Navigating or manoeuvring in strong winds or currents, and in confined waters requires great skill and places severe demands on masters and pilots. Reliable and accurate information on ship movement is essential to maximise safety, reduce the risk of structural damage to ship and shore infrastructure and minimise the threat of accidental pollution.

The AMI Marine SMIDS (Ships Movement Information Display System) is a highly reliable, low cost alternative to the doppler systems found on many vessels for docking and manoeuvring. ‘SMIDS’ uses the information received from GPS and GLONASS satellite technologies to accurately measure the vessel’s movement relative to ground.

Highly sensitive, and accurate to 0.01knots, SMIDS will detect and display vessel movement instantly – often before it is visibly apparent – ensuring vessel movement is precisely controlled and corrective action can be taken at the earliest opportunity. It is the perfect solution for large vessels, those where bridge visibility is restricted, lightering, dredging and for ships that frequently manoeuvre without tugs in adverse conditions.

The system is particularly valuable in difficult docking situations and poor weather conditions where the doppler system would struggle to hold it’s accuracy due to pitch and roll issues, sea state, cavitaton and seabed disturbance which can cause doppler systems to report inaccurate readings.

SMIDS is a first fit system for many new vessel build projects in some of the most reputable shipyards around the world.