Mariners in Prince Rupert will be able to get realtime data from Agnew Bank following the installation of an Automatic Information System (AIS) on the Ocean Data Acquisition System (ODAS) buoy, which has been in place since January.
Pacific NorthWest LNG installed the equipment in late October, which will now broadcast data such as wind speed and direction, air temperature, air pressure, tide level, surface current speed and direction and water temperature to any vessel equipped with an AIS receiver of the AIR mobile app.
“This data is helping Pacific NorthWest LNG learn more about the complex marine and weather environment on the North Coast. We are making use of the information to assist in the design of our marine terminal and to determine operating procedures for LNG carriers that would be calling on the facility. It only makes sense to share this information with the wider marine community,” said Capt. David Kyle, head of marine services for Pacific NorthWest LNG, noting the data is being shared as part of the project’s contribution to marine safety.
The monitoring system came from B.C.-based Axys Technologies, and international accounts manager Chad MacIsaac said said there may be more to come between the two companies.
“We hope to collaborate in the future to expand the understanding and knowledge of the environment on the North Coast,” he said.
