Page 45: of Marine News Magazine (February 2018)

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Virtual ATON’s: here now, here to stay esper Marine designed its Virtual AIS Beacon in to implement a course perimeter system for spectators at 2010 and installed the ? rst solution in 2011. De- the last two America’s Cup competitions in San Francisco

V veloped to address the need to make hazards at sea (2013) and Bermuda (2017), Volvo Ocean Race organiz- visible when costly physical infrastructure is not appropri- ers approached the company for the same technology to ate or is impossible to deploy, the Virtual Aid to Naviga- manage their In-Port Races. Establishing a virtual perim- tion technology that Vesper Marine has created is based on eter around the course, the Guardian Virtual AIS stations the international standardized AIS, which all large ships broadcast information to spectator and race of? cial boats must use and many yachts and smaller vessels are now using AIS frequencies – painting the course on their navi- choosing to install due to the safety and collision avoid- gation systems.

ance bene? ts it provides. As a result, spectator and of? cial vessels can quickly and easily see their own positions relative to the course

Virtual ATON’s 101 boundaries on their navigation displays, to ensure they are

A Virtual Aid to Navigation is created when a signal sent safely outside the course at all times. In addition, Guard- from a transmitter in an accessible location is used to mark ian cloud software will continuously monitor vessel posi- a remote point. This mark is displayed as a navigational tions and proactively send both the vessel and the Volvo feature or hazard on a vessel’s chart plotter, AIS display or Ocean Race organizers an alert if a hazardous situation other receiving equipment when within range. The ship’s develops. The virtual marks can be con? gured remotely onboard equipment is then able to alert crews if they are to change with conditions and the Guardian system can on a collision course with the marked navigational hazard. be easily moved to each host city using the same hardware

After Vesper Marine successfully used this technology and cloud based software.

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