Improving Canada's Marine Navigation System through e-Navigation

The full application and benefits of e-Navigation, as a whole, cannot yet fully be known. Technological developments will continuously change the course of national and international initiatives in the field, and lead the pace of the evolution. However, how countries govern and support the development of e-Navigation is very much within the realm of control. National-level e-navigation governance structures that are capable of harnessing innovation and supporting the needs of mariners will help ensure that the only limits to the evolution of e-navigation are technological.

The aim of this paper is to describe a model for National-level e-Navigation structures, and to offer the Canadian model as an example for potential replication in other countries. The scope of the paper is limited, providing an account of the steps to implement the e-Navigation model in the Canadian context. The methodology is similarly humble, outlining the framework of the Canadian e-Navigation Concept of Operations, and current e-Navigation priorities. It is the basis for this model that is the keystone to the paper. The Canadian model was developed in a way that ideas, innovation and needs in Canada are not wholly determined by the government, but rather, the government aims to act as a facilitator and guide in bringing together disparate needs and ideas under a harmonized approach.

The conclusion proposed is that on-going work with key partners and stakeholders can be used as the primary mechanism to identify e-Navigation related innovation and needs, and to prioritize next steps. Moving forward in Canada, implementation of new e-navigation services will continue to be stakeholder driven, and used to drive improvements to Canada's marine navigation system.