Vessel Watch

Vessel Watch is claimed to be the World's most advanced digital marine radio communications system. Although designed primarily for use on super yachts, many of the features of this new system could find application in workboats where contact between the bridge and the crew is an essential part of the operation.

In essence Vessel Watch is a crew management system that not only allows the hour by hour and day by day managing of the crew but also offers a longer term management system.

This longer term application comes in the form of a log book feature that records all the operations that are programmed into the system. These operations can cover all the various crew operations in the job tasking mode and this can be combined with a scheduling system that ensures that all essential and mandatory checks are both scheduled and carried out. Compliancy is also maintained by the ISM App that records all of the crew hours of rest and hours of work.

The hospitality section covers links between the crew and the guests on board and this might have application on passenger vessels or crew transfer vessels. However the main link between this system is with the crew who each have a mobile radio that can receive both voice and text messages. This communications system offers a wide variety of operational and routine links from listing the day by day or hour by hour tasks for each crew member, to emergency links, and a crew call system that ensures immediate contact. The radio links between the master station and the mobiles can be maintained by either VHF or UHF links.

A primary role of Vessel Watch is to monitor and cover a wide range of potential emergencies. If a crew member falls overboard a sensor on their portable radio will trigger an alert to all crew members. Any crew member can generate a panic alarm if they get into difficulties and a Lone Worker alarm can act as a dead man alarm. If a tender is being towed an alarm can be triggered if the tender moves out of a prescribed range from the mother ship, indicating a possible parting of the tow. The system can interface with the vessel's main alarm system.

The possibilities with Vessel Watch are endless and the system can be tailored to specific vessel requirements. The master control is a bridge mounted unit with a large colour display. For individual crew members the systems offers a range of portable units from the Motorola range that offer both voice and text message links. These are Bluetooth enabled to allow hands free responses using mikes and earpieces. The system can be fully encrypted to ensure privacy.