Industries & Applications
Marine applications
Ultrasonic wind sensors and compact weather stations for marine applications
Marine applications
- Dynamic Positioning Systems - Many marine applications require the vessel or platform position to be consistently maintained to ensure efficient and safe operation. This can range from vessels such as oceanographic research vessels, cable laying ships and cruise ships to offshore drilling units. A dynamic positioning system (DPS) actively compensates for the forces exerted on the vessel, automatically maintaining position and orientation. To achieve this, information from a series of on-board sensors, including wind sensors, directly informs the DPS allowing it to calculate the forces thrusters must produce to control the vessel’s motion.
- Environmental monitoring and marine research - Coastal zones face significant threats from climate change and rising sea levels, which together drive increasingly intense storms, flooding, and erosion. Assessing and predicting coastal vulnerability requires systematic and sustained monitoring of the physical, chemical, and biological processes occurring in these zone.
- Improved quality of service - Typically cruise ships will use wind data (amongst other data) to implement course corrections in order to find better weather. This ensures that passengers are able to use all of the ship's entertainment functions and have a better experience while on board.
- Safer ship navigation - Anemometers are required for safer ship navigation. Regulations require that ships record weather data including wind speed, with the data displayed continuously on the ship's bridge. The ship's captain is able to use this data to navigate around storms, increasing safety for passengers and crew.
- Sustainable maritime solutions - Rotor sails, which are suitable for most vessel types, including new build and retrofit, bulk carriers, tankers, LNG and LPG carriers, ferries and RoRos, are a cost-effective, proven solution for reducing fuel consumption and harmful emissions, aligning with International Maritime Organization (IMO) emission reduction targets. To optimise performance, vessels are equipped with ultrasonic anemometers and weather stations to monitor environmental conditions and make informed decisions regarding rotor sail usage.
Application notes
- Compact weather stations on buoys for coastal monitoring
- Dynamic positioning systems for ships & oil platforms
- Gill R3 chosen for real-time motion correction
- Inside Hurricane Fiona with WindMaster
- On-board weather data for MAS autonomous ship
- Rotor sails: precise and robust wind and weather sensors drive sustainable maritime solutions
- Smartsound AutoNaut, scientific research vessel, equipped with sophisticated array of sensors
- WindObserver provides accuracy and environmental robustness for a precision system
Recommended weather instruments for marine applications...
MaxiMet is an advanced compact weather station designed and manufactured by Gill Instruments using proven technology to measure meteorological and environmental parameters to international standards.
MetConnect weather stations are designed to allow easy connection and integration of additional user selected sensors, positioned to suit the application. The concept has been selected by a wide variety of customers including national weather administrations and global multinationals.
WindObserver ultrasonic anemometers have a proven record of providing reliable data in critical applications. The product has been selected for use by commercial marine businesses and national navies across the world, as well as being deployed at a range of high volume international airports.
Gill WindSonic is a low-cost 2-axis ultrasonic anemometer, providing wind speed and direction data in a robust housing. This anemometer has no moving parts, offering maintenance-free operation in a wide range of applications.