2021 RETROFIT – RESEARCH VESSEL
The R/V PHILIA was built in Piraeus, Greece as a multipurpose research vessel with an emphasis on experimental fishing. Over the years she has gone through a series of rebuilt, retrofit, and upgrade works. The latest one was a full-scale reconstruction with her hull lengthened to 31 meters plus many of her systems were brought up-to-date. This allows extra space for computers, AV, wet/dry labs, and accommodations. Furthermore, fuel and provisions capacities were increased for extended operational autonomy. This project is of high priority and will expand the vessel’s business activities. After completion, the vessel will be able to meet the demands of contemporary fisheries and oceanographic research in relation to climate change and to the ecosystem-based management approach.
As part of the bridge reconstruction, the navigation electronics were updated to a MED-certified Multi-Function Display system, meeting the latest IMO performance standards. The system was tailored with additional options (ECDIS, Conning, Wave Analysis, etc.) suitable to the vessel’s mission profile and operational requirements. Moreover, the previously updated adaptive heading control and pre-existing steering control systems were also interconnected to form a completely safe and efficient navigation system, fully integrated and certified.
The CAT2 navigation system integrates 25 kW X-band plus 250W S-band radar scanners and is featuring a new Icon-based user-friendly interface. Its advanced software provides optimized ARPA/AIS target handling, course-plotting, ECDIS route handling, and Conning functions. Using the Wave Analysis function, sea surface reflection signals obtained around the own ship by the X-band radar are analyzed to display wave height, direction, length, and cycle information. The ship can take a course on the basis of information obtained from this wave analysis and minimize the roll/pitch caused by waves. Thus, making it possible to ensure the safety of crew and cargo while expanding the vessel’s operational sea-state window and saving on fuel consumption.
Furthermore, software licenses and/or interfacing options are available for even more additional functions which may be added even later. Therefore, the navigation system and bridge layout can be further customized, expanded, and adapted to match currently unforeseen vessel operations.
Aegean Electronics completed engineering, installation, integration, commissioning, and training for integrated Radar/ECDIS/Conning and Wave analyzer.