New GPS Data Logging Feature – Help marine operators discharge their bilge water liability

The ability to collect, access and utilise data is becoming ever more important for marine operators that need to demonstrate that their operations comply with stringent quality and
legislative requirements.

Annex 1 of the MARPOL (Marine Pollution) convention sets strict requirements on effluent
discharges from marine vessels, including a maximum limit for the level of oil in bilge water,
which cannot exceed 15 parts per million before it is discharged into the sea. The legislation also restricts where bilge water discharges can take place, with a requirement for the location and content of discharges to be logged. Failure to do this can result in prosecution of the vessel and its crew.

To meet this need, ABB has expanded the capabilities of its RVG200 touchscreen paperless
data recorder with the addition of a GPS function, which allows geolocation data to be added to recorded data. Enabling accurate logging of bilge water discharges from ships, this new function helps to ensure that ship operators comply with stringent international regulations governing pollution in marine applications.

The RVG200 can help satisfy this requirement by logging the ship’s GPS co-ordinates alongside data on discharge volume and water quality. An optional communications module enables the RVG200 to receive GPS data via the National Marine Electronics Association’s (NMEA) communications protocol, which is used throughout the marine sector for networking electronic equipment such as echo sounds, sonars and GPS receivers. When this module is fitted, the RVG200 can be connected to a ship’s GPS receiver via serial communications using the NMEA protocol.

Recorded data on bilge quality and quantity is time and date-stamped, with the GPS co-ordinates added as annotations which are then entered into the RVG200’s alarm / event log. This data can be imported into ABB’s DataManager Pro historical data review software on a PC for permanent storage and subsequent review.

To learn more about this feature and application please visit www.abb.com/recorders