Carnival Cruise Lines’ latest flagship delivered at the end of May by Fincantieri’s Monfalcone yard, the 130,000-gt Carnival Breeze, has been equipped with advanced integrated navigation and automation control systems designed by Hamburg-based SAM Electronics and its associate group company, L-3 Valmarine of Norway.
The 306 metre-long vessel features SAM’s latest NACOS Platinum all-purpose navigation assembly providing an extensive range of ship management functions using a shared set of standardised workstations with multi-function displays supported by a common operational network. The complete system comprises dual S-Band and X-Band IP radars linked by an Ethernet network to six Multipilot workstations, each of which can be operated as a radar or Ecdis while also providing conning functions; a further two Multipilot consoles are additionally assigned for specific Ecdis and conning operations.
Similarly featuring particularly high levels of operational redundancy, L-3 Valmarine’s Valmatic Platinium automated system likewise seamlessly integrates with the SAM Electronics’ NACOS assembly, typically handling around 20,000 input/output signals controlled by six processing stations covering seven different fire zones. Operator control is via ten multi-function workstations variously sited at strategic control points such as the engine control room, ship’s bridge and officer cabins. A supplementary Information Management System (IMS), which includes a one-year historical database as well as analysis tools, reporting and diary functions among its main facilities, is also available for optimising ship’s operational performance while also preserving the highest possible standards of safety.
Provision of auxiliary systems and equipment in addition to engineering, cabling, installation work and console production for the two Platinum assemblies aboard Carnival Breeze, was carried out by SAM Electronics’ Italian subsidiary, APSS of Diano d’Alba.
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Source: SAM Electronics, June 15, 2012; Image: Carnival Cruise