Applications of global navigation satellite systems in maritime navigation

Currently (April 2016) uninterrupted information about a ship’s position can be obtained from specialized electronic position-fixing systems, in particular, Satellite Navigation Systems (SNSs) such as GPS and GLONASS and Satellite Based Augmentation Systems (SBASs) such as EGNOS or WAAS. The generic name given to all the above mentioned systems is Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). Many models, designed for the ship’s bridge and provided by about a dozen manufacturers, are available on the world market. In Europe, one of the most comprehensive sources of knowledge on the global GNSS market is a report published, on average, every 15 months by the European GNSS Agency GSA. Another receiver survey is published each year in the January number of the magazine “GPS World”. The detailed analysis of market report and receiver survey, possible use of EGNOS and Galileo in the maritime market, and different maritime applications of GNSS equipment are described in this paper.