Today we look at SARSAT information embedded to Google Earth. Ryan Erickson at the Unofficial CG Blog tells us: [Continue Reading →]

Original Photo Found HERE.

While this is a rather old story, it just came to our attention through one of our many vast searches on the internet.  This photo of a cruise ship shaped hotel in the southern port city of Busan, South Korea.  The cruise ship capsized against the dock in Typhoon Maemi in September of 2003.  USAToday.com has the full story of the typhoon HERE, but the interesting thing is that capsized ship can still be seen on Google Maps.

Clike Map to Interact [Continue Reading →]

The software development company, PlanetInAction, has just released a free ship simulator game that leverages the Google Earth plugin and presents it as the platform for this free game.  The game is a case study / technology show piece that demonstrates just what can be achieved with Google Earth and, interestingly enough, is called “Ships”.

Ships is a simulation program that allows you to get to be the helmsman of your own fleet of ships – including barges, cargo ships, container ships, and even a cruise ship (the QM 2) – that you can steer anywhere in the world with included 3D graphics and sound effects.

What’s interesting to us is that the game was developed to show off the capabilities of the Google Earth platform and it just so happens that the the way they chose to do it was to allow gamers to control a 3D ship anywhere in the world.

Be sure check out the game for yourself at HERE.

More reading at the Google Earth Blog

Ever wonder how your voyage plan would look to Gerardus Mercator, John Speed or even Captain Cook? Laying out voyage plans has gotten easier in the past decade. From excel spreadsheets to nautical calculators and ECDIS programs, every Second Mate has a tool that assists him in laying out the best route to get his vessel from point A to point B. For a recent project here at gCaptain I laid out a voyage from Singapore to Europe with the exclusive use of Google Earth. This was, of course, not for navigational use but I was able to identify hazards I might not have caught on a paper chart or even an ECDIS. This got me thinking… how different would my voyage look 100 years ago using the charts and tools of the day.

Today’s find comes from the Google Latitude Blog and the David Rumsey Map Collection… historic chart overlays for google maps!

The above image shows small scale chart from 1790 depicting discoveries in the Pacific as well as the routes of three of Captain James Cook’s voyages. Using the overlay tool we are able to lay it over a self created google map and compare the results. While I’m still not sure the practical use for this technology it sure get’s the mind thinking.

Click Here to try it out.

Last week we were pleased to bring you google’s announcement of ocean data inclusion in Google Earth. Today we bring you an interview with the leading google earth developer of marine products, Virgil Zetterlind of EarthNC. For those unfamiliar with Virgil’s work, the company translates marine charts into vector graphics for use in Google Earth. They also assist you in overlaying additional services like AIS based vessel tracking and marine weather charts. The result is a powerfull alternative to ECS products like Coastal Explorer or TADS.

Everyone seems to know the power of google earth, how does your product unleash this power for use on the water?

Similar to needing road data to create driving directions or plan road trips, EarthNC provides the navigation context critical for planning and conducting boating trips within the Google Earth environment.  Our core datasets are based on official government charting or reputable private chart data where government data is not available.  We also incorporate extensive weather layers, ocean forecasts, and point-of-interest reference information to give boaters a comprehensive picture of the environment. [Continue Reading →]

The Exploratorium brings us live earthquake monitor and mapping links! Normally I wouldn’t cut an paste so much info but in light of messages I’ve received from mariners worried about their families, here it is:

Southern California Integrated GPS Network Mapsurfer
Mapsurferer is an interactive mapping system that allows visitors to overlay different layers of information on a map of California. These layers include seismic stations, highways, geological features, major faults, and more. While information about the Bay Area and northern California is available, this map focuses on southern parts of the state.

Quakes in the last 7 days: USGS Earthquake Hazards Program
The USGS has many maps of live earthquake data. This section lets visitors see quakes that have occurred anywhere in the world in the last week. You can also focus on geographic regions. Zooming in to a specific quake, you reach a page with specific data and links to the area’s seimic and quake damage history

Shake map of California and Nevada showing fault lines
These maps are nice illustrations of the fact that earthquakes occur along faults. You can click the small boxes to zoom in and get more details on specific quakes

Did you feel it?
Seismometers can measure shaking, but how much does that reflect what people actually feel? On this site, people in the area of a quake can report their experiences to the USGS, and the results are made into a map. This can be compared with other shake maps for the same quake that were generated from seismometer data.

IRIS Seismic Monitor
IRIS (Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology) has developed their Seismic Monitor that offers data about quake in near realtime, lets you search the Web for information about them, and view seismograms.

Real-time seismograms
Recorded by stations in the Northern California Seismic Network, these seismograms update every 5 minutes. The site also includes information on interpreting seismograms and examples of different magnitudes.

