A warning. A quick reaction. An undamaged wheelhouse. For Captain Jan Bakker* aboard the MTS Rijnstroom*, Bridgescout® has already proven its value in a real situation. His conclusion is clear: “You can sail without it. But with it, it's safer.”
For Captain Jan Bakker*, safety has always come first. Long before Bridgescout® was installed on board the MTS Rijnstroom*, he followed the system's development with great interest. “I first heard about Bridgescout® about ten years ago, at a maritime trade fair,” he says. “Even then, I thought: this is a very good system.”
However, the decision to install the system was not immediate. Like many inland shipping entrepreneurs, Jan had to carefully consider the investment. “It's a substantial investment,” he explains. “When a subsidy scheme was introduced in Germany that covered up to 80 percent of the costs, the right moment had arrived for me.” Now, after more than two and a half years with Bridgescout® on board, he wouldn't want to be without the system.
A warning at precisely the right moment
The system's value became apparent one morning that started out quite ordinary. After an overnight stay on the canal, Jan was preparing his ship for departure. As always, he lowered the mast and the wheelhouse before casting off. Or so he thought. “I had lowered the wheelhouse, but apparently not far enough,” he recalls. “Hardly had I departed when Bridgescout® sounded the alarm.”
The mooring was located 200 meters before a bridge. Because of the warning, he lowered the wheelhouse immediately. “Honestly, without Bridgescout®, I'm not sure if I would have noticed it in time.” The consequences could have been significant. “The wheelhouse, or at least the lamp bracket on the wheelhouse, would have hit the bridge, as it was still raised. In hindsight, the system has already paid for itself with this one situation alone.”
An extra piece of reassurance
As convinced as Jan is of Bridgescout®, he is just as clear about the role the system plays on board. “You should never blindly trust it,” he says. “You need to know your ship, the height of the next bridge, and always keep thinking for yourself.”
For him, Bridgescout® is not a replacement for the skipper, but an extra layer of certainty that supports the captain while sailing. “It simply provides an extra sense of security.” He compares the system to the assistance systems in modern cars. “You can drive a car without ABS or ESP. Yet everyone is glad these systems exist because they make driving safer. That's how I see Bridgescout® too. You don't need it, but it's safer with it.”
Support in stressful situations
Daily life on inland waterways nowadays demands maximum concentration. Besides steering the ship, captains have to monitor VHF radio traffic, follow oncoming traffic, make phone calls, or handle organizational tasks. “There are always moments when you're distracted,” Jan explains. “You're watching traffic, making a call, or doing something in the wheelhouse.”
This is exactly where Bridgescout® comes into its own. “The system reminds you that the next bridge is coming up, even if your attention is elsewhere.” Of course, this doesn't mean the captain can become inattentive. “You shouldn't really work that way,” he says with a laugh. “But reality is sometimes different. And that's precisely when Bridgescout® is excellent extra assurance.”
Technique with realistic expectations
Jan also appreciates that Bridgescout® was conscientiously developed as an assistance system and doesn't pretend to be perfect. “Yes, sometimes there are false alarms too,” he says. “For example, at locks, when water flows down like a wall. The system then recognizes that as an obstacle.”
For him, that's just part of it when it comes to dealing with technology. “You get used to those kinds of situations. If you know them, they're not a problem.” What's much more important is that everyone understands what Bridgescout® is intended for. “It can't look around corners. It doesn't replace experience. It simply provides additional information.”
Prevent major damage
Jan also clearly sees the economic advantages. “A damaged wheelhouse costs significantly more than Bridgescout®.” Because in addition to repair costs, there is often also a longer downtime for the ship. “First, you need a new wheelhouse. Then the radar and all navigation technology have to be rebuilt. With major damage, the ship is quickly out of service for two or even three months.”
The consequences are particularly severe in tanker shipping. Every collision must be reported by the charterer/shipping company in the EBIS system, which often results in blacklisting (a block by shippers). The vessel remains blocked for shippers until the matter is cleared up and therefore cannot be deployed. “You lose valuable sailing time and income, and at the same time, safety requirements in the sector are becoming stricter every year.”
An investment that pays for itself
Would Jan recommend Bridgescout® to other captains? His answer comes without hesitation. “If anyone asks me if I'm satisfied, I tell them exactly what I told you today.”
His advice is deliberately realistic. “You can also sail without it. But with it, it's safer.”
Even after more than two years on board the MTS Rijnstroom*, Jan still looks at Bridgescout® the same way he did when he first got to know the system. “It doesn't replace a good captain,” he says. “But it does give every captain an extra pair of eyes, precisely when they need them most.”
About the MTS Rhine Stream
The MTS Rijnstroom* is a tanker that sails on European inland waterways. Captain Jan Bakker* has been sailing with Bridgescout® on board for more than two and a half years and considers the system an important additional safety measure that meaningfully complements the skipper's experience, but never replaces it.
*The name of the ship and the skipper have been fabricated for privacy reasons. The real names are known to the editorial staff.