BRIDGE is part of Weathernews’ Optimum Ship Routeing service supporting onshore recommendations from Weathernews Operation team to Masters and is used by more than 3,500 vessels globally.

“All ships being assigned class with DNV will be given a class notation consisting of a construction symbol, a main character of class, service area restriction notations and main ship type notations, as applicable. Class notations cover mandatory and optional requirements .”

Authorized to act on behalf of some 80 national maritime authorities, DNV is now the leading society in the world as a de facto standard.

BRIDGE was authorized by DNV class notation NAUT-AW and NAUT-OC under the following conditions;

1. All meteorological information/data provided by BRIDGE system shall be issued by national meteorological services in the best position to serve various costal and high sea areas. Weather information suitable for ships shall at least include data, analysis, warnings and forecast of weather, waves and ice.
2. BRIDGE system to be installed on a PC with minimum requirements or better, specified in the BRIDGE Installation manual.
3. Any electronic equipment installed on the navigation bridge on ships constructed on or after 1 July 2002 shall be tested for electromagnetic compatibility. Reference is made to SOLAS Chapter V Regulation 17.
4. Ship must have an E-mail system capable of receiving updated weather information twice a day, and must be sailing within the coverage area for the Email system.
5. Installation to be examined for each project. *(see below for newbuildings/retrofitting differentiation)
6. This statement is valid until 2010-08-31.

Rules class notations NAUT-OC and NAUT-AW

*Newbuildings:
Vessels being build to these notations will be surveyed by a qualified NAUT surveyor during seatrial and the Weather information system is one of several systems inspected by the NAUT surveyor during the seatrial.

*Retrofit:
Ships in operation holding either NAUT-OC or NAUT-AW notation will be subject for annual NAUT surveys. If the Weather information system is replaced (i.e. a weatherfax replaced by a Weathernews BRIDGE 5.x) this will be inspected during such annual surveys and not necessarily during or immediately after installation.

*For other vessels (i.e. ships not holding any NAUT notations), such weather information system is a voluntary or additional system and consequently not within the scope for DNV rules and inspections.

Weathernews will continue to upgrade BRIDGE with the leading global shipping companies to assist Master decision making, improve vessel safety and to optimize fuel consumption whilst reducing emissions.

• ※1:DNV (Det Norske Veritas AS)
  DNV is one of the world’s leading classification societies since 1864 and a pioneer in the field of ship classification societies in the world. DNV helps the maritime industry manage risk in all phases of the ships life, though classification, statutory service, certification of materials and components, consulting, competence, fuel testing and supporting software.
• ※2: NAUT-AW
  Class notation for enhanced nautical safety, incorporating a grounding avoidance systems (INS).
• ※3: NAUT-OC
  Class notation for nautical safety aiming to reduce the risk of collisions and groundings.