Korea joins int’l consortium for e-navigation as founding member

Korea joins int’l consortium for e-navigation as founding member

in International Shipping News 11/02/2019

South Korea has become a founding member of an international consortium that will universalize and standardize a system for safe maritime navigation, the oceans ministry said.

The consortium for Maritime Connectivity Platform (MCP) was launched in Copenhagen with government and research institutions from South Korea, Sweden, Denmark, Britain and Germany, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.

MCP is a core component of e-navigation, which is being pursued by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to build an electronic communication framework among vessels to improve safety while out at sea. IMO is scheduled to adopt e-navigation after 2020.

The oceans ministry and the Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering will take part in the consortium.

Ministry officials said South Korea hopes to host the MCP consortium secretariat and the launching general assembly in the country.

The government began developing its own e-navigation system in 2016 under a five-year plan with an investment of 130.8 billion won (US$116.16 million). It built the MCP with Sweden and Denmark, and plans to begin the e-navigation service in 2021.
Source: Yonhap