For years, ESS has been providing quality public address and general alarm audio solutions for marine vessels. In addition, ESS has been busy designing, implementing and installing enterprise digital signage video solutions for corporate and educational clients. Leveraging this experience, ESS has developed an integrated audio/video solution that addresses changes regarding Americans with Disabilities Act compliance on passenger vessels.
Vessel Alert™ is first and foremost a solution to ensure the safety of passengers.
Vessel Alert™ can be configured to provide advanced video features such as broadcast content that can enhance passenger satisfaction.
Perhaps the greatest advanced feature is the capability to provide sponsored content. This feature provides revenue-generating opportunities that may cover the complete cost of the system over time.
Although Vessel Alert™ was first developed to integrate with messaging systems designed by ESS, it is flexible enough to integrate with other existing PA/GA and messaging systems.
Vessel Alert™ provides passenger vessel operators a solution for meeting the requirements of 49 CFR Part 39 – Transportation for Individuals with Disabilities: Passenger Vessels. This ruling (effective 11/2010) dictates that passenger vessel operators ensure that people with hearing and visual impairments have access to safety briefings, information and drills (49 CFR 39.89).
Vessel Alert™ provides video images and messages to meet the needs of the hearing impaired (49 CFR 39.85 Subpart C). In addition, it adds a visual component to the emergency general alarm system required in 46 CFR (Subchapters J, K, and T) and ABS Rules for Steel Vessels and Guide for Passenger Vessels.
Vessel Alert™ may be installed on a single vessel or scaled to cover a whole fleet. The key to a multiple vessel installation is computer networking over a new or existing IP network. In this configuration, a central server may be installed at the fleet headquarters and “player” computers may be installed on the individual vessels. The IP connection allows for remote monitoring, updating advertising content, refreshing news feeds and changing policy information.