Sagar Sampark: Made-in-India navigation system for ships inaugurated

The shipping ministry said the navigation system will assist mariners with safe navigation and will reduce the risk of collisions, groundings, and accidents

In an initiative aimed at boosting the digitalisation in the maritime sector, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday inaugurated an indigenous Differential Global Navigation Satellite System (DGNSS) called Sagar Sampark. It is an enhancement system that “corrects the errors and inaccuracies in the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and provides more accurate positioning information”, the shipping ministry said.

Sonowal said the launch of Sagar Sampark at six locations will assist the Director General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL) to provide radio aids to ships for marine navigation.

The ministry said the made-in-India navigation system will provide accurate information to the ships for safe navigation and will reduce the risk of collisions, groundings, and accidents in the port and harbour areas. This will lead to the safe and efficient movement of vessels.

The navigation system helps mariners to improve their positioning within 5 meters after recapitalisation with multiple satellite constellations like the Global Positioning System (GPS) and the Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS). According to the ministry, Sagar Sampark significantly improves the accuracy of GPS positioning and reduces errors caused by atmospheric inferences, satellite clock drift, and other factors. The error correction accuracy has been improved from 5 to 10 meters to less than 5 meters for 100 Nautical Miles (NM) from Indian coastlines.