Up to eight pilots simultaneously shall be provided with an AIS data stream in a pilot boat with information for their next assignment.
A severe storm destroyed a pilot transfer station in the Baltic Sea in the winter of 2023. As a result, pilots can now only be brought to their assignments with long journeys. During the journey, several pilots should be able to prepare for their respective individual assignments in the pilot boat, as the pilot transfer station will be out of service for a long time.
AIS for up to eight pilots in the pilot boat
The pilots' requirement was that up to eight pilots at a time in the pilot boat could be supplied with the AIS information received by the boat. The task was to be solved in such a way that a kind of PPU (Portable Pilot Unit) as an AIS hub should be permanently installed in the pilot boat, which could provide the received AIS data stream via radio (WIFI) to each individual pilot with a tablet or notebook in the boat in parallel.
A severe storm destroyed a pilot transfer station in the Baltic Sea in the winter of 2023. As a result, pilots can now only be brought to their assignments with long journeys. During the journey, several pilots should be able to prepare for their respective individual assignments in the pilot boat, as the pilot transfer station will be out of service for a long time.
AIS for up to eight pilots in the pilot boat
The pilots' requirement was that up to eight pilots at a time in the pilot boat could be supplied with the AIS information received by the boat. The task was to be solved in such a way that a kind of PPU (Portable Pilot Unit) as an AIS hub should be permanently installed in the pilot boat, which could provide the received AIS data stream via radio (WIFI) to each individual pilot with a tablet or notebook in the boat in parallel.
On/Off Switch Front
On/Off Switch Front
Testing the TRENZ prototype
TRENZ, as one of the world's leading manufacturers of PPUs, was commissioned to examine whether such an AIS hub could be realized in a short time to quickly solve the pilots' problems on site. Within six weeks, TRENZ developed an initial test device. This was the birth of the prototype of a new device series named "TRENZ VEGA" – AIS Hub. This was followed by a test of several weeks in which the device excellently met all the pilots' requirements, particularly the desire for up to eight simultaneous WIFI connections.
Frank Diegel, CEO of TRENZ GmbH, says: "We are pleased that our expertise in the field of PPUs is not only in demand for our standard products, but that we are also confronted with special problem situations by our customers, for which we can develop dedicated devices and products on behalf in a short time."
Order for six "TRENZ VEGA"
At the beginning of May, the organization responsible for pilot transfers in the area then commissioned the production of six devices for all pilot boats in the region. The delivery of the "TRENZ VEGA" AIS hubs was in June 2024. The installation of the devices can be easily carried out by the local technical staff themselves.
The TRENZ VEGA AIS Hub will now also become an independent product of TRENZ and will be available from now.
TRENZ, as one of the world's leading manufacturers of PPUs, was commissioned to examine whether such an AIS hub could be realized in a short time to quickly solve the pilots' problems on site. Within six weeks, TRENZ developed an initial test device. This was the birth of the prototype of a new device series named "TRENZ VEGA" – AIS Hub. This was followed by a test of several weeks in which the device excellently met all the pilots' requirements, particularly the desire for up to eight simultaneous WIFI connections.
Frank Diegel, CEO of TRENZ GmbH, says: "We are pleased that our expertise in the field of PPUs is not only in demand for our standard products, but that we are also confronted with special problem situations by our customers, for which we can develop dedicated devices and products on behalf in a short time."
Order for six "TRENZ VEGA"
At the beginning of May, the organization responsible for pilot transfers in the area then commissioned the production of six devices for all pilot boats in the region. The delivery of the "TRENZ VEGA" AIS hubs was in June 2024. The installation of the devices can be easily carried out by the local technical staff themselves.
The TRENZ VEGA AIS Hub will now also become an independent product of TRENZ and will be available from now.
