Developer forum is a monthly recurring digital event where the Navelink users and stakeholders share development progress and coming focus areas. One of the main topics discussed during the last Navelink Developer forum, held on the 15th of December 2022, was the VHF Data Exchange System (VDES). In addition, a presentation about the Danish Meteorological Institute, DMI, was held by Till Soya Rasmussen, mathematical modeler and data scientist at DMI.
The Danish Meteorological Institute, DMI
The Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI) joined Navelink at the end of November. As presented during the Developer Forum and on DMI’s website, DMI’s core marine activities consist of weather information, storm surge warnings, ice charting, waves, ocean currents, satellite surveillance, ocean climate and marine data. Their marine focus areas are the North Sea, the Baltic, Greenland/Arctic, the North Atlantic and other selected areas.
DMI aims to provide weather information to ships through the Maritime Messaging Service (MMS), VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) and satellite in the IHO S-format. Two new S100 services are ready for implementation in Navelink and VDES. They will be registered in Navelink soon.
VHF Data Exchange System, VDES
Peter Bergljung, SAAB and co-chairman of the VDES Alliance, discussed the new edition of IALA G1117 document, which list multiple IMO e-navigation services that can be used with VDES.
The VDES discussion also brought up that Navelink together with VDES could be a good way to exchange data safely from satellites to the ships not allowing Internet on the bridge navigation systems. Currently, all data exchange supported today by Navelink can be sent over VDES. VDES has strong encryption and dual link, meaning that data can be sent and received simultaneously.
Sternula’s satellite, Sternula 1, is planned to be launched on the 2nd of January. DMI is taking part in the project as service providers. VDES will be tested in 2023 using the Sternula satellite and later also Saab and Kongsberg satellites.
Future Developer Forums will house further discussions on VDES and G1117 document.
Brainstorming
The Developer Forum ended with a brainstorming session and open questions to Navelink’s users, for example:
- How should we view service specification and service designs based on technologies such as REST, MMS, SOAP and VDES?
- What is a VDES service? Is it a correct expression? ASM messages?
Navelink’s focus is to make the communication platform concept operational, usable, legal, and sustainable. This also includes for example the dynamic coupling between service provider and service consumer, which can be either permanent or ad hoc, while still authenticated, secure and interoperable. It is also important to enable different communication methods in co-existence, selectable based on the situation and cost-benefit.
Other updates
The G1128 schemas are implemented in the DEVELOPMENT and TEST environments. They will be implemented in the OPERATIONAL environment on Monday the 19th of December 2023 at 13:00h CET. Please make sure that you have tested them prior to this. The release notes for the G1128 schemas are published on the website and can be found here.
The website FAQ-section is updated with one new FAQ regarding ownership of signatures.
And finally, please make sure to RSVP to the Developer Forum meeting series for 2023. Our next Developer Forum will be held on the 26th of January 2023 at 14:00h CET. For this event, a presentation about NaviPort is planned to be held by Dmitry Rostopshin from Wärtsilä.
Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year from Navelink.
Author: Milena Dalinaros