Advanced Navigation Systems and its Relevance to the Domestic Maritime Industry

GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Compass: What GNSS Race?
“The Worldwide Race in GNSS” : “The Competition among the Big Four.”

Like anything else subject for argument, we need to define terms: Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) is the standard generic term for satellite navigation systems that provide autonomous geo-spatial positioning with global coverage. GNSS allows small electronic receivers to determine their location (longitude, latitude, and altitude) to within a few metres using time signals transmitted along a line-of-sight by radio from satellites. Receivers on the ground with a fixed position can also be used to calculate the precise time as a reference for scientific experiments. As of 2009, the United States NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (GPS) is the only fully operational GNSS. The Russian GLONASS is a GNSS in the process of being restored to full operation. The European Union's Galileo positioning system is a GNSS in initial deployment phase, scheduled to be operational in 2013. The People's Republic of China has indicated it will expand its regional Beidou navigation system into the global Compass navigation system by 2015. The global coverage is achieved by constellations of about 30 MEO satellites in different orbital planes. The actual systems use orbit inclinations of >50° and orbital periods of 12 hours (height 20,200 km).

Too much techno jargon, eh? Well, not really, at least for our more advanced neighbors who are into maritime trade and transport.

Philippines, where to? Reveille, reveille!!!

DOTC, MARINA, PCG, hear this:
Its high time we highlight the issues of navigational technology for our own domestic shipping safety. With the perennial onslought of maritime tragedies, year after year after, something similar to a stubborn fungal infection, isnt it time we focus our directives to these matters, instead of well, (chuckles), Katrina and Hayden and immortal SMS issues?

After all, our poor countrymen living in the far-flung provinces of the south, who can only afford a public transport (such as those offered by Sulpicio) to traverse our straits to trade, or take a glimpse of their families, arent onboard for felo de se. The issue here is not to advocata a 5th competition in the GNSS race, but an awareness that beyond GPS, which has been serving the maritime sector for the past decade or so, there are continuing advances in the same field. Or at the least, that there is a GPS for chrissake. And that these thechnologies can be tapped to make navigation in our very own waters a little less horrific - Capt Bert Sanchez (PMMAGS MMET)