USGS Global Positioning System (GPS) monitors
USGS keeps many live earthquake monitoring stations that track movements of the earth’s plates using GPS. Because plate movement is fairly slow, the data are recorded over long periods of time. So the information on this site records events in the last year, or last decade, rather than the last week.

Marinebuzz.com points us to World Port Source, a website that plots all the ports of the world on an easy to use and familiar Google Map.  World Port Source provides interactive satellite images, maps and contact information for 3,086 ports in 189 countries around the world.  The website states:

Due to the complex interrelation of ports, cargo carriers, cruise ship lines, shipping agencies, terminal operators and dozens of other transportation related businesses, government agencies and public authorities the completion of this website will be a journey of discovery rather than a destination with closure.

The first objective in developing this site is to provide contact information and satellite images of ports and harbors throughout the world. Over time, this foundation of world ports will be cross referenced with the people and companies who make their livelihood servicing the world’s largest and most valuable transportation network.

Along with the above mentioned features, the site provides links to all container liner service companies, news and Local Views, which provides an index to close-up satellite images of features in and around the ports of the world.

Link:  WorldPortSource.com

Pirate maps have long been the a source of intrigue but modern day treasure hunters more often use advance technology like remote operated vehicles and sonar systems than maps stamped with an X. Neverless, pirate maps have survived to modern day and are equally intriguing as those found in archives… but they have a different purpose. Here are a few modern day pirate maps but remember dead men tell no tales and there is no gold to be found on these maps… well unless your in blackwater.

LIVE PIRACY MAP – 2008

This map shows all the piracy and armed robbery incidents reported to the Piracy Reporting Centre during 2008. This division of the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) works to protect the integrity of international trade by seeking out fraud and malpractice. The organization combines traditional reporting tools like a piracy hotline with a wide variety of IT sources to keep member informed of dangerous situation in real time.

In adition to their live piracy map you can also find RSS information feeds as well as updates on the latest attcks worldwide.

UNOSAT Maps, etc…

This map by UNOSAT, the UN Institute for Training and Research’s (UNITAR) Operational Satellite Applications Programme, illustrates reported incidents of piracy in the Gulf of Aden from January to 30 September 2008. Satellite imagery has been used in this analysis for the identification of suspected hijacked vessel locations and UNOSAT has combined this imagery with public media reports. The result is the map above which highlights the most troublesome incidents with an intensity color scale. You can find the hi resolution version of the map HERE.

[Continue Reading →]

The International Chamber of Commerce brings us the live piracy map. The red markers are actual attaks as reported to the Maritime Security Hotline.

This was originally posted on July 2, 2008 but with more and more pirate attacks in the news I have updated it and think it deserves another look.  This comes in response the recent hijack of a Malaysian ship in the Gulf of Aden and is the fourth attack in the area this month.

Piracy has long been a problem in the Gulf of Aden, where one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, connecting the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, passes by lawless Somalia, which has been without an effective central government since 1991.

IMB live piracy map 2008

This map is brought to us by the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre, a division of the International Marine Bureau.  It is compiling a live Google map mashup of all reported pirate attacks for 2008. So far this year Nigeria has seen the most pirate incidents fallowed by Indonesia and Bangladesh.

What is the IMB?

IMB’s main task is to protect the integrity of international trade by seeking out fraud and malpractice. For over 20 years, it has used industry knowledge, experience and access to a large number of well-placed contacts around the world to do this: identifying and investigating frauds, spotting new criminal methods and trends, and highlighting other threats to trade.

The information gathered from sources and during investigations is provided to members in the form of timely advice via a number of different communication routes. It lists the threats and explains how members can reduce their vulnerability to them. Over the years, this approach has thwarted many attempted frauds and saved the shipping and trading industry many millions of dollars.

What is the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre?

A major part of the IMB’s work to make shipping safer involves assisting in the suppression of piracy and armed robbery against ships around the world.

In 1992, the escalating number of piracy incidents led to the establishment of a Piracy Reporting Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Its job is to raise awareness of piracy hotspots, detail specific attacks and their consequences, and investigate incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea and in port. Another role entails working with national governments on a range of initiatives to reduce and ultimately eradicate attacks against ships.

The Centre, managed by the IMB, has enjoyed considerable success over the years and has made huge strides towards meeting its objectives to reduce piracy and in increasing general awareness of the problem.

Past Years Maps

2007: Google maps mashup of pirate attacks

2006: Google maps mashup of pirate attacks

2005: Google maps mashup of pirate attacks

IMB also has a Weekly Piracy Report that can be found HERE.