IO, Surabaya – Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS) Surabaya has hailed the National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN) to develop the utilization of satellite data. Through this partnership, ITS and LAPAN are developing satellite for environmental and marine monitoring, especially in the development of Automatic Identification System (AIS).
ITS Innovation, Cooperation and Alumni Affairs Director, Dr Eng Kriyo Sambodho ST Meng (19/4) explains this partnership will be very beneficial to ITS Ship Safety and Installation Centre (PUI KEKAL). The reason is that they can easily utilize LAPAN’s AIS data to detect large ships positioning against submarine pipelines.
Furthermore, he explains, basically, any large vessel measuring more than 300 gross tonnage (GT) needs to be equipped with AIS vessel tracking device. This is to facilitate ship owner in monitoring the current ship location.
However, AIS technology is not yet providing submarine pipes data, while its discovery is very important to drag vessels out of the danger zone before the docking attempt. This will be the concern of ITS and LAPAN to be further developed as it is quite a vital shortcoming.
“Every time the vessels lurk around near submarine pipe zones, the chance of leakage by ship anchor is high, most likely to cause explosions and fires as it previously happened in Balikpapan Bay,” he explains the possible risks.
Therefore, continued the lecturer who is familiarly called Dodhot, PUI KEKAL ITS is trying to make new innovations. “If the AIS ITS data is developed, it will be easier for the vessel to avoid submarine pipes and reduce the risk of such accidents and environmental pollution,” explained the Marine Engineering lecturer.
In addition, Dodhot emphasized that vessels tracking currently, is still limited to only around Singapore, Madura Strait, Jakarta, Sulawesi and Kalimantan. Areas outside that zone still take the advantage of radio wave data. “With the existence of new satellite data, it will cover everything,” he concluded.
In early April, ITS together with LAPAN has signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on this satellite development at the agency office in Bogor. (ITS)