Shipboard Gyrocompass Compliant with IMO Standards

Northrop Grumman (Charlottesville, VA) announced on 11 May that the US Coast Guard (USCG) has granted type approval the company’s SeaFIND [Sea Fiber-Optic Gyrocompass Inertial Navigation with Data Distribution] inertial navigation system (INS). Certification formally authorises the device’s use as a shipboard gyrocompass system for navigation for nations needing International Maritime Organization (IMO) compliance.

Following a rigorous test and evaluation process, the USCG has officially type approved the SeaFIND system, proving its compatibility and conformity to the IMO’s requirements for a gyrocompass system in addition to its capabilities as an inertial navigator and navigation data distribution system for ships. The USCG certification includes the European Community’s (EC) Mark of Conformity (wheelmark) under the mutual recognition agreement between the US and the EC for type approval.

“In addition to SeaFIND’s low size, weight and power (SWaP), affordability and reliable performance in a GPS-denied environment, being type approved makes it very attractive to customers throughout the world,” explained Todd Leavitt, Vice President, Maritime Systems & Integration. “This certification demonstrates that the system is compliant with a common standard and benchmark.”