Piloting the Panama Canal today

Author

Carrol, James

Author_Institution

Center for Navigation, Volpe Nat. Transp. Syst. Center, Cambridge, MA, USA

Volume

20

Issue

2

fYear

2001

Firstpage

40

Lastpage

44

Abstract

The advent of inexpensive and reliable data processing, communications and navigation technologies has presented an opportunity to enhance significantly the safety and efficiency of Panama Canal operations. A traffic management and control system based on the Global Positioning System (GPS) was developed at the Volpe Center. (The US Department of Transportation´s Volpe National Transportation Systems Center is located in Cambridge, MA.) It has been installed and tested with great success. The system utilizes augmented GPS information and a complex two-way data link to direct key traffic management information wherever needed along the 50-mile length of the Canal

Keywords

Global Positioning System; data communication; land mobile radio; marine communication; ships; traffic control; GPS; Global Positioning System; Panama Canal; Volpe Center; communications; data processing; navigation; traffic management; traffic management and control system; two-way data link; Communication system traffic control; Communications technology; Control systems; Data processing; Global Positioning System; Irrigation; Navigation; Safety; System testing; Transportation;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Potentials, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0278-6648

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/45.954658

Filename

954658