Northrop Grumman Corporation’s (NYSE: NOC) Sperry Marine business unit supplied the navigation, communication and safety systems for Royal Caribbean’s newest cruise ship, Allure of the Seas, which just completed its maiden voyage from its shipyard in Finland to its home port in Port Everglades, Fla.
The ship’s integrated bridge system (IBS) is based on Sperry Marine’s VisionMaster FT™ technology with proprietary TotalWatch™ multi-function workstations using extra-large WideView™ high-resolution screens. Each TotalWatch station can be configured to show pictures from the ship’s radars, electronic chart systems and conning information, as well as closed-circuit TV images.
The primary navigation consoles are configured in a modified U-shaped layout for easy access and control over all navigation and control functions. All functions are also incorporated in the control stations on both bridge wings. The Sperry Marine IBS also includes a separate wireless computer node that permits the master to view the ship’s navigation status in his or her cabin or on the bridge. In accordance with Royal Caribbean’s rigorous safety requirements, the IBS has been designed with redundant network architecture, providing built-in duplication for all critical components.
Northrop Grumman Supplies Navigation, Communication and Safety Systems for Cruise ship Allure of the Seas
Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine also supplied the operator equipment and consoles for the separate Safety Command Center, which is located directly behind the main navigation bridge. A “first” for cruise ships, the dedicated facility serves as the nerve center for all of the ship’s critical safety systems. The four super-wide displays provide enhanced situational awareness over the entire ship. Royal Caribbean officers observed that removing these non-navigation functions from the wheelhouse enhances navigation safety by reducing distractions for the ship’s conning officers and bridge crew.
“We have an excellent and long-standing relationship as the supplier of advanced navigation technology for Royal Caribbean,” said J. Nolasco DaCunha, vice president of Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine. ”We also supplied the IBS installations for Allure’s sister ship, Oasis of the Seas, as well as all of the Freedom-, Voyager-, Radiance- and Vision-class ships, ensuring standardized bridge equipment and operating procedures across the entire fleet.”
DaCunha noted that the company also provides extensive navigation training for Royal Caribbean bridge watch officers and fleet-wide service and technical support under a comprehensive service agreement.
Sperry Marine is a business unit of Northrop Grumman’s Naval and Marine Systems Division. Headquartered in Charlottesville with major engineering and support offices in New Malden, United Kingdom and Hamburg, Germany, Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine provides smart navigation and ship control solutions for the international marine industry with customer service and support through offices in 16 countries, sales representatives in 47 countries and authorized service depots in more than 250 locations worldwide.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.
