20 January 2012
FURUNO's IMO and USCG Certified BR500 Bridge Navigational Watch Alarm System fitting date is rapidly approaching
With the primary fitting date of 12 July, 2012 rapidly approaching, many skippers of existing passenger and cargo vessels are looking for a comprehensive, reliable BNWAS system that not only meets IMO & USCG requirements, but also delivers a simplified, turn-key installation. With this in mind, FURUNO is pleased to announce that the BR-500 BNWAS (Bridge Navigational Watch Alarm System) is IMO approved and USCG Certified, and is available for use on vessels in the United States. This important certification allows for use of the BR-500 on vessels of all sizes and types in U.S. waters. The BR-500 also meets the proposed CFR Subchapter M regulation § 143.325 that will affect all towing vessels in the United States.
The BR-500 is an alarm/alert system that monitors the watch officer's presence on the bridge for casualty avoidance. The system will initiate a predetermined sequence of alarms if it senses inactivity on the bridge for a set period of time. Means of resetting the watch time include: operation of either ECDIS or Radar with appropriate outputs, pressing a timer reset button, or activating an optionally available IR motion sensor during normal bridge activity.
At its core, the FURUNO BR-500 consists of a Processor Unit and Main Alarm Panel. From these core units, the system can be expanded to facilitate the specific configuration required for any vessel to satisfy IMO & USCG requirements.
The FURUNO BR-500 is competitively priced, and offers a unique single-cable design that significantly reduces the difficulty of installation in the confined spaces of both retrofits and new builds alike. A single cable connects the processor to each of the compact peripheral devices in the system, making external panel placement very flexible. The FURUNO single-cable design greatly simplifies installation, and is highly desired over other BNWAS hardware configurations, which may require connection of power, battery, sensors, and other control cables directly to the display unit. Because of FURUNO's single-wire design, certain panels may be installed via daisy-chain configuration for added simplicity and ease of installation. Additionally, The BR-500 external processor is ideally sized, providing ample space to easily connect all cables while remaining small enough to install in a convenient, accessible location.
(Source: http://www.furuno.co.jp/en/news/product/20120120_001.html)