Leica Geosystems Receives Order To Install AIS

Leica Geosystems has won an order from Princess Cruises to install an Automatic Identification System (AIS) on the luxury cruise ship Grand Princess. The Grand Princess will be fitted with a Leica MX 420 integrated DGPS/AIS system. According to Steven Spendlove, electrical superintendent for Princess Cruises, the company intends to outfit its entire 20-ship cruise fleet with AIS if the sea trials on the Grand Princess are successful. Leica introduced the MX 420 system earlier this year to meet the pending International Maritime Organization (IMO) carriage requirements, which will come into effect on July 1, 2002. After that date, all passenger ships, and all new-construction cargo ships of 500 gross tonnage and up, must be fitted with an approved marine AIS system.