24/7 technical support for vessels worldwide
ECDIS · Navigation systems · Bridge integration
Professional ECDIS installation, commissioning and troubleshooting for commercial vessels, offshore vessels and other maritime applications. Satcenter engineers attend vessels in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and other European ports.
Electronic chart navigation
ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and Information System) is the type-approved navigation system that replaces paper charts on the bridge, displaying official electronic navigational charts (ENCs) together with live data from the ship's sensors.
Under SOLAS Chapter V, most commercial ships trading internationally are required to carry ECDIS, usually as a primary and a backup system. An ECDIS is only as reliable as its installation: the position, heading, speed and depth it shows all come from other bridge equipment, and every one of those connections has to be correct.
Satcenter supports shipowners, ship managers, technical managers, yards and maritime service companies with ECDIS projects from the first survey to the final functional test:
What we do
Mounting, cabling and connection of new ECDIS equipment for new installations, replacements and upgrades of existing systems.
Configuration, communication checks, display settings and functional testing before the system is put into operation.
Onboard diagnosis of startup failures, display problems, software errors, missing sensor data and hardware faults.
ECDIS installation on newbuilds at the yard, and replacement of existing equipment in the available bridge layout.
Interfacing with GNSS, gyro, log, echo sounder, AIS, radar and other navigation equipment on the bridge network.
Engineers attending vessels in Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Ghent, Zeebrugge, Hamburg, Bremerhaven and other ports.
Installation
A correct ECDIS installation is essential for reliable operation onboard. Our engineers carry out the physical installation and the technical setup of ECDIS equipment, for new installations, replacement projects and upgrades of existing ECDIS systems.
Cables are labelled and routed neatly so that the next engineer onboard can trace every connection. After installation the system is tested before commissioning starts.
Commissioning
After installation an ECDIS system needs to be correctly configured and tested before it can be put into operation. Our engineers perform ECDIS commissioning onboard the vessel and verify that the system is working correctly.
Any problems discovered during commissioning are investigated directly onboard. At handover the crew receives a practical walkthrough of the installed system, and the owner receives the commissioning results for the vessel's records.
ECDIS problems can cause serious operational issues onboard a vessel. A failed primary ECDIS leaves the bridge relying on the backup, and a fault in both can delay departure. Satcenter provides ECDIS troubleshooting for vessels experiencing system faults, communication problems, configuration errors or startup problems.
Our engineers attend the vessel to investigate the problem and determine the cause of the fault. Where possible the problem is diagnosed and resolved during the same service attendance.
Many faults turn out to be in the connections to other equipment rather than in the ECDIS itself, so we check the full signal path from sensor to display.
Newbuild and retrofit
Satcenter supports both newbuild and retrofit ECDIS installation projects.
On newbuilds we work together with the yard and the electrical contractor, following the bridge drawings and the cable schedule, and commission the ECDIS together with the rest of the navigation equipment before delivery.
For retrofit projects our engineers remove or replace the existing equipment and install the new ECDIS system in the available bridge environment. Before installation the existing setup is checked to determine the required connections and installation requirements:
This preparation helps reduce unexpected problems during installation and commissioning and keeps the time the vessel spends without a working ECDIS as short as possible.
Why Satcenter
Engineers who know bridge routines, permit-to-work systems and how to work around a vessel's port schedule.
Neat cabling, clear labelling and documented connections, so the system is reliable and easy to service later.
One contact for the project and clear reporting to the superintendent, the yard and the crew.
Preparation before attendance, so commissioning fits within the port stay and the vessel can sail on time.
Port attendance
Satcenter is based in the Netherlands and provides ECDIS installation, commissioning and troubleshooting in major European ports. Our engineers can work together with shipyards, vessel managers, manufacturers and other maritime service companies during ECDIS projects.
Attendance in other European ports can also be arranged depending on vessel location and project requirements. The same engineers also install and support GMDSS systems, Starlink and VSAT connectivity and onboard IT networks, so several jobs can be combined in one port call. For scheduled service visits see our commissioning and maintenance services.
FAQ
Answers to the questions shipowners, superintendents and yards ask us most about ECDIS projects.
A replacement of an existing ECDIS with good preparation can often be completed within one or two days in port, including commissioning. A full retrofit with new cabling, or a dual ECDIS installation on a newbuild, takes longer. We confirm the planning after checking the existing setup.
At minimum the ECDIS receives position from the GNSS receiver, heading from the gyro compass and speed from the speed log. Most installations also connect the echo sounder, AIS and radar, and often the autopilot, wind sensor and BNWAS.
Commissioning covers system configuration, communication checks on every sensor input, software and chart settings, display configuration and functional testing of route planning, route monitoring, alarms and the backup ECDIS.
Yes. Our engineers investigate faults on existing ECDIS systems, including startup failures, display problems, software errors, communication faults and missing sensor data, and resolve them during the attendance where possible.
Often it can. Before installation we check the existing cables, connections and interfaces, and reuse what is in good condition. This shortens the installation and reduces cost.
We regularly attend vessels in Rotterdam, Amsterdam, IJmuiden, Antwerp, Ghent, Zeebrugge, Hamburg, Bremen and Bremerhaven. Other European ports can be arranged depending on vessel location and project requirements.
Connectivity
Get in touch
Send us the vessel type, the port and expected dates, the ECDIS model and a short description of the job or the fault. We will come back with a proposal for installation, commissioning or troubleshooting. You can also reach us at info@satcenter.tv or +31 (0)85 560 71 20.
A vessel in Rotterdam moved from an Intellian V100 VSAT system to Starlink, Intellian OW10HM OneWeb and KVH TracNet Coastal 5G, with a new communications rack, KVH CommBo...
Replacement of the Iridium Certus antenna and below-deck unit on an LNG carrier in the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, with firmware update, voice and data activation, applicatio...
Installation of an Intellian OW10 OneWeb terminal and Starlink High Performance Gen 2 on a vessel in Rotterdam, combined with KVH TracNet LTE backup and a complete review...
We value your privacy
We use analytics cookies to understand how our website is used and to improve it. You can accept or decline, essential cookies are always on. Read our privacy policy.