Andaman & Nicobar journey to become safer, convenient via Bay of Bengal; here is how

Safety is one of the aspects which people ensure first before planning a tour. Come 2020, your journey to Andaman  & Nicobar Islands through Bay of Bengal will be safer and more convenient, as Cochin Shipyard vessels to be delivered to the island's administration will be fitted with electronic and industrial robotic technology major ABB’s technology.
 
The technology will help improve reliability, safety and availability of on-board systems and optimise usage of waterways to further local development, ABB said in a statement today. ABB’s contract with Cochin Shipyard Ltd, the largest shipbuilding and maintenance facility in India, covers two new 1,200-passenger ferries. According to the company, these vessels will benefit from a full integration of their power generation, distribution and propulsion systems, enabled by the ABB Ability™ System 800xA automation on board.
 
ABB’s scope of supply includes generators, main switchboards, transformers, power management and propulsion control systems, integrated alarm, monitoring and control system (IAMCS). The ferries, to be delivered to the Andaman & Nicobar administration in 2020, will be operated by Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), connecting mainland India with the islands in the Bay of Bengal.
 
“These ferries will play a significant part in meeting the demands of the growing local infrastructure and proving transport links within the Bay of Bengal," said Madhu S Nair, Chairman and Managing Director of Cochin Shipyard Ltd.  “We look forward to working together with ABB for integrating modern vessel management techniques and leveraging each other’s capabilities on these vessels, which we are confident would be the best amongst the Administration’s fleet once they are put into service.”
 
Vessels specifications demand that the ferries are fully capable of international voyages. ABB’s experience in designing electrical and automation systems for ships in compliance with the International Maritime Organization’s Safe Return to Port (SRtP) requirements for passenger ships had been a key differentiator in power and automation selection, the statement said.  This focus increases the safety, availability and reliability of the onboard system, allowing predictability in operations, it said.