Department of Navigation

Department of Navigation consist of three divisions: Navigation, Radar and Electronic Navigation and Basic Computer Sciences and Computer Networks

• Division of Navigation
  
  The objects of the activities of Navigational Department are problems associated with marine navigation and safety at sea, especially with presentation of navigational information, optimisation of ship’s route, the voyage planning (including the use of the ECDIS/ECS system), especially within the water areas, which are described as difficult (restricted area), with the safety of navigation, route monitoring and with international regulations for preventing collisions at sea. Research works are also conducted on an idea of an integrated navigational systems (INS, IBS), e-Navigation concept, electronic navigational charts (ENC), voyage data recorder (VDR), a model for performing navigation and astronavigation tasks. The staff is also involved in projects on standardisation of navigational terms, acronyms and abbreviations and the analysis of the current needs in teaching nautical subjects – maritime education and training (MET).

• Division of Radar and Electronic Navigation
  
  The basic themes of the scientific – research works pertain to the problems of using modern navigation techniques, i.e. radar techniques and their applications for human activities at sea, operational research into the satellite navigation systems such as GPS, Galileo and Glonass as well as Loran C radio-navigation system, satellite augmentation systems, hydro acoustic and integration of navigational equipment and systems (INS and IBS). The research works are also related with vessel traffic services VTS, vessel monitoring systems (AIS and LRIT), voyage data recorder (VDR), e-navigation, radar and ARPA anti-collision systems accompanied by technical and operational analyses of the integrated radar-navigational and ARPA simulator.

• Division of Foundations of Computer Science and Computer Networks
  
  The division staff’s mission is:
  – To pursue high quality and up-to-date research activities in the field of maritime application of computer science,
  – To provide education to the Maritime University students in the field of informatics, operation research, databases and computer networks,
  – To propose a scheme within which interested students are enabled to improve their professional potential.
  
  The research in the Division of Foundations of Computer Science and Computer Networks has been directed by the most challenging practical problems in field of modern marine navigation. Environmental safety is the most important issue in this field. This encourages an interdisciplinary approach in research program of the division. Discrete optimization, mathematical theory of evidence, fuzzy logic and neural networks are explored to meet challenge of safe navigation of huge ocean going vessels. Ongoing researches in the section incorporate following elements:
  • theory of evidence and its applications,
  • evolutionary neural networks,
  • multicriteria optimization techniques,
  • evolutionary computations,
  • fuzzy sets calculus,
  • GRID computing.
  
  The major applications developed by the section’s staff include:
  • vessel traffic simulator dedicated for traffic separation schemes evaluation and design,
  • weather routing simulator for a ship with hybrid propulsion,
  • auto-pilot learning environment dedicated for navigation in harbour waters,
  • PC cluster computing environment,
  • Integrated computer environment to model and play decision games,
  • Ships’ dynamic 3D simulation,
  • Decision Support System for ship’s cargo operations.
  
  Courses conducted by the section teaching staff are mostly related to the basics of computer programming, database management, computer network management, Web sites creation. The list of currently available courses includes:
  • computer networks (basic and advanced courses),
  • computer science applied to ports and fleet operation,
  • computer science applied to maritime transportation,
  • computer technologies applied to ports and fleet operation,
  • computer technologies applied to maritime transportation,
  • operational research applied to ports and fleet operation,
  • database systems applied to ports and fleet operation.
  
  

Didactic Facilities, Labs and Simulators

The Department of Navigation operates laboratories, which, fully equipped with the state-of-the art instruments and devices, create an excellent environment for both the conduct of the teaching process at the highest level and the conduct of research and scientific works. Numerous labs e.g.: basic of navigation, compass deviation, collision prevention, radionavigation systems, satellite navigation systems, radar, hydro acoustic and electronic including numerous simulators -e.g.: Electronic Navigational Charts and ECDIS, Full Mission Bridge covering two basic systems: visual system of navigational bridge and instructor's work station accompanied by radar-navigational and ARPA simulators - facilitate comprehensive performance of teaching and scientific tasks. Our Planetarium serving to teach celestial navigation is also one of Gdynia tourist attractions.

