FiXed Piloting Unit

Effective on October 1, 2023, all vessels with a beam of 109 feet (neopanamax vessel) or more transiting the Panama Canal will be required to have a fixed piloting unit with Real Time Kinematics (RTK) for submeter accuracy on board. This measure is expected to improve the efficiency of the waterway by eliminating the delays associated with the installation of portable piloting units (PPU-RTK).

JRC can offer you a unit equipped with the latest Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technologies. Our JRC Europe FiXed Piloting Unit is approved by the Panama Canal authority. Once the unit is installed and powered, it will provide the required communication with the pilot’s tablet and the software via wireless network. The FiXed Piloting Unit ensures a stable and long-range connection in all conning positions during the transit through the Panama Canal, even in a total black-out, it will stay alive for at least 5 hours.

FiXed Piloting Unit

The FiXed Piloting Unit will house two GNSS receivers with latest technology, AIS and UHF receivers in a sturdy enclosure. The stand-alone unit will communicate through Wi-Fi with the pilot´s tablet and the software, using a unique unit ID, providing the relevant navigation data. Furthermore, the main unit will feature a power switch and a visual indicator to switch off the equipment while sailing outside the Panama Canal. However, the integrated UPS will have a hot-standby, which allows it to charge always, and capacity is available when needed.