Page 61: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (November 2001)

Monitoring

Tug Automation Control System Helps Eliminate False Alarms

When operators of properly equipped tugboats receive a system alarm, they know there is a real problem. They also know that they're not going to get any help from an on-board engineer because the operator is the only one on board.

But Quebec-based Techsol, Inc.'s helps reduce the alarm, thanks to new Marine

Automation Control System (MAX) installed in several harbor tugboats designed by Robert Allan Ltd. This state-of-the-art alarm, control, and mon- itoring system eliminates both false alarms and the need for an on-board engineer, making it possible for only the pilot and shore engineer to handle any problems that might arise.

Techsol. a marine electrotechnology company, created this Unmanned

Machinery Space (UMS) system to enable pilots and shore engineers to have a complete picture of a vessel's sys- tem via graphical displays and touch screens. Designed to replace existing dedicated systems that were not user friendly, this modular system was built using off-the-shelf equipment from

Charlottesville, Va.-based GE Fanuc

Automation and adapting it to meet requirements for shipboard systems. GE

Fanuc received certification for the com- ponents for use in marine applications with the American Bureau of Shipping and Lloyd's Register. "The main advantages of using stan- dard equipment from GE Fanuc and adapting it to the marine world are twofold: worldwide component avail- ability and lower cost," says Claude

Messiaen, Techsol's president and owner. "We're avoiding specialty parts and leveraging proven off-the-shelf hardware.

Techsol chose GE Fanuc's CIMPLICI-

TY human machine interface software and Series 90-30 programmable logic

November, 2001 61

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Fax: 407-366-7444 controllers (PLCs) with field I/O mod- ules to create the compact MAX system able to carry out all of the vessel's con- trol, alarm and monitoring functions.

The Series 90-30 field I/O modules are dedicated to specific equipment, and the

MAX system requires five or six of these units to achieve complete ship automation.

Because each field I/O module is equipped with a central processing unit (CPU), it can accept input from switch- es and sensors and generate output to

Installed Systems Include: • Propulsion Control • Steering Control • Cargo/Ballast Control

Electrical Monitoring and

Control • Simulators and Trainers

Benefits; • Long Term Reliability • Worldwide parts, service, and training support • MIL-Spec and Commercial

New Construction and Retrofits 1 -800-229-TANQ www.tano.com

TANO Corp. 5700 Citrus Blvd.,SteE

New Orleans, LA 70123

Phone: 504/733-4777

Fax: 504/734-2127

Singapore Office

Phone: 65-296-5421

Fax: 65-296-0451

Circle 322 on Reader Service Card or visit www.maritimereporterinfo.com

Circle 211 on Reader Service Card or visit www.maritimereporterinfo.com

TANO has a 35 year tradition in providing marine automation systems using the latest technologies to assure lower operating costs. We specialize in tailoring a system to meet the specific needs of the vessel and to maximize the value to the customer.