Welcome to another edition of the IALA e-Bulletin. General Assembly As I write the Secretariat has been busy preparing for the First General Assembly of the organisation. This historic moment in our calendar will be held from 18 to 21 February 2025 and we are most grateful to our generous host, the Maritime and Port […]
The Coast Guard Navigation Center (NAVCEN) is a command within the Marine Transportation Systems Management Directorate. It brings together a unique set of specialists and capabilities to data in support of waterways management activities. Located in Alexandria, Virginia, the NAVCEN’s team of 53 uniformed and civilian members is drawn from technical domains including prevention and […]
Annual Report and Accounts for 2023 to 2024 This report issued in July contains a performance review, outlining how the organisation has performed against its corporate plan; financial statements for the financial year 2023 to 2024; a corporate governance report; and a sustainability report detailing initiatives and commitments to achieve Net Zero. The report also […]
What started out as manually operated stand-alone lighthouses has now turned into an interdisciplinary field of engineering; modern vessel traffic services rely on highly complex distributed systems and a number of different technologies. On the one hand, this offers new chances and possibilities for ensuring a safe, smoothly flowing and therefore economically efficient shipping traffic. […]
A reflection by Jens Christian Pedersen It has been an exciting, fruitful and inspiring journey with IALA and the VTS committee for 25 years. The IALA concept of bringing together the broad worldwide community is outstanding and cooperation with all parties, authorities, industry and associates is always very good. The best of all has been […]
The day of 23 September 2024 marked the sesquicentennial anniversary of Qingyu lighthouse, and a seminar entitled Protection of Historical Lighthouses and the Propaganda of AtoN Culture was held to commemorate this special occasion. Qingyu Lighthouse, one of the longest-serving lighthouses on the east coast of China, is the responsibility of the cultural relic protection […]
A national seminar in Funafuti, Tuvalu held from 11 to 13 November focused on how to support smooth, efficient shipping in the country, through maritime digitalization. IMO organized the seminar in collaboration with the Pacific Community (SPC) at the request of the Government of Tuvalu. The event supported the country’s accession to the Convention on […]
On 24 November it was announced from Cape Town that one of South Africa’s most recognisable sites, uMhlanga Rocks Lighthouse, celebrated its seventieth anniversary. The Lighthouse was first lit by Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) on the night of 25 November 1954. The uMhlanga Rocks tower was built soon after the opening of nearby Cooper […]
As port and infrastructure investment in the Middle East continues to grow, the need for reliable aids to navigation and supporting industry knowledge is greater than ever. Since 1911, Middle East Navigation Aids Service (MENAS) has been involved in developing and maintaining aids to navigation (AtoN) in the Middle East Gulf, and, more than 100 […]
The European Galileo satellite navigation system Galileo keeps growing: a new pair of satellites has joined the constellation after flight on a Falcon 9 rocket, launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on 18 September at 00:50 CEST (17 September 18:50 local time). Galileo is currently the world’s most precise satellite navigation system, serving […]
Change of status After more than ten years of effort and four diplomatic conferences we were able to announce on 22 August that we had arrived at the change of status from a non-governmental organization (NGO) to an intergovernmental organization (IGO). This represented a significant victory for multilateralism and ocean governance, marking an important step […]
The inspection ship Poul Løwenørn has been fitted with equipment that allows the vessel to receive and transmit data via VDES (VHF Data Exchange System) and LTE (Long-Term Evolution) networks. This installation is part of a project aimed at developing and testing safer communication services for ships. Secure communication systems and equipment play a crucial […]
Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), including GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and Beidou, are essential positioning systems for today’s maritime navigation. However, GNSS systems are vulnerable to jamming and spoofing, which can have serious consequences for maritime operations. The Baltic Sea is a vital area for international trade, with thousands of ships navigating its waters annually. The […]
The Faroe Maritime Authority (FMA) has operated in its current capacity since 2002. Before this, maritime regulation in the Faroe Islands was under Danish jurisdiction and was managed by various entities in the Faroe Islands, often in collaboration with Danish authorities. The Faroe Maritime Authority is responsible for the safety and regulation of maritime activities […]
The Japan Coast Guard and the Northern Lighthouse Board reported at Council 80 at the end of June that they have been cooperating on a joint endeavour to establish a twinning arrangement between lights in Japan and Scotland. Japan and Scotland have a proud shared heritage through the Stevenson family. The Stevensons were Engineers to […]
The date of 1 September marked the sesquicentennial anniversary of the Cabo Santa María Lighthouse, one of the 12 existing in Uruguay and which is part of the 450 aids to navigation operated by the National Navy. On 12 October, 1870, the Government granted the concession to the company Faros del Río de la Plata […]
Over the last ~20 years, the internet became part of our daily lives; used to access bank accounts and pay our parking tickets. As we began to send more of our personal data over the internet, we all became aware of the need to secure the data we send and receive; whether by looking for […]
In a significant development for global maritime safety and security, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is set to expand its Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS) capabilities with the addition of ten new VTMS centers. This expansion is facilitated by a collaborative effort with the United States, leveraging technical expertise and cutting-edge solutions to enhance the […]
Casquets Lighthouse was built in 1724 upon the dangerous ‘Rocks called the Casketts’ off Alderney in the English Channel after shipowners petitioned the proprietor of the rocks. Trinity House granted Thomas Le Cocq, the proprietor of the dangerous rocks, a lease to build a lighthouse on 3 June 1723, with the requirement that a light […]
The 126th anniversary of Great Fish Point Lighthouse, the Eastern Cape’s fifth oldest lighthouse was marked on 1 July. The occasion coincided with World Marine Aids to Navigation Day, which is observed annually on 1 July. Great Fish Point Lighthouse is situated 25 kilometres east of Port Alfred, on a ridge at 85 metres above […]
