Consulting and Information System Products
Marine Imaging Systems personnel, who are qualified fishing, data processing and management engineers, marine electronics technicians and Captains, create the nucleus for certain types of marine studies and system adaptations. Some of the areas in which we are involved are outlined below.
An enterprise management information system should precisely meets the needs of the unique company that purchases the system.
There are a variety of types of digital data to be transferred, different radio systems - satellite based and/or marine, shoreside dedicated and intermittent networks and private and Internet based portions of the data transfer. While an off-the-shelf system (Inmarsat 'C to Microsoft / Novell Networks, more or less) can be installed, typically this data transfer network should be optimized for bandwidth, cost, efficiency, security and redundancy. This requires system analysis, and generally the implementation of "handover" links and protocols.
Marimsys SHORE BASE unites an enterprise into a better informed group with the information to make superior decisions more rapidly. While there are general models and reports for data transfer implemented in the software, customization is generally indicated to more precisely meet client needs - the how of the information flow. This system engine and reports can be optimized to mesh with client data production and transfer needs and particular client report formats - what information to move. SHORE BASE is oriented to creating both a company communications and management information system backbone. The needs of the client company to unify the fleet, shore support personnel and subcontractors, plant management and remotely located upper management, and for security should be met precisely in the installed system - the to whom of the information flow.
Marimsys staff and consulting fishing engineers, fishing Captains and fishing personnel, using Marimsys charting and statistical analysis technology have entered into various projects for which the key question was: "What else can we fish for with the Company's current equipment and personnel?" and "Where can we find a profitable and long term fishery with reasonable risk, even if it involves a start-up?" Whether this is looking at new species that no-one is fishing (or even knows about), or efficiently beginning a new type of fishery, we are available to assist in such studies.
When digital ongoing measurement of the environmental variables within the ocean becomes possible, for instance with a trawl temperature emitting device, studies of optimum habitat become possible. These analyses of bottom temperatures encountered at various depths, taken over time, compared with catch records provide highly useful information. Rarely does the temperature thought to be optimum by the fisherman from his glances at the trawl level thermometer really prove out to be the optimum catch temperature.
Colored charts of actual bottom temperatures can be produced, as can temperatures of expected bottom temperature (sea surface temperature less a constant drop in temperature per 100 meters) compared to actual bottom temperature recorded. With this sort of chart it becomes possible to measure sea surface temperature and make a good prediction if the desired bottom temperature range for the target species is likely to be encountered. It saves much time to just sample surface temperature, instead of the relatively long process of dropping a net and its associated thermometer to actually sample bottom temperature. Indeed sea surface temperature can be sampled by satellite for maximum efficiency.
The client's Marimsys SERVER and BRIDGE MIS databases collect much data which has hitherto been unavailable. There are many opportunities to create customized reports for the use of shore side personnel utilizing this data. These reports can be delivered directly from the vessel database, or update data added to the historic information already within the report. They can be posted to an internet, or e-mailed to remote management. We create reports which efficiently use database information, and rapidly get it to interested personnel in the correct format for use.
Examples of this sort of report are Fishing Ministry voyage reports which typically must be in a precise format. Much or all of the data can be logged automatically by on-board systems and transmitted via satellite. Report preparation can be performed within Marimsys SERVER. Vessel efficiency reports comparing captain, vessel and species capture are prepared to meet specific client needs.
System and personnel capabilities of Marine Imaging Systems lend themselves to the data gathering and cartographic work associated with marine and shore civil engineering projects. Temporary installation of a DGPS emitter can be provided, or straightforward GPS can be used, depending upon the timing and budgetary guidelines of the client. Likewise, we can furnish the vessel and echosounder, or use watercraft so-equipped which belong to other contractors. Our role is generally to work with the project engineers and or surveyors to collect and process the shore and offshore data; leaving to the consultant engineers the preparation of final drawings or graphical files.
Utilizing the data collected in Marimsys BRIDGE and its MS Access database many studies can be useful, whether these studies are scientifically based - "What factors enable us to catch fish efficiently? to, "What is the Return On Investment (ROI) of this particular technology?" While having a good idea of what information they need, fishing companies tend to lack the analysis personnel for this sort of examination and find it convenient to sub-contract the work to Marine Imaging Systems.