AQUAline Ferrybox System

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AquaLine FerryBox is a generic, robust and secure environmental monitoring system for ships of opportunity such as ferries, cargo vessels, vocational cruise liners as well as inland waterway vessels. It provides information, in real-time on the environmental state of the surface waters through which the vessel passes. At the heart of the AquaLine FerryBox System are the Chelsea Technologies’ Group sensors, that are in constant use within many data acquisition systems throughout the world, often deployed in some of the harshest environments. These world class sensors provide AquaLine FerryBox Systems with robust, scientific quality data, offering direct traceability for use within the most demanding monitoring programmes. Chelsea Technologies Group has been supplying in-line flow through systems to both military and civil operators for many years, and has built up a broad understanding of the design, installation and operation of such systems.

Applications and Features

The AquaLine Ferrybox System has been carefully designed to ensure that installation within commercial vessels can be easily achieved with little or no impact on the vessel's primary objective. The system's modular design ensures that parts can be installed quickly and with minimum effort. The system has also been carefully designed such that maintenance is kept to a minimum and can be quickly and easily conducted whilst the vessel is in port.

For passenger ferries, a display unit is available which provides information on environmental parameters in real-time, and explains the significance of the data. Such features can offer the ferry company significant benefits in advertising, demonstrating to their customers a corporate commitment in maintaining the quality of environment in which they operate. The same display also toggles to provide passengers with a map of their position on route, allowing them to visually assess the remaining time for their journey. Such features provide direct benefits to ferry companies.

Benefits for Vessel Operators

Enhanced passenger information
Real-time display of sea surface data & position
Non-intrusive installation and low maintenance

Benefits for Environmental Managers

Proven scientific equipment
Expandable to include other parameters
Ship and shore network enabled capability

Description

The practice of utilizing such ships of opportunity to provide environmental data has long been established as an efficient use of often limited resources. The AquaLine FerryBox System provides a modern, cost efficient platform, offering the scientist and environmental manager a flexible and reliable data acquisition service that addresses many differing user requirements. The system can provide near instant transmission of web accessible data from ship to shore, or simply log on board, transmitting all data whilst entering port. The true value of the AquaLine FerryBox dataset is often realised over time, where large time series data on singular ferry or cargo routes provide a unique baseline for assessing impacts of natural and accidental incidents as well as monitoring longer term effects due to climate change etc. These datasets can be analysed independently or fed into a larger monitoring network, using other tools such as satellites, buoys and towed undulating vehicles.

Chelsea Technologies Group has been supplying in-line flow through systems to both military and civil operators for many years, and has built up a broad understanding of the design, installation and operation of such systems. This knowledge has been further advanced through involvement in the European Union 'FerryBox' programme. Work under this programme has led to the development of the AquaLine FerryBox System, which is considered to be a natural choice for both scientists and environmental managers. At the heart of the AquaLine FerryBox System are the Chelsea Technologies' Group sensors, that are in constant use within many data acquisition systems throughout the world, often deployed in some of the harshest environments. These world class sensors provide AquaLine FerryBox Systems with robust, scientific quality data, offering direct traceability for use within the most demanding monitoring programmes.

System Modules

The AquaLine FerryBox system is made up of three main modules: the Sensor Station the Interface Console and the Communications Node.

		The Sensor Station is common to all systems, and consists of the sensor frame, pipe work, and sensors, incorporated in a compact easily transportable assembly. Everything is provided to operate the sensor system, with just an inflow and outflow port requiring simple connection via a flexible hose. This unit is typically fitted within the engine room of a vessel, making use of existing pumped seawater supplies where possible. For applications where pumped supplies are not available, a suitable pump can be provided. A CTG MINIpack CTD-F, fitted with a purpose built flow manifold, together with a UniLux Nephelometer, provide the core FerryBox parameters of temperature, salinity, chlorophyll a and turbidity. Further parameters can be added by connecting other sensors to the MINIpack CTD-F (up to 16). Common selections include dissolved oxygen, pH, hydrocarbon fluorescence (UV AQUAtracka), gelbstoffe, phycocyanin, phycoerythrin (Lux Fluorimeters) and photosythethesis (FASTtracka System) .

		The Communications Node comprises a GPS receiver and a GPRS digital modem. This unit is packaged to withstand harsh environments, with external connectors for a GPS antenna, GSM antenna and a power and communication connection to link the Communications Node to the Interface Console. Use of other data transfer systems such as satellite communications can also be integrated to the AquaLine FerryBox System. We will be pleased to advise on the best systems to adopt for your particular application and environment.

		The user has two basic choices of Interface Console, one designed specifically for survey and research vessels, which do not require a passenger display or automatic transmission of data. In such cases a simple Interface Console is provided which logs all data to a local data storage media. Data can be position stamped by feeding in a GPS link. Typically such Interfaces are fitted in close proximity to the Sensor Station. Alternatively, an Interface Console with display can be provided, designed for passenger ferries and other applications where data is required to be transferred from ship to shore. This Interface displays all data in real-time, and connects to the Communications Node which provides the geographical information to allow the vessel's position to be displayed on the screen. This Interface Console is typically fitted to a passenger area on the ferry. This Interface Console also controls the communications to the Shore Station and is defaulted to download the collected data once the ship enters port. This data can be uploaded by GPRS to an FTP site. The user requires access to a GPRS enabled SIM card on a mobile service and access to an FTP server. A separate portable Service Console is also supplied with this unit to allow direct connection to the Sensor Station for maintenance and servicing.

FerryBox Project

FerryBox is a European funded Project designed to gain a better understanding of water quality over both temporal and spatial scales. In order to achieve this, sensors in flow through systems have been fitted to eight routinely operating European Ferries. The data sets obtained will provide a comprehensive source for assessment of long-term trends in coastal water systems and aid in the development of operational and ecological models on water transport and environmental parameters. Each FerryBox system has four core sensors in addition to other sensors that are considered applicable to specific routes. The four core sensors are temperature, salinity, chlorophyll a and turbidity. Within this European funded project, which comprises a total of 12 partners, Chelsea Technologies Group is responsible for the supply and support of instrumentation, including MINIpack CTD-F, UviLux Fluorimeter and FASTocean FRRf. In addition, CTG is also responsible for ensuring that all collected data is of sufficient quality to be included in a common database for post processing, comparison and archiving.

Chelsea Technologies Group also supplies complete FerryBox systems throughout the world, including bespoke sensors contained in a flow through system. These systems are plumbed into the ferries sea-water intake to provide reliable, low cost monitoring of the oceans surface layers. The Polar Research Institute of Marine Fisheries and Oceanography PNIRO, Murmansk, Russia has chosen a Chelsea Ferrybox Oceanographic monitoring system. This system consists of a MINIpack CTD-F and a UniLux turbidity sensor. Both these instruments are fitted with a flow through manifold specifically designed for ship installation, offering a safety pressure of 10 Bar. The use of the MINIpack CTD-F allows easy integration of additional sensors for future requirements. The system also includes a de-aerator for removal of any bubbles formed within the ship's coolant water intake. The Russian Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI) has also chosen a Chelsea AquaLine Ferrybox system for their studies on climate change. The ferrybox system is fitted with sensors to measure conductivity, temperature, pressure, Chlorophyll a, turbidity, dissolved oxygen and pH (read more).

FerryBox Partners

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