels using the technology. Currently, there are 37 vessels, all domestic carriers, equipped with DIS. The draft information system is a signifcant step forward in fnding new effciencies and new growth for the seaway system. This new technology will beneft seaway users and the seaway corporations by improving safety as well as the system's competitiveness. It puts the seaway ahead of the curve, deploying cutting-edge technology in a world of emerging international standards. It was a long time com- ing, but defnitely worth the wait. About the author: Ms. Betty Sutton is the 10 th administrator of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation. She represented Ohio's 13 th Congressional Dis- trict from 2006 to 2011. She worked as a labor attorney and served on the Barberton City Council and the Summit County Council, before her election to the Ohio House of Representatives, where she served for eight years. Endnotes: 1. Martin Associates. The Economic Impact of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Sys- tem. Marine Delivers, 2013. 2. The AIS is a shipboard broadcasting transponder system operating in the VHF maritime band that is capable of sending vital information, such as ship iden- tifcation, position, speed, and heading from ship-to-shore, shore-to-ship, and ship-to-ship. Beginning in April 2003, AIS was mandatory for commercial ves- sels transiting the Seaway and greatly enhanced safety, security, and effciency throughout the system. 3. Federal Register, July 11, 2012. U.S. Government Printing Offce, p. 40802. and squat. The new technology also features an algorithm and creates chart formulas for specifc transits in a given navigation environment, whether a lock, channel, or open water. While displaying a vessel's position and speed in real time, it also provides a look-ahead feature. Given the cutting-edge nature of this technology, not all vessels are equipped with the necessary DIS hardware and software, so draft information system use is optional to transit the seaway. For vessels equipped with this technol- ogy, however, the draft information system will allow them to travel the seaway safely at a draft up to three inches more than the published maximum draft allowed, enabling them to carry more cargo. Draft information system computer display screen shot. For more information: Chronology and statistics courtesy of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation. Website: www.seaway.dot.gov.