Software ecosystem expands to include Special Areas, Emission Control Areas and Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas

GNS, the maritime technology company, has announced a further enhancement to its Voyager PLANNING STATION, with the addition of tools to manage compliance with special environmental requirements under IMO MARPOL regulations.

The upgrade comes as part of the release of Voyager 7.3.4, making it easier for users to manage MARPOL compliance with designated Special Areas, Emission Control Areas and Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas.

The new feature gives users the ability to view up to date areas under MARPOL as an overlay on either a map or an ENC from within Voyager. Its route planning function has also been enhanced to enable users to quickly and easily identify and display intersecting special areas along with the relevant entry and exit points and zone entry times.

“Voyager has become an indispensable part of our customers’ everyday working lives, from helping them to navigate safely, manage compliance and undertake an increasing range of bridge tasks more efficiently,” said Hayley van Leeuwen, GNS’s Director of Product and Marketing. “This latest version of Voyager PLANNING STATION extends our commitment to helping users better manage navigational compliance with simple, but very effective new tools.”

The new MARPOL feature is being released to all Voyager PLANNING STATION subscribers free of charge and will shortly be available as a patch download.

Voyager is a complete back-of-bridge navigation planning and execution system, with a range of functionality designed to support smarter navigation. GNS and a handpicked group of partners have created a suite of innovative software applications and content ranging from navigation to voyage optimisation to weather and non-navigation related services, all designed to help shipping companies enhance safety, improve efficiency and reduce costs.

Voyager also includes cyber-security solutions to protect customers from the inherent risks of increasing the interconnectedness between ship and shore. These include V-DRIVE which simplifies the process of transferring ENCs, ENC updates, permits and route files from the back of bridge computer to the ECDIS while, at the same time, helping to protect against the transfer of malware.