National and International Co-operation

Every two years Department of Navigation organises Navigational Symposia TransNav. The second form of an ongoing co-operation with other centres is the organisation of symposia on satellite techniques in navigation. The Nav. Department's academic teachers and researchers participate in many national and international congresses, symposia and conferences. They include: sessions of NAV and STW Subcommittees of IMO, general assemblies of IAMU, IMLA, IALA, IMAM and IAIN congresses, ISO TC8 and ISO TC8 AG meetings and symposia, European symposia on Global Navigation Satellite System (ENC/GNSS), international conferences (NAV) of the Royal Institute of Navigation RIN, international (ESREL) and national (KONBiN) conferences on safety and reliability, international conferences on the Transport of the 21st Century (organised by Warsaw Technical University, Faculty of Transport), international radar symposia IRS organised by German Institute of Navigation, international conferences on telematic systems in transport TST, international conferences on computer systems aided science, industry and transport TransComp, international conferences on logistic and safety of transport systems LogiTrans, international conferences on the role of navigation in securing human activities at sea NavSup (organised by Polish Naval Academy in Gdynia), international congresses of Seas and Oceans, international conferences on sea traffic engineering TST, ExploShip and Inland Shipping (organised by Faculty of Navigation, Maritime University in Szczecin), conferences on spatial information systems (Polish Academy of Sciences, Committee of Geodesy) and conferences organised by the Polish Navy Headquarters. The Nav. Department teachers and researchers are members of many organisations - Navigation Section of the Geodesy Committee at the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN) Traffic Control Section of the Transport Committee at the Polish Academy of Sciences, Polish Navigation Forum, Safety of Navigation NAV and STW sections of the IMO National Centre, Sail Training Association Poland, Polish Nautological Society, Polish Cartographic Association, National Committee of the Geographic and Nautological Olympiad. Some of the department academic staff are also members of such prestige international organisations as: The Royal Institute of Navigation and The Nautical Institute. Additionally they are Experts of the Directorate General Enlargement European Commission, members of: ISO TC8 Advisory Group and EU LRIT and STCW Expert Groups. They are employed as assessors of the Maritime Court in Gdańsk, chairman and members of the Governmental Examination Commission for Seafarers in Gdynia, members of the Technical Board of the Polish Register of Shipping, etc.

Research and Scientific Activities

The Department of Navigation conducts research works covering a variety of topics on safety at sea, marine navigation, sea transportation and problems associated with ship operations. The Faculty has developed a number of creative research and scientific programmes which have found their practical implementation. The main fields of research and development works are linked to the governmental economic or social programmes or to the international programmes for scientific and scientific-technical co-operation. The teaching and scientific activities of the Department of Navigation feature a high level of differentiation depending on their various flavours of specialisations.

Current Research Problems:

1. Presentation of navigation-related information (radar, AIS, electronic navigational charts ENC and ECDIS)
2. Generalisation of navigational information presented on electronic navigational charts ENC in ECDIS)
3. Maritime and coastal implementation of Geographical Information Systems GIS
4. Optimisation of ship’s route (the voyage planning), including the use of the ECDIS system, especially within the water areas, which are described as difficult (restricted area)
5. Formal Safety Assessment (FSA) – a structured and systematic methodology, aimed at enhancing maritime safety in the area of Southern Baltic, including protection of life, health, the maritime environment and property by using risk analysis and cost benefit assessment
6. e-Navigation concept
7. Radar, ARPA, AIS, ECDIS integration
8. HMI in integrated navigational systems
9. VTS and VMS procedures
10. Inland navigation

Academic Staff (inc. area of interest):

Professors:

Prof. Dr. Andrzej Banachowicz (Geodesy, Navigational Calculations)
Prof. Dr. Michal Holec (Navigation, Meteorology, Hydrography, Oceanography)
Prof. Dr. Wlodzimierz Filipowicz, Master Mariner (Basic Computer Sciences and Computer Networks, Telematics in Transport Systems)
Prof. Dr. Jacek Januszewski (GPS/GNSS, Radionavigation Systems)
Prof. Dr. Miroslaw Jurdzinski, Master Mariner, FNI (Navigation, Route Planning, Magnetic Compasses, Safety at Sea, Transport Systems)
Prof. Dr. Henryk Sniegocki, Master Mariner, MNI (Colregs, Nav. Simulators)
Prof. Dr. Ryszard Wawruch, Master Mariner (Radar, ARPA, INS, IBS, VDR, VTS, AIS, LRIT, Nav. Simulators, Safety at Sea)
Prof. Dr. Adam Weintrit, Master Mariner, FRIN, MNI (Navigation, Hydrography, ECDIS, GIS, Nav. Simulators, Safety at Sea)