THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN DEIGNED IN CONJUNCTION WITH IMODCO, WHO SUPPLY THE SPM BUOYS IN USE AT QUA EBOE. THE SYSTEM MEETS THE SPECIFICATIONS OF LLOYDS FOR SAFETY SYSTEMS AT SPM TERMINALS. ALL EQUIPMENT ON THE SPMS MEETS HAZARDOUS AREA SAFETY CERTIFICATION.
THE SYSTEM MONITORS HAWSER TENSION ON EACH SPM. AT ONE LOCATION WIND DATA AND SEA CURRENT FLOWS ARE ALSO MEASURED. THE CURRENT IS MEASURED AT SIX DEPTHS USING A SONAR-BASED DEVICE ON THE SEABED. THE SYSTEM HAS SPECIALLY DEVELOPED SOFTWARE TO PREDICT WAVE AND TIDE HEIGHT.
ALL DATA COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE SPMS HAVE MAIN AND BACK-UP PATHS. DATA CAN BE ROUTED VIA THE OTHER SPMS IN THE EVENT OF A BLOCKAGE OF THE DIRECT RADIO PATH TO THE RADIO BASE-STATION.
THE RADIO BASE-STATION IS BASED ON A RUGGEDISED PC COMPUTER AND CONTROLS THE DATA COMMUNICATIONS TO THE BUOYS. IT ALSO REFORMATS THE DATA TO SEND OVER A MICROWAVE LINK TO THE SHORE SIDE CENTRAL CONTROL ROOM.
THE OPERATOR INTERFACE AT THE CONTROL ROOM IS A PC BASED SCADA SYSTEM RUNNING
’S SCADAPLUS SOFTWARE.