NYK Activates Integrated Operation Management System on 680 Vessels

Seamless Monitoring at Sea and on Land, Including Moored Ships

January 26, 2010
Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha
Weathernews Inc.

NYK (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan; President: Yasumi Kudo) and Weathernews Inc. (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan; President: Chihito Kusabiraki) have implemented a seamless integrated operation management system called NYK e-missions’*, which is applicable to moored vessels as well as those during voyage. The system has been activated on around 680 vessels, about 90 percent** of NYK Group’s operating vessels**.

Before the activation of this system, vessel operators*** of the NYK Group used multiple systems to grasp a vessel’s position and to acquire through information on weather and sea conditions. However, with the introduction of NYK e-missions’, operators can obtain key information required for supporting safe operation using a single, integrated system.

Through full-time monitoring of the position of all group operating vessels, the new system can show risks that may occur, based on the forecasts of weather and sea conditions at harbors and courses being sailed by vessels. Relevant parties both at sea and on land, including operating vessel(sea) and vessel operators(land), monitor and share risk information, such as heavy weather. Thus, prompt measures can be immediately taken according to the situation.

Features of NYK e-missions’

1. Full-time monitoring of all NYK operating vessels equipped with the system
The system can constantly monitor all vessels equipped the system, including moored ships.

2. Forecast of risks at mooring sites and ship courses
The system can centrally manage all necessary information on weather and sea conditions of 10days ahead (waves, tidal currents, wind direction, atmospheric pressure, typhoons, etc.). As a result, it can forecast risks and allows more appropriate and faster measures to be taken.
Moreover, the system can be customized to notify vessels when they get close to or enter specific sea areas****

3. Timely information sharing between vessels at sea and operators on land
Through the system operating vessels at sea, and vessel operators and related parties on land, are able to constantly share information regarding the situation of vessels and related to forecasted risks.

NYK Group will continue to introduce and activate the effective system to further enforce the structure for safe operation management.

*NYK e-missions’ is named after Environmental Management Infrastructure with Safety and Security Information in Seamless.
**Percentage of 779 NYK Group operating vessels as of March 31, 2009
***Administrators on land who manage the schedules and movement of vessels in service. They maintain close contact with a ship's captain to ensure safe and smooth ship operation. They also maintain contact with administrators of port agents to manage the schedules of vessels, and ensure cargo is loading and unloading without delay.
**** Specific area can be customized to inform whether that operating vessel is close to or enters

NYK